For years, I killed my houseplants with kindness. Every Sunday, like clockwork, I'd water them all. I thought I was doing the right thing.
But most of them weren't thriving. Some were actually drowning.
The problem? I was giving them what I thought they needed based on my schedule, not what they actually needed based on their reality.
Then I bought a $12 moisture meter. A simple tool that helps me check a few inches below the surface. I was surprised at what it revealed. My process and their requirements didn't align at all.
I see this pattern everywhere in how we work:
→ We give feedback on a schedule instead of when people actually need it
→ We offer help based on assumptions instead of asking what would be useful
→ We deliver "support" that checks our boxes but doesn't address true root causes
The best managers, colleagues, and leaders I know? They check below the surface. They ask questions. They customize their approach. They give people what they actually need—not too much, not too little, and never just because "it's time."
Sometimes that means doing nothing at all. Sometimes it means diving deep when everything looks fine on the surface.
What's your version of the moisture meter—the thing that helps you truly understand what people need?
