Published: August 23, 2008 08:44 pm         

Just what can you grow in your ‘leadership garden’?

Living Well column

When we think of “leader,” we often think of famous people such as Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. or John F. Kennedy. But the truth is leaders come in all sizes and shapes and in all walks of life. There are leaders in your community, your church, your neighbors, your friends and in most instances, the leader may be “you.” I found a leadership quote on the Internet and it simply states, “The leader sets the course and makes sure everyone in the canoe is paddling in the same direction.” And that is basically it in a nutshell. Take note that nowhere in the quote does it state that the leader is the boss or the one who tells everyone what to do or how to do it. The leader just makes sure we are all working on the same page and working toward the same goal.

I used the following “poem” about leadership using a garden analogy at the recent NVON (National Volunteer Outreach Network) conference held in Charleston. I hope you can use it and apply some of the principles in your own life. Remember we can all be leaders.

Here’s how to plant a leadership garden:

Plant five rows of peas

- Preparedness

- Politeness

- Promptness

- Patience

- Perseverance

Plant four rows of turnips

- Turn up for teamwork

- Turn up with a smile

- Turn up with new ideas

- Turn up with real determination

Plant five rows of lettuce

- Let us be faithful

- Let us be loyal

- Let us be unselfish

- Let us be thoughtful

- Let us be loving toward others

Plant three rows of squash

- Squash gossip

- Squash criticism

- Squash indifference

- Squash grumbling

- Squash selfishness

Plant three rows of thyme

- Thyme for fun

- Thyme for rest

- Thyme for ourselves

Author unknown

— Terrill Smith is the family/health agent for the local WVU Extension Service.