(I011) The Wisdom of the Tree

“Ask me if I’m a tree.”

“Are you a tree?”

“No.”

(Cue eye roll). This was a joke from my childhood—a silly, absurd exchange that was good for a laugh. Yet, despite its playful absurdity, this simple joke lingered in my mind long after it ended, sparking an unexpected thought: What if the tree could teach us something about leadership?

The Wisdom of the Tree

Trees are strong, grounded, flexible, and wise. As I look deeper into the life of a tree, I see lessons that transcend their natural beauty. These trees, from the towering redwoods I encountered on my road trip to the ones in my own backyard, don’t just survive—they thrive by adapting to their environments, reaching toward new heights, and weathering the storms that come their way. They are a living metaphor for leadership, growth, and resilience.

But here’s the catch: the wisdom of the tree is not a shortcut, a perfect solution, or a formula for success. It’s a mirror. A metaphor. A reminder that growth comes not from striving for perfection, but from deep roots, intentional action, and the willingness to bend in the face of adversity.

The Leadership Tree: It’s Not Just a Metaphor, It’s a Practice

Have you ever stood among ancient redwoods? I still remember the awe of being surrounded by these timeless giants, some more than 2,000 years old. The magnitude of their existence, their silent witness to the ebbs and flows of history, humbled me. Words couldn’t fully capture the feeling—an energy that still stays with me. And that’s when it hit me: The Leadership Tree is more than just a concept. It’s a living practice.

It’s a practice that calls you to embrace your unique essence, nurture your values, and extend your reach while grounding yourself in authenticity. This article invites you to explore leadership through the lens of the tree—not as an unattainable ideal but as a dynamic practice rooted in curiosity, courage, and connection.

The Tree as a Leadership Guide

The journey of the tree starts with a seed, symbolizing your potential. From there, the tree nurtures its roots, just as you must nurture your core values, relationships, and self-awareness. The trunk, flexible yet resilient, teaches us the balance between strength and adaptability. The branches, extending outward, reflect the constant pursuit of opportunity and growth, while shedding what no longer serves you. By looking to nature’s wisdom, we can set aside emotions—those distractions that often hinder progress—and instead approach leadership with clarity, patience, and a fresh perspective.

What the Wisdom of the Tree Is and Is Not

The wisdom of the tree isn’t about suppressing emotions or ignoring what matters. It’s not about rigid beliefs or avoiding growth. A tree doesn’t grow in isolation—it thrives through interconnectedness. It shares resources, leans on its ecosystem for support, and contributes to the well-being of the whole. The tree’s stillness is not a sign of inaction, but of deep, ongoing processes of adaptation and evolution beneath the surface.

The wisdom of the tree holds a paradox: it stands still, yet it is always growing. Its roots stretch deep, while its branches reach for the sky, teaching us that true growth is both grounded and expansive. Just as the tree bends and flexes with changing seasons, we must embrace change and uncertainty, finding strength in vulnerability.

The novel Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, while not one of the typical books I reference in my work, stands out with a profound lesson. The characters face deep emotional struggles and the impermanence of life, echoing the idea that growth is not about striving for perfection, but about being present in the moment. Murakami suggests that peace comes not from controlling life, but from accepting its natural flow, learning from both the highs and the lows. The tree’s weathered bark and twisted branches teach us that strength isn’t found in rigid structures but in the willingness to adapt, embrace change, and let life unfold as it will.

When emotions rise, they can feel like a storm. But instead of being swept away, we can pause—like a tree in a storm. Observe the emotional weather as it comes and goes. In doing so, we ground ourselves in self-awareness, practice patience, resilience, and presence. Like a tree, we can bend but not break. Pruning, after all, often accelerates growth.

Lessons from the Forest: Collective Growth

Fun Fact: Did you know that trees have an underground network—often referred to as the “wood wide web”—that allows them to communicate and share resources? Trees actively support one another by sending nutrients through this network, especially when a neighbor is struggling.

