The Resilient Leaders Podcast with J.R. Briggs Ep 313: The Important Leadership Lessons of the Fiddle-Leaf Fig
Dec 4, 2025
Explore the fascinating world of the fiddle-leaf fig and its surprising lessons for leadership. Discover how resistance and micro-stresses help plants—and leaders—grow stronger. J.R. Briggs emphasizes that without challenges, leaders risk becoming weak and ineffective. Practical tips on providing 'healthy wind' through feedback and hard conversations highlight the importance of embracing discomfort. Ultimately, it's about allowing manageable challenges to foster resilience and build deeper roots in character.
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Office Fiddle-Leaf Fig Example
- J.R. Briggs describes a five-foot fiddle-leaf fig in his office that frequently topples and needs support.
- Michael Smith explained the plant weakens indoors without wind, illustrating sheltered fragility.
Thigmomorphogenesis Explains Strength
- Botanists call the plant response to touch and wind thigmomorphogenesis, meaning touch-shaped growth.
- Without micro-stresses, trunks grow fast without thickening and roots remain shallow, causing instability.
Resistance Shapes Resilient Leaders
- J.R. Briggs draws a direct equation: no wind equals weak structure equals tipping risk.
- He links sheltered leaders to weak, brittle character formed by avoiding adversity.