Grandma Always Bought Apples by the Bushel

Growing up in western Pennsylvania, in Dormont, a borough adjacent to Pittsburgh, a city legendary for big steel and heavy industry, I relished the fall evenings my Mom and Grandma would be charioted by my then-bachelor uncle to a gravel lot in Connellsville that was hastily arranged each season for sales of farm-fresh produce. There were Seckel pears, squashes of every variety, rutabagas, and apples. All the special feelings I have for those moments are evident in what I learned from my Grandma at those farm-stand fall apple markets.

Grandma carefully inspected bushels underneath whatever light was available or remained as dusk faded to evening. The negotiation between the day-worn farmer and Grandma, a school cafeteria cook, was transacted politely and swiftly. Unaware of the presence of micro-economies at work, I believed both Grandma and the farmer, having both survived the Great Depression, sensed fair value in their exchange.

Into the spacious trunk of my uncle's car went bushels and baskets of Stayman Winesaps, Macintoshes, Empires, and other apple varieties. In between the trips from the farmers' flatbed truck stands to my uncle's Oldsmobile, I indulgently sampled as much homemade apple cider as I was able, and my Grandma allowed.

Today, I benefit from the wisdom Grandma imparted on those early fall outings. I hope that what I gained from those memorable trips to the apple market helps coaches, consultants, and managers to better understand the elements of executive and organization development.

Diversity Sustained from the Start

Among the more than 7,500 apple cultivars in the world, about 2,500 hundred are grown in the United States. Apples are grown across 70% of the United States, and Pennsylvania is one of the six largest domestic producers. Only about one hundred varieties make it to US commercial markets, a reminder of entry and inclusion barriers and stratification effects. Grandma accentuated the strengths of apples for their baking and cooking qualities and blended most into pleasant and pleasing tastes.

Teams benefit from diversity, not as an ideal, but as critical to any mission of accomplishment. Differences are recognized and valued. The perfection of a lone apple increases in ethereal appeal when blended with others. Everyone benefits from diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Transformation is Complex

Grandma's kitchen apples were cored, chopped, diced, mashed, pureed, sliced, and otherwise subjected to transformation by sharp blades. Some made their way whole into take-home bags, lunch bags, and snacks. With other ingredients, cut apples turned into loaves of bread, cakes, crisps, jellies, muffins, pies, sauces, and strudels. Transformation blended the worlds of measurement, taste, and aesthetics, managed with Grandma's care. Often, the processes of change - from cold storage to canning - occurred over days. Work and family tugged at production.

Team performance increases with clear goals and objectives. In addition to clarity, agreement and alignment to purposes are fundamental to teamwork. Exemplary leaders do not understate the complexity of transformation, taking care to respect internal and external stakeholders.

Allocate, Consume, and Provision Resources Wisely

Except for their seeds, all parts of the apple are consumed. What wasn't used, for whatever reason, was typically composted, extending the natural cycle of life. I don't recall waste. I do remember that Grandma expressed thanks for each apple, and I'm sure attempted cultivation more than a few times. It was a love of learning, taught on an above-the-sink kitchen windowsill, demonstrating the seedlings could be coached into sprouting.

When leaders describe their peak experiences in teams, they refer to accomplishment and achievement despite the availability of time, talent, or financial resources. The best teams recognize their stewardship of all elements of their human enterprise.

Finding Meaning in Patterns, Rhythms, and Rituals

For me, the years turning from boyhood to adolescence are rife with memories, including the arrival of every farm-market trip with family members. These trips brought goodness and were anxiously awaited. This article is a testimony to the impact of a few short seasons on a lifetime of practice.

Apples are given to teachers for good health and the expression "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" exemplify behavioral patterns many Americans associate with apples. Teams that enact processes such as daily stand-up or weekly hour-long huddles create benefits through interactions. Every effective team takes time to understand its patterns and practices, making improvements along the way.

Let Love Shine

In business settings, love is typically expressed as affection or warmth, if discussed at all. In high-performing teams, members care for each other, demonstrating a commitment to one another's personal and professional success. It's like the familial care demonstrated in Grandma's kitchen. Love shows we acknowledge and recognize the inherent value in every person. It continues with the recognition and development of abilities and a belief in potential.

Include and Involve Everybody

Anyone in Grandma's presence got involved. Participation was welcomed as offered -- no one wanted to be excluded. The warmth that radiated in that kitchen came as much from the work of preparing apples as it did from easy camaraderie.

The best coaches and consultants involve everyone in the significant development activities of their clients. The people and resources change as team members come and go, and as roles grow in scope, and as new products are introduced. A sage CEO I worked with knew that each person and function brought value, and it was a matter of allowing that value to flourish.

Grandma knew she could always do better. Among the church and ethnic Lithuanian markets where her pies sold well, she was an enviable and jealous competitor. Not to be outdone by others, she experimented with ingredients and their volume, adjusting preparation, baking, and cooling times of her seasonal treats.

The value in these lessons doesn't escape me. With all the stressors at home and in work environments, reflections on these memories inspire me to do better and to help others to let excellence shine.

Be sure to thank your teachers, mentors, and colleagues this week. I'm confident that Gradman would have reminded me!