Hello Everyone!!

Dear fellow members

We're thrilled to invite you to our winter networking event of the year, taking place on Wednesday, 20 August 2025 at the Remuera Club. If you haven't secured your ticket yet—now is the time!

On the day we will also hold our Annual General Meeting and election of Officers at 6:00 PM.

The positions are one each of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and three Committee Members. Please join our committee and nominate yourself for a Position. We need more good people with great ideas! The Nomination Form is available here.

In today's newsletter we will talk about leadership!!

Are you growing mushrooms or roses? Why you should lead like a gardener, not a grower

As a leader, if you are acting like a mushroom grower, you’re unlikely to have a clear plan yourself, so you can’t share this with your team.

The way you lead your team and grow your business determines whether you’re cultivating a transactional or thriving business.

Ask yourself: Are you a mushroom grower or a rose grower?

Mushroom leadership: The hidden danger

Mushroom growers thrive in the dark. That’s literally how mushrooms grow (kept in the shadows and fed sporadically). Unfortunately, this metaphor applies to far too many business leaders.

Without realising it, leaders who operate like mushroom growers often:

Lack a clear vision for the business
Deliver inconsistent or confusing messages to their team
Prioritise short-term production over long-term development
Create environments where staff are kept in the dark and fed whatever information happens to come up

When your people don’t see a future or path for growth, they’re unlikely to contribute their best ideas, let alone stick around long enough to blossom.

Rose leadership: Cultivating growth with intention

Contrast this with the mindset of a rose grower:

Rose growers are deliberate. They prune branches that aren't growing in the right direction. They feed and fertilise consistently. They protect the plant from pests. Most importantly, they focus on the end result: the blossom.

As a leader embracing rose-growing principles, you:
Set a clear direction and align with your partners on that vision
Identify each team member’s potential and coach them toward it
Prune behaviours and practices that don’t support growth
Build an environment where development and performance coexist
Celebrate progress and visible results along the way

This mindset shift isn’t just about better management, but rather about transforming into a value-driven, future-focused business.

Start growing roses. To move your business forward, you need to lead with intention.

Here are some actionable steps to help you get started

Define your vision for your business
Align your leadership team
Train your staff to have forward-looking conversations
Create systems for consistency and follow-through
Celebrate every step forward

Winter Networking Event

A reminder that winter Fiji Business Networking Event will be held on 20 August at Remuera Club. Secure your spot now

20 August 2025

7 PM - 10:00 PM

Remuera Club

27 Ohinerau Street

Remuera.

Buy Now

Membership

A reminder that if you have not yet renewed your membership, please do so. By keeping your membership active, you will continue to enjoy the many benefits of the Fiji Business Network.

Renew Membership

Newsletter - August 2025

Hello Everyone!!

Are you growing mushrooms or roses? Why you should lead like a gardener, not a grower

Winter Networking Event

Membership

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