Sometimes You Need to Cut, to Grow

Lavender flowering on the balcony

I'm not quite sure how we got here. At one point there were four containers, four plants, and little need for a watering can. Spring the clock forward five years and you've got the beginnings of a jungle. A giant plant wall and seventeen mismatched planters later - my balcony is becoming increasingly inaccessible and a hose would be more apt for its watering needs. Bamboo, blueberries, lavender and lemons. Rhubarb, raspberries, strawberries and figs. Lastly, keeping my lemon tree company is the 'I've seen better times' olive tree.

Whilst the plant wall was potentially a post break-up protest purchase, my olive tree certainly was not. Together we'd been through thick and thin. On a recent clean-up of the skyward forest, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of crisp brown olive leaves and barely two branches showing any signs of life. It was hanging in there, but only just. Secateurs sharpened and bin bag at the ready, I chopped away like a barber performing a buzz cut. Nought point five on the front and back, with a four on the sides. An unusual cut by any standard.

New shoots sprouting on the tree

A few days later and with a good watering under its belt, three new shoots had started to appear. Cutting back had allowed new growth, and the surviving branches looked healthier than ever. This spark of new life in the tree led to the germination of some ideas. Ideas of how there are some activities that we do that no longer serve a purpose, and that when pruned could save energy that could be reinvested elsewhere. Let me explain…

Take embarking on a new career path as a new olive branch. As we immerse ourselves in a role, we pick up more responsibilities and tasks, increasing our connections and load in the process. These additional branches lead to doing more and more and before you know it, you've woven a complex network of twigs and offshoots, all demanding more energy than you have available to give. My olive tree was no different. There’s only so many nutrients, so much water and sun available - and in the UK, not a lot of the latter. When we say yes to too much, we can't see the wood for the trees and aspects of our work will halt healthy growth if we fail to prioritise.

Healthier looking leaves replacing the old

The same thing is true with projects and client requests. Over many years of designing and implementing internal communications sites, the flowers (fancy features) can quickly overshadow the leaves (core capabilities). Before you know it, there's an all singing and dancing site that sadly nobody visits. What adds value to the audience, just like the energy for a tree, should always remain at the forefront of every design decision.

So what's the lesson...

Quite simply, less is more. When we prune back some of the unnecessary activities that are sapping our energy, we have more time and resources to blossom. We may also make room for new and fulfilling growth opportunities that we didn't previously have the capacity or clarity of mind to pursue.

For support and guidance on how you can improve your communications and engagement activities, please get in touch.

An AI imagined visual of me writing this post on the infamous balcony.

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