{"id":7076420,"date":"2026-10-05T03:41:39","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T03:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7076420"},"modified":"2026-10-05T03:41:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T03:41:39","slug":"5-lessons-on-dormat-vs-dead-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7076420","title":{"rendered":"5 Lessons on Dormat vs. Dead Leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth. \u00a0For decades some of its hills and mountains have seen little to no greenery. \u00a0It is a brown, rocky, and barren environment.<\/p>\n

Then the rain came.<\/p>\n

An extraordinary amount of water fell on northern Chile, activating seeds, bulbs, tubers, and other biological material that had been dormant beneath the surface for years.<\/p>\n

The result? \u00a0Millions of flowers. \u00a0More than 200 species transformed approximately 17,000 square kilometers of desert into a spectacular carpet of color. \u00a0Some places hadn\u2019t seen flowers for 30 or 40 years.<\/p>\n

There is a powerful leadership lesson here:<\/p>\n

Dormant is not the same as dead.<\/strong><\/p>\n

5 Lessons on Dormat vs. Dead Leadership<\/h2>\n

The following are five lessons on dormat vs. dead leadership we learn from this story:<\/p>\n

1. Never confuse a lack of visible results with a lack of potential.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A person may not be flourishing today while possessing tremendous potential for tomorrow. \u00a0What looks unproductive on the surface may simply be waiting for the right opportunity.<\/p>\n

2. Create environments where potential can bloom.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The desert didn\u2019t need new seeds. \u00a0It needed water. \u00a0Sometimes your people don\u2019t need to be replaced. \u00a0They need the right resources of encouragement, training, trust, responsibility, or someone who believes in them.<\/p>\n

3. Be patient with people.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Some seeds remain dormant for decades. \u00a0Leadership development rarely produces instant results. \u00a0The investment you make in someone today may not become visible for years.<\/p>\n

4. Don\u2019t let difficult seasons convince you nothing is happening.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The desert looked empty, but life was still there. \u00a0Your organization may appear to be in a barren season while important work is taking place beneath the surface.<\/p>\n

5. Learn to see what others cannot yet see.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Average leaders judge what is visible. \u00a0Great leaders recognize what is possible.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Perhaps there is someone on your team who feels like an Atacama Desert right now. \u00a0They aren\u2019t thriving, producing much, or seem to\u00a0have little to offer.<\/p>\n

Before you write them off, take another look and consider the following:<\/p>\n