You need your "roots." No one can do it alone, not even a giant.
John Muir, a Scottish-born American naturalist and conservationist, wrote of the giant sequoia: “Behold! Behold! seems all I can say.” Anyone who has stood at the base of these awe-inspiring giants knows just what he meant.
How can so grand a creation be called a mere tree? The tallest of these reach over 300 feet into the sky and many can boast a circumference of over 100 feet. It is not just their size that inspires, but their longevity. The oldest living sequoia is 3,300 years old. They are resistant to disease, fire, fungi, and insects. Indeed, these trees seem invincible.
Of all the amazing features of the sequoia, perhaps its root system is the most impressive and baffling. As it grows it spreads its roots far and wide— sometimes 200–300 feet in every direction, but not deep. Sequoias never develop a deep or permanent taproot. Their entire root system is generally only about six feet below the surface of the earth. It seems completely improbable that such a shallow root system could support so massive a tree.
This shallow yet extensive root network allows sequoias to live and grow to incredible heights without over consuming the nutrients in the soil. In fact, sequoias develop a very stable, long-term relationship with the soil around them. Researchers have found that from year to year the soil around these trees maintains consistent levels of all the minerals, moisture, and nutrients needed to sustain them.
Interestingly, most of their initial growth is focused in the roots, with little visible evidence of increased size. Only after the root system is in place does the tree begin significant upward growth.
The root system responds to change very effectively. Rising groundwater levels brought on by floods that frequently “drown” trees with deep roots have no negative impact on the sequoia. The tree simply produces a new lateral root system. If the tree sustains damage and begins leaning in one direction, the roots respond by strengthening the opposing side of the tree to restore balance.
Think of your organization. Do you assume that the greatness of your organization lies in its lofty top branches? How much time and energy is expended developing the root system? Do you recognize your dependence on the vast network of people that form the foundation of all you do? Do you respond well to changes in your environment—changes that these individuals, the roots, generally notice long before the upper branches? Changes that the roots are generally better able to respond to?
Remember: You need vital organizational roots. No one can do it all alone, not even a giant.
A few tips:
Adapt to both planned and unplanned changes by making necessary adjustments. This is especially true in the value and role of the root system.