— To follow is a bullet of wisdom on leadership. It comes from Tom’s rifle, named Shot, who has seen it all. You’ll get the drift by clicking Blog in the menu above. —
RUDY FOLLOWED THE LAW on our farm. You see, he did what was required: In the spring, he prepared the soil and planted seeds; in the summer, he cultivated; and in the fall, he harvested. That’s the way it works. To skip a step, or change one, or dally during a season is to run afoul of the law—the law of the land.
Leaders could benefit by following the same law—prepare, plant, nurture, harvest—when it comes to guiding others through change. Well, one could try altering the process, and maybe get some immediate effect. But bets are that heeding the law yields a more committed, stronger organization. Bets are that better results are harvested. No guarantees, though: Uncontrollable interventions—such as weather or blight, for farmers—might ruin one’s efforts, but the bets are still on the law that governs growth. Mind it.