The Art of Sowing

Credit: Capitol Hill Outsider

There is a famous saying in the Bible, "As you sow, so shall you reap". What is the exact meaning of this proverb? It is very simple. The proverb means that if you sow a grain of wheat, you will reap wheat cereal. If you sow unhealthy seeds, the plants that grow may be weak and spoilt. The Art of Sowing is important in any phase of life.

In the Art of Sowing, one has to keep in mind that just 'sowing' a seed is not everything. Where you sow the seed, what are the conditions it is sown under, and how you nurture it are also vital to the plant you reap in the end. You must be wondering, what has this proverb and talk about sowing and reaping seeds have to do with your business. Well, it has everything to do with your business.

In a company, people are hired to perform specific roles and duties. An employee is chosen based on his skills, experience and knowledge of that particular field. After a few months or years, the employee is promoted. It is a happy occasion for most. The employee might have been eyeing that promotion since a long time, trying to beat his competitors, and trying to do his best at every step to earn it. However, in this race and euphoric moment, the Boss and the Employee tend to ignore, or miss a vital aspect - the ability to responsibly handle the new role.

This one aspect can lead you to a loss, in terms of talent, time, investment et al. Both the Boss and the Employee think about the promotion in terms of Profit and Economics. The power and talent of the employee is sidelined. An employee cannot metamorphose overnight into a pro at the new designation.

There may be an exception, where an employee takes to the promotion with the utmost ease, however, a majority of employees feel burdened, nervous, helpless, and unprepared to deal with the new situation they are propelled into. This is where, you as a senior and their Boss can help them out.

You were the one who hired them, you are the one who promoted them. You are the one who 'sowed' this 'seed'. Now, you are the one to nurture them. It is your responsibility.

You need to work with them to pick up the reigns of the new position. In the first few stages, you need to help them with their responsibilities. All they need is your support and guidance. If you sowed them to be a certain professional, you have to nurture them for them to be the Professional they can be.

This applies even for the employees who are not promoted. You need to communicate, reach out, understand and help your employees to make use of their talent that made you hire them. As a Boss, you need to help your people grow. Your business grows, when your people grow. Your people grow, when YOU help them grow.

Remember, "As you Sow, so shall you Reap".