Planting Seeds Where They Grow Best

Nick prepares for the arrival of NASA colleagues at the Huntsville Botanical Garden

It matters the seeds you plant, and where you plant them. 

We (Rob and Nick) had the chance to facilitate a retreat for NASA’s Biological Diversity and Ecological Conservation program in and around the Marshall Space Flight Center this week. The purpose: deepen cross-center teaming, so that resulting science and applications represent NASA’s fullest strengths and capabilities; and on-board the new NASA leaders who will help their colleagues “hold the whole” of NASA together. 

The venue we chose for the retreat’s middle day: Huntsville Botanical Garden’s conservatory. A space that embodies ideas of being rooted and interconnected; where cross-pollination is not incidental but intentional; and where, with a glass dome rising above us, we know we cannot control what happens outside, but rather be attuned to it, plan and adapt accordingly, and follow through in a coordinated manner. 

The metaphors are apt. The retreat occurred at the transition point between designing NASA’s cross-center biodiversity efforts—the vision of Woody Turner and Keith Gaddis at NASA HQ—and implementing the activity. It was also three weeks before Woody Turner, who established biological diversity and ecological conservation at NASA, fully retires. Kelsey Bisson, who also attended, is planned to step into the role and make it her own. 

So go the seasons of teams: We evolve. Resources shift. But the spirit of interdependence continues to bind us. 

My favorite quote from the week: "You can’t fake your way to growth." Facilitators can set the conditions—lighting, temperature, nutrients, all metaphoric and literal. But what happens next depends on the seeds planeted. That's where we "make room for magic" through facilitation. Client teams bring the most essential ingredients; we revel in our small role helping them bloom.

A lively, meaningful time was had by all

Special workbooks guided us through the three-day experience