Roots like redwoods

Trees fascinate me. Perhaps it is because I grew up in the home of a tree trimmer. My dad spent his entire working life in trees. I can easily recall the smell of freshly cut wood or the foul stench of deadwood.

Although I am not a tree authority, I believe there is one tree that stands above them all: the majestic redwood. If you’ve seen one, you know what I mean. These trees are often referred to as “a natural wonder.”

According to California State Parks, redwood trees are a phenomenon. These trees come from seeds no larger than a tomato and can grow up to 367 feet high and 22 feet wide. What is even more fascinating is that redwood trees have roots that are a meager 10 to 13 feet deep into the ground. However, they spread outward around 60 to 80 feet. This wide connection allows them to intersect with numerous other trees and move thousands of gallons of water through an interconnected root system.

Though redwood root systems do not run deep into the ground, they are still able to outlast fierce storms. It is believed that the interconnected root systems of the redwoods provide tremendous stability, enabling these majestic trees to withstand high-powered winds of significant force. Their interconnected root system not only provides stability, but it is believed that these trees share resources with each other through this interconnected system. This has served to preserve their future, as redwood trees are able to survive as long as 2,000 years.

In our work with leaders, teams and organizations, we have observed “redwood” type organizations with strong, resourceful, aligned and interconnected teams. These kinds of teams exist because leaders have made it a priority to establish a healthy ecosystem. Like the redwood interconnected root system, these leaders facilitate a healthy root system of shared resources through what could be labeled “extreme clarity.”

People need clarity to actively participate in organizational dynamics. “Extreme clarity” includes a clear picture of mission, vision, values, resources, job expectations, feedback and development. In the absence of clarity, team members are left guessing and wandering about the organization, like a lone tree with no interdependent connection to the larger system.

For those leaders looking to build strong “redwood” team members, considering your clarity level is a great starting point. Clarity is measured in the ability of team members to accurately replicate a picture of their leaders’ expectations. In other words, to what degree can a team member describe the expectations of their leader? In addition to that, to what degree can a team member describe the way in which resources are to be used to advance the mission of the organization? Even further, to what degree can team members articulate the purpose of the organization and the role their job plays in fulfilling it?

Too often leaders have their own sense of clarity but never make the time to explore the level of clarity at which their team members are operating. If the leader doesn’t have organizational clarity, how can they expect their team members to have it?

As you think about your organization, you might consider the ecosystem you’re establishing. Is it a system in which expectations are clear, team members are interconnected and sharing resources? Or are you cultivating a confusing environment, through a lack of clarity, resulting in disconnected team members? Regardless of how you assess your organizational ecosystem, the good news is that ecosystems can shift.

Through seeding extreme clarity into your organizational culture, you are on your way toward forming a “redwood” organization.

Editor’s note: Erik Dees is a partner with Milestone Leadership. Milestone Leadership’s mission is to “build leaders worth following.” The opinions expressed are those of the author.