Why do some employees thrive whilst others struggle in the exact same role, with the same manager, in the same company culture? It's one of the most frustrating puzzles in leadership.

We spend millions on engagement surveys, team-building exercises, and leadership development programmes, yet we often miss the most fundamental truth: no two employees are wired the same way. What energises one person drains another.

In order to understand this, we need to think about the challenges of gardening. If you've ever tried to keep houseplants alive, you know the secret: different plants need completely different care. Some thrive in direct sunlight whilst others wilt. Some need daily watering whilst others prefer to dry out between drinks.

Employees are exactly like plants. They all need different environments, support, and care to truly thrive. But here's the crucial difference that many leaders miss—unlike plants, the only way to understand what an employee needs is to ask them. What's written on their "care label"?



The Monstera Employee: Thriving in Bright but Indirect Light

Some of your team members are like my beloved monstera. Put them under the harsh spotlight of constant scrutiny or micromanagement, and they'll literally wither before your eyes. Their leaves will curl, their growth will stunt, and eventually, they'll start looking for a new pot to call home.

But give these employees the right conditions—autonomy, trust, and regular but gentle check-ins—and watch them flourish. They produce their best work when they have space to breathe, freedom to approach problems creatively, and managers who provide support from a respectful distance.

These are often your deep thinkers, your introverts, your detail-orientated perfectionists who need quiet time to process and create. They don't need you hovering over their shoulder; they need you to create psychological safety and then step back and let them work their magic.

How to nurture your Monstera employees:

• Schedule regular but brief check-ins rather than constant supervision
• Give clear expectations upfront, then trust them to deliver
• Provide resources and remove obstacles without taking over their process
• Celebrate their achievements publicly but respect their preference for low-key recognition

The Rose Employee: At Best with Regular Care

Then there are your rose employees—absolutely flourishing when properly maintained, but they need those regular one-on-ones to remove what's blocking their growth. These team members thrive on feedback, both positive and constructive. They want to know how they're doing, where they can improve, and what obstacles you can help clear from their path.

Like roses that need spent blooms removed to encourage new growth, these employees benefit from managers who actively help them identify and eliminate what's holding them back. Maybe it's a process that's become outdated, a skill they need to develop, or a relationship that needs mending.

How to nurture your rose employees:

• Schedule consistent, meaningful one-on-ones focused on growth and obstacles
• Provide specific, actionable feedback regularly rather than saving it for annual reviews
• Help them identify and remove barriers to their success
• Celebrate their wins and help them learn from setbacks
• Invest in their professional development and skill-building opportunities

The Pothos Employee: The Resilient Self-Starter

And then you have your pothos employees—those incredibly resilient self-starters who seem to thrive no matter what you throw at them. They adapt to new situations with grace, figure things out on their own, and often become the backbone of your team's stability.

These employees are like the pothos plant that can grow in water, soil, bright light, or shade. They're your go-to people when everything hits the fan, your reliable performers who rarely need hand-holding. But don't mistake their self-sufficiency for not needing care at all.

How to nurture your pothos employees:

• Don't take their reliability for granted—acknowledge their consistent contributions
• Challenge them with new opportunities and stretch assignments
• Include them in strategic decisions where their adaptability adds value
• Make sure they're not burning out from being everyone's go-to person

The Art of Reading Care Labels

Here's where the plant metaphor becomes critical for every leader: plants come with care labels, but employees don't. You have to ask.

Too many managers assume they know what their people need based on their own preferences or past experiences with similar employees. But just because Aisha thrives with daily check-ins doesn't mean David will. Just because Lauren prefers written feedback doesn't mean Elena does too.

The most effective leaders I know are like master gardeners - they're constantly learning about each plant in their care. They ask questions like:

• "How do you prefer to receive feedback?"
• "What kind of support helps you do your best work?"
• "When do you feel most energised and productive?"
• "What obstacles are currently slowing you down?"
• "How do you like to be recognised for good work?"

Creating the Right Environment

Understanding your employees' care labels is just the first step. The real leadership challenge is creating conditions where different types of people can thrive simultaneously.

This might mean:

• Flexible communication styles: Some people need face-to-face conversations whilst others prefer written communication
• Varied recognition approaches: Public praise for some, private acknowledgement for others
• Different levels of autonomy: High independence for your some employees, more structured support for others
• Customised development paths: Stretch assignments for your pothos employees, skill-building for your roses, creative projects for your monsteras

The Growth Cycle: Knowing When to Repot

Just like plants eventually outgrow their pots, employees outgrow their roles. A good gardener knows when it's time for a bigger container, fresh soil, or even a completely different location.

Watch for these signs that an employee might be ready for "repotting":

• They're mastering their current responsibilities with ease
• They're taking on additional challenges without being asked
• They're expressing interest in new areas or skills
• They seem restless or less engaged despite good performance
• They're mentoring others and showing leadership qualities

Sometimes repotting means a promotion or new role. Sometimes it means additional responsibilities or a lateral move to learn new skills. And yes, sometimes it means helping them find opportunities outside your organization where they can continue to grow.

The Leader as Master Gardener

The best leaders understand that their job isn't to treat everyone the same, it's to give everyone what they need to flourish. This requires:

Observation skills: Notice what energises each person and what drains them. Pay attention to when they do their best work and under what conditions.

Regular maintenance: Just like watering and fertilising plants, employees need consistent feedback, recognition, and support. Don't wait until the annual review to address issues or celebrate successes.

Patience with different growth cycles: Some people bloom quickly while others take time to develop. Some show steady, consistent growth while others have periods of rapid development followed by consolidation phases.

Willingness to adjust: If something isn't working, be ready to change your approach. The environment that worked six months ago might not be right today.

Building Your Garden Team

Your team isn't a monoculture, and that's exactly what makes it valuable. The diversity of working styles, communication preferences, and growth patterns creates a richer, more resilient organisation.

The magic happens when you create an environment where all these different types can not only coexist but actually support each other's growth.

The Care Label Conversation

So here's my challenge to every leader reading this: Have the care label conversation with each person on your team. Don't assume you know what they need. Ask them directly:

"If you came with care instructions like a plant, what would they say? What conditions help you thrive? What kind of support do you need? How do you prefer to receive feedback? What energises you, and what drains your energy?"

And for everyone else: Have you told your manager what's on your care label? Don't assume they can read your mind. Be proactive about communicating what you need to do your best work.

Cultivating Growth

Leadership, like gardening, is both an art and a science. It requires knowledge, patience, attention to detail, and the wisdom to know that what works for one plant won't necessarily work for another.

But when you get it right—when you understand each person's unique needs and create conditions for them to flourish—the results are beautiful. You'll have a team that's not just productive but genuinely thriving, growing, and contributing their best work.

So take a moment to look at your team through the lens of a master gardener. What does each person need to thrive? What's written on their care label? And more importantly, are you providing the right environment for their unique type of growth?

Remember: your job as a leader isn't to create a perfectly uniform lawn. It's to cultivate a thriving garden where every plant can reach its full potential.

What kind of plant are you? And have you shared your care label with the gardeners in your life?

About the Author

Emma Green is a recruitment and HR specialist and fractional people lead who helps organisations build thriving, diverse teams. With extensive experience in talent acquisition and people development, Emma specialises in creating workplace environments where different personality types and working styles can flourish together. She believes that understanding what makes each individual tick is the key to unlocking team potential and organisational success. @askemmahr info@sandbeckgreen.com