Leadership Caffeine™—Lessons for Transformation Learned in the Northwoods
By | Art Petty | artpetty.com
Every spring, my wife and I kick off a big project on the grounds of our Northwoods lake property. We focus on areas of need, including dealing with erosion, reintroducing native plants, and protecting against or recovering from various tree diseases. Along the way, we take steps to incorporate features that blend with the environment and enhance the natural beauty and utility of the property. (The main image for this article is the view from our shoreline this fall. #Inspiration)
These are transformation projects.
And while the outcome is always exhilarating, the transformation process is messy, stressful, and exhausting. The projects invariably grow in scope, encounter unexpected obstacles, and demand that we constantly rethink our early assumptions and adapt.
This year’s work involved bringing in 110 tons of fieldstone to protect a portion of our shoreline from further erosion and transforming a large sand beach. The beach is stunning in size, but much of the area was unused and contributed to the erosion issues. Our focus is adding in natural planting beds and other natural features. The initiative started in June, was scheduled to conclude in late July. We wrapped up for the year during the last weekend of October and still have finishing touches teed up for next spring.
