Last year the family had a collection of little pumpkins in a basket on the table.  It was a festive addition all through the Fall until Thanksgiving.  After that there were candles and evergreens and angels to put in that spot.  So the pumpkins were tossed out the back door for birds and squirrels and deer to snack on.

In the Spring the family  remembered how much they enjoyed Fall vegetables like squash and pumpkin.  So they created a garden patch in a sunny spot and put in healthy plants.  All the tending and mulching, watering and fertilizing, however,  produced a disappointing harvest:  two oddly shaped globes more green than orange.  These were certainly not fit for our holiday buffet!

Meanwhile, meandering over the grassy bank  were vines and leaves and tiny bits of orange!  The little pumpkins that had been  tossed away had taken root, and without any effort or support from anyone, had produced fruit - enough to fill several grocery bags.  Happily the family carried them in the house, washed each little pumpkin with care, and put them all in the place of honor on the dining room table.

Have you ever had your expensive, labor-intensive project have turn out to be  a major disappointment?
Have you ever watched a new idea be rejected without a second thought?

Like the pumpkin patch in the story, organizations  may focus  attention only  on the "stars" in their leadership bench and ignore the folks who don't fit "the mold" for executive positions.  They may spend their resources on training and grooming that does not produce results, while the very  people and ideas needed to maintain or grow market share may be going out the back door because they no longer find the company goals challenging or the relationships satisfying.

Businesses who seek to hire and retain "people like us" may be missing the surprising growth  that can come with spontaneity, creativity, and diversity.

What are you growing in your company?