Winemaking - Part 1

You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate a vintner’s ability to cultivate grapes to their full potential.

The size, taste, and quality of any grape crop is determined by environmental factors known by the French term “terroir”.

The elements of terroir are similar to those of our organizations:

Climate = macro business environment
Dictates the conditions in which companies of all sizes operate.

Soil type = industry
Some industries boom while others bust.

Geomorphology = competitive market position
An organization’s success—or lack thereof—has a major influence on its employees’ experience.

Just as a Chardonnay grape will grow crisp in a cool climate yet sweet in a warm climate, your development is tied to your environment.

What type of leader would you be today if you had started your career at General Motors? At your local community bank? At a non-profit?

This analogy also helps explain why so many M&A initiatives fail—not all vines can be transplanted to a new terroir and thrive.

As a leader—like any skilled vintner—you want to develop your people to their full potential.

You’ll need to determine the impact your environment is having on their development.

Tomorrow, I’ll show you how.