Two years ago, I took the opportunity to spruce up my home office. I painted the walls, bought a new office chair, and hung a live plant.

For years I had steered away from house plants. While I love the look of them and how they improve air quality, my indoor thumb isn’t all that green.

It’s perplexing.

I have beautiful outdoor gardens all summer long. I am often told that my backyard looks like an oasis. Yet somehow my indoor plants don’t seem to survive.

But knowing I would be spending so much time in my home office, I decided it was time to embrace the challenge.

So, I went to a local grower and bought an easy-to-manage succulent. Within the month it was dead.

I’m not surprised.  

While I watched YouTube videos on how to take care of succulents, I couldn’t find a definitive answer. I tried cross referencing this information with online articles, but again, I didn’t find a clear path forward.

Growing bored of the research I decided to give it my best shot, working with the inconsistent knowledge that I had. It didn’t work. The plant seemed to rot from within.

I eventually tried again. This time I bought Devil’s Ivy.

Unwilling to make the same mistake as before, I closely examined the information card, double-checking its ideal living conditions. I also asked the grower, ensuring I was making the right selection. It worked.

Happy with my success, I decided to purchase the same plant for my office too. I imagined it would similarly thrive. It didn’t.

It grew lanky on one side. The centre leaves turned brown. I tried rotating it. Giving it more water. Less water. Nothing seemed to work.

Finally, after months of struggle, I took it down. I placed it in my living room hoping to revive it. Within a month it doubled in size.

 Watching my plants grow (and die) these past few years, I can’t help but think how much this experience reminds me of every program or project I’ve managed.

When I’ve taken the time to thoroughly research the topic - reading books, participating in workshops, and learning from experts - things typically go well. Of course there is trial and error, and changes and tweaks are made to fit the local context.

But taking shortcuts and fast tracking the process never seems to work. Best practices are almost always the answer.

To test this theory, I invite you to consider a program, project, or business you’re running. Are there best practices or mentors you can learn from? Are there areas you could tweak, test, or improve in the local context after that research has been conducted?

By continuing to learn best practices, you’ll move forward. Perhaps it will work right away. Other times a little trial and error is required.

However, with time, your plant, program, or business will likely grow. Expert advice rarely leads you in the wrong direction.

Give it a try and see what happens.

Best wishes, Lauren

P.s. If you need help planning the implementation of any program, reach out. Free 30-minute consultations are available.