I’ve written before of object permanence and a recent event made me laugh as I realized why my office plants thrive. Object permanence and the case of the dead plant gives you an idea of how this shows up!
How to Thrive as a Potted Plant
My typical video conference backdrop is a tall bookcase with rows of my favorite leadership development and coaching books, and a small army of thriving plants. Every time I hop on a video conference, I see those plants, so you can bet they aren’t forgotten. These guys get their right amount of water and sunlight, and I re-pot them as needed.
Plants that are not on display during daily video calls fall into the “out of sight, out of mind” category thanks to this concept of object permanence. If I can’t see it right now, it must no longer exist.
How NOT to Thrive as a Potted Plant
This week, I noticed a plant hiding in plain sight. A hanging pot in our kitchen, that I seemed to have forgotten about. I sit with my back to this plant for meals, and just never really check up on it with any regularity. The soil was dry and the leaves were sad. This reinforced the “out of sight, out of mind” concept that ADHDers take too literally.
I immediately thought of the 2003 movie, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Kate Hudson’s character gifted Matthew McConaughey’s character a fern. He did not water the fern, and looking for fights to pick, Kate’s character said “Our love fern! You let it die! Are you going to let us die?!”
I took the time to repot this sad little plant. I trimmed the dead pieces, gave it plenty of water, and even changed its location. The plant has since been relocated to a nice window. It will likely be forgotten about again…
We’re Only Human
I share these reflections to help others feel less alone as they navigate leadership and life with ADHD. MPG prides itself on supporting and amplifying diverse perspectives and helping all leaders thrive, even if it requires a smidge of self-deprecating humor as we share our stories.
Looking for individual or team support? Mullins Professional Group loves working with people and organizations on coaching, workshops, and programming that fits your needs. Reach out, and we can help you build something great!
