(I010) The Resilient Leader: Wisdom of the Tree: A Framework for Growth, Purpose, and Impact
By Anette Lan, written on December 2, 2024
The Resilient Leader: Wisdom of the Tree: A Framework for Growth, Purpose, and Impact
On my leadership journey, I found myself searching for a framework—a way to bring together lessons from books, experiences, and observations into something practical and transformative. As an HR leader, I’ve always believed that leadership isn’t just about those with formal titles. It’s about empowering everyone to lead in their capacity, creating a ripple effect that drives organizational and personal growth.
I immersed myself in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell, soaked in Dale Carnegie’s principles in How to Win Friends and Influence People, and found profound inspiration in Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead. Simon Sinek’s Start with Why sparked my passion for purpose-driven leadership, while Shane Parrish’s exploration of mental models sharpened my decision-making. While each book brought value, the question remained: How do you connect these insights into a cohesive framework?
That’s when the idea of The Leadership Tree took root (pun intended).
As you explore this framework, reflect on this:
❓What would your leadership tree look like?
❓Which parts are flourishing, and which could use some care?
🌳Just as every tree is unique, so is every leader.🌳
The Leadership Tree: A Leadership Framework
Like a tree, leadership thrives through interconnected elements that build on one another. Every part—the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, and fruit—plays a vital role in growth, resilience, and impact. Just as trees grow in response to their environment, leaders evolve through their experiences, challenges, and learning.
But before any of this can happen, it all starts with the seed.
The Seed: The Beginning of Leadership
Every tree starts as a seed—a small, unassuming potential for greatness. In leadership, the seed represents the first spark: curiosity, ambition, or a desire to make an impact. As Brené Brown (2018) explains, great leadership begins with courage and vulnerability. Planting the seed is an act of courage—a willingness to begin, to take risks, and to embrace the unknown.
For me, this seed was planted when I realized the power of emotional intelligence in shaping meaningful leadership. Daniel Goleman’s work on emotional intelligence (1995) taught me that self-awareness, empathy, and adaptability are essential for leadership growth. These traits form the foundation upon which everything else grows.
The Roots: Grounded in Values
The roots of the Leadership Tree represent your core values, principles, and emotional intelligence. These are what anchor you during challenges and provide the strength to grow. Maxwell (2007) describes trust as the foundation of leadership in his Law of Solid Ground. Without trust—rooted in integrity and authenticity—leaders cannot inspire or sustain growth.
In leadership, cultivating strong roots means consistently aligning your actions with your values. It’s about being deeply grounded in who you are, allowing you to respond to challenges with clarity and resilience.
The Trunk: Growth and Strength
The trunk is the visible manifestation of growth. It represents the strength and adaptability you develop through experience. Each ring in the trunk marks a year of growth—lessons learned, skills acquired, and resilience built. Simon Sinek’s Start with Why (2009) aligns perfectly here: your “why” is the core that drives your actions, just as the trunk channels energy from the roots to the branches.
In my leadership journey, I’ve observed that the strongest trunks are those that grow steadily through challenges. Trees don’t grow tall overnight; they weather storms, adapt to their environment, and continue to reach upward.
The Branches and Leaves: Connection and Impact
Branches extend outward, representing the leader’s reach and influence. They connect the tree to its ecosystem, just as leaders connect with their teams, organizations, and communities. The leaves, through photosynthesis, create the energy needed for growth, much like the people and teams within an organization contribute to its vitality.
Shane Parrish (2020) emphasizes the importance of mental models in decision-making. Just as branches grow toward the light, leaders must navigate complex environments to make thoughtful decisions that benefit the entire organization.
The Weather: Navigating Challenges
As a sailor, I’ve learned that weather is both unpredictable and inevitable. You prepare, train, and learn to adapt—because the weather doesn’t care about your plans. It’s the same in leadership. Storms of uncertainty, the winds of change, and periods of calm all test your resilience and adaptability.
Ocean racing taught me the importance of emotional intelligence, especially during high-pressure moments. Leadership is no different. Leaders must learn to respond calmly to uncertainty, using their “roots” of values and “branches” of adaptability to navigate through.
Vivian Greene’s quote, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain,” encapsulates the essence of this chapter. Leaders don’t control the storms, but they can control how they respond—turning challenges into opportunities for growth.
The Fruit: Legacy and Impact
The ultimate purpose of leadership is to bear fruit—wisdom, mentorship, and lasting impact. Brené Brown’s (2018) insights into vulnerability remind us that leaders who share their lessons, failures, and triumphs inspire others to grow. The fruit isn’t for the tree; it’s for the ecosystem it serves, mirroring how leaders create value for those around them.
Jim Collins (2001) emphasizes the importance of getting the right people in the right roles in Good to Great. This alignment ensures that the fruit—the leader’s legacy—is passed on through empowered teams and a thriving culture.
The Ecosystem: Interconnected Growth
No tree thrives in isolation. Bees pollinate flowers, soil nourishes roots, and the sun and rain sustain growth. Similarly, leadership exists within an ecosystem of relationships, communities, and environments. Emotional intelligence is critical in maintaining harmony within this ecosystem, allowing leaders to adapt to its changing dynamics.
Growing Together
The Leadership Tree ties together lessons from some of the greatest leadership thinkers into one cohesive framework. It’s a reminder that leadership is both deeply personal and inherently collective. From the courage to plant the seed to the resilience to weather the storms, the tree grows not just for itself but for the ecosystem it nurtures.
Follow me here on LinkedIn to learn more about The Leadership Tree and how this framework can transform your leadership journey. Together, let’s grow taller, stronger, and more impactful—one ring at a time. 🌳
Follow me for more insights at www.ensomindset.com as I dive deeper into each section of the Leadership Tree framework. Together, we’ll explore how The Seed, The Weather, The Trunk, The Branches, The Fruit, and The Ecosystem can transform your leadership journey.
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#LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #HumanCenteredLeadership #GrowthMindset #LeadershipTree
References
Brown, B. (2018). Dare to lead: Brave work. Tough conversations. Whole hearts. Random House. Brené Brown
Carnegie, D. (1936). How to win friends and influence people. Simon and Schuster.
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make the leap… and others don’t. Harper Business.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books. Daniel Goleman
Maxwell, J. C. (2007). The 21 irrefutable laws of leadership: Follow them and people will follow you. Thomas Nelson. John C. Maxwell
Parrish, S. (2020). The great mental models: General thinking concepts. Farnam Street Media. Shane Parrish
Sinek, S. (2009). Start with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. Portfolio. Simon Sinek
