Leaders as Gardeners: Cultivating People, Culture and Performance

At VB&A, we’ve been talking a lot about what it really takes for people to thrive at work, and and one metaphor keeps coming up in coaching sessions, leadership events, and strategic talent conversations: leaders as gardeners.

It’s a simple yet powerful idea. Great leaders don’t micromanage growth. They create the right environment, offer the right support at the right time, and trust their people to do what they’re meant to do, which is to flourish.

🌼 What Does It Mean to Lead Like a Gardener?

Consider this: A gardener doesn’t grow the plants, the plants do that themselves. Instead, the role of the Gardener is to:

• Prepare the soil (culture)
• Plant thoughtfully (recruit with care)
• Water consistently (offer feedback and encouragement)
• Prune when needed (provide stretch and challenge)
• Create space and structure (set direction, not rigid control)

This metaphor maps beautifully to leadership. It reminds us that people don’t thrive through pressure or micromanagement. Instead, they thrive in well-tended environments that balance care and challenge.

📈 Why It Works — For People and Performance

Research supports this approach. Studies from Harvard Business Review and McKinsey consistently show that leaders who balance high empathy with high expectations see stronger employee engagement, lower turnover, and better commercial results.

At VB&A, we’ve seen it firsthand. In both 121 coaching and within our leadership development programmes, we see the shift from ‘driver’ to ‘cultivator’ unlocks:

• Higher trust
• Smarter delegation
• More innovation
• Stronger succession pipelines and talent management strategies

One recent client, a Director at a fast-scaling tech business, transformed her team’s culture by shifting her role from fixer to gardener. She did this simply by asking a different question. Rather than ‘what’s going wrong?’ she asked ‘What do you need from me to grow?’

The outcome? Within a few short months, the team’s productivity and morale both soared. Her engagement survey scores increased, and she had a good handle on everyone’s desire to grow and develop which supported her talent strategy.

🌿 How to Start Cultivating a Garden Culture

Let’s be clear, you don’t need to overhaul your org chart! This is way simpler and faster. Here are a few hints and tips on how to begin with a garden (team) culture:

As an individual leader:

• Shift your 121 from status updates to development conversations.
• Ask your team great coaching style development questions such as ‘What’s getting in the way of your growth right now?’, ‘How can I support you?’ and ‘What does good look like for you?
• Notice where you’re overwatering (micromanaging) or neglecting (under-supporting). Stay transparent and honest by asking your team for their feedback on these things. ‘What can I do more/less of’ is a great question to start the conversation here.

As an organisation:

• Develop leadership programmes that balance mindset and skillset.
• Reward nurturing behaviours, not just outcomes. This is the ‘what AND how’.
• Offer coaching to your leaders to help them take a step back,critically assess their garden (team) and create an actionable plan.

💬 The Take Away

Leadership isn’t about being the hero of the story, instead it’s about being the ecosystem builder. We know that when leaders act like gardeners, people grow. Culture strengthens. And performance follows.

At VB&A, we love this concept, and so do our clients. Whether it’s through 121 coaching, group workshops or bespoke leadership events, we help leadership populations embrace this mindset and make it real in their everyday culture.

Want to explore how your leaders can grow more than just results? To find out more about how we could support you, get in touch via victoria@vb-associates.com and let’s talk. 🌱

Victoria Buckenham 2025