In leadership, growth is not just an individual pursuit. True leadership happens in the forest, where trees rely on each other. Instead of hoarding knowledge, great leaders share resources, advocate for others, and contribute to collective growth. Imagine a shift from competition to collaboration. What if leadership was about asking, “How can we grow stronger together?” Just like a forest, where each tree contributes to the health of the whole, leaders can nurture an ecosystem where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Practical Takeaways: Leading Like a Tree

1. Self-Awareness: Root Yourself in Your Values Self-awareness is the foundation of great leadership. Tasha Eurich, in Insight, explains that leaders who are self-aware are more empathetic, better at decision-making, and able to align their actions with their values. Just as a tree’s roots ground it in the earth, self-awareness grounds you in your leadership purpose and strengthens your connections with others.

2. Patience: Understand Growth Takes Time Trees grow slowly and steadily, often stretching their roots long before their branches appear. Patience is key for leaders—growth is often imperceptible at first, but over time, the results are transformative. In Emotional Agility, Susan David discusses how patience helps us navigate through challenges without acting impulsively.

3. Resilience: Bend, Don’t Break Resilience is a vital quality for leaders. Like trees that bend in the wind but do not break, resilient leaders adapt to adversity. In Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life, Eric Greitens emphasizes that resilience is about adapting to setbacks, learning, and moving forward with strength.

4. Presence: Be Rooted in the Moment Presence is the ability to focus on the here and now. Kristi Hedges, in The Power of Presence, highlights how being present builds trust and fosters meaningful communication. Just as a tree stands tall in its environment, undistracted by the past or future, leadership requires focus on the present moment to guide others with clarity and purpose.

Wisdom from Great Minds

The ability to pause, just like a tree in a storm, is one of the most powerful tools in leadership. It’s the space where clarity begins, and where we separate impulse from intention, emotion from action. Here’s how some of the greatest thinkers describe the transformative power of pausing:

• Daniel Goleman , Emotional Intelligence: Pausing shifts us from reactive to thoughtful, bridging the gap between emotion and intelligent action.

• Marcus Aurelius, Meditations: A pause aligns us with stoic principles, reminding us that we control our thoughts, even when external events are beyond our control.

• Tal Ben-Shahar, Happier, No Matter What: Pausing allows us to lean into resilience, recognizing that we can shift our perspective even in the face of difficulty.

• Tasha Eurich, Insight: Self-awareness is not only about recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, but understanding how our actions impact others, a crucial step for effective leadership.

And So… Growing Like a Tree

The wisdom of nature teaches us that stillness is not inaction; it’s preparation. Just like a tree pauses its growth in winter to conserve energy for the flourishing seasons ahead, we can pause during emotional moments to reflect and reorient ourselves. This pause separates impulse from intention, emotion from action, and reaction from wisdom.

Now, I leave you with this question:

Tell me about your tree.

What books rooted your growth?

“Your unique curiosity paired with courageous action drives real change.”

Let that curiosity lead you to reflect on your growth. Let your courage take action. Let your leadership be rooted, flexible, and present.

What’s one step you can take today to deepen your roots, adapt with resilience, and reach for new opportunities?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

And stay in touch for more insights from The Leadership Tree—coming soon! We’ll be hosting workshops to help you explore and define your own Leadership Tree, equipping you with the tools to lead with curiosity, courage, and connection. Join my forest and let’s grow together.

References

• Aurelius, M. (2006). Meditations (G. Hays, Trans.). Modern Library. (Original work published ca. 167 CE)

• Ben-Shahar, T. (2021). Happier, no matter what: Cultivating hope, resilience, and purpose in hard times. Experiment.

• David, S. (2016). Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change, and Thrive in Work and Life. Penguin Life. Susan David, Ph.D.

• Here’s the APA-style citation for the YouTube video you referenced:

• Decoder. (2021, April 15). How trees secretly talk to each other in the forest [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kHZ0a_6TxY

• Eurich, T. (2017). Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think. Crown Publishing Group. Tasha Eurich

• Greitens, E. (2015). Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Eric Greitens

• Hedges, K. (2017). The Power of Presence: Unlock Your Potential to Influence, Lead, and Succeed. AMACOM.

• Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Bantam. Daniel Goleman

• Murakami, H. (2000). Norwegian wood (J. Rubin, Trans.). Vintage International. (Original work published 1987)