On 6th October 2021, I undertook a company sales visit to Luapula province of Zambia in which among other places, I visited Mununshi Banana Estate in Mwense district and Kawambwa Tea Plantation in Kawambwa district.
At the banana estate, I noticed that the plants were growing in clusters. Each cluster had one fully grown plant with fruits and another plant from same root which was cut off at the main stem 1m from the ground.
I became curious and asked why this was the case and the Estates coordinator explained to me that the one which was cut was the 1st plant and immediately its fruits were harvested, it was cut off. This is because banana plants become barren (die) after they give fruit. Around the same time the first plant starts producing fruits, a second plant shoots up from the same root which takes over the production of fruits in the next cycle and this process repeats itself from one season to the next.
After this encounter, I proceeded to Kawambwa Tea Plantation and after the business issues were done, I got to learn about tea processing. Something caught my attention as one of the workers was explaining the tea planting exercise. After harvesting the tea leaves, they prune the entire tree leaving it bare with just the main stem remaining. It is only then that the new leaves begin to grow back faster after which the tea can be harvested again. This cycle is repeated every year and the same plant can be harvested for over 10 years.
Isn’t it interesting that in order for these trees to continue to produce fruit or be productive, they have to let go of the “old self” and bring in the “new self”.
In a similar way, in order to continue to be productive in life, we must let go of the old (habits, attitudes, mindset, strategies, etc.) which may have elevated us (produced fruits) up to where we are today and bring in the new qualities which will help us go to the next level (season).
What might have made you succeed in high school or university (studying hard for exams, following instructions from lecturer, memorizing formulas, etc.) though effective then may not necessary be fruitful once you start work or a business. What worked when you started just as an employee with no one working under you may not apply once you become a Supervisor or Manager.
Like banana and tea trees, in order to continue “producing fruits”, we do well to consider “cutting off or pruning the old tree” to make room for the new one which is adapted to the current circumstances (season) we are facing.
By reinventing ourselves (“dying and rebirth”), we might experience “better harvests” in our school, work or business circles from one stage (season) of our lives to the next.
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