The Hidden Power of Transformation
What Trees Know that Leaders Forget
“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Hidden Power of Transformation
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
With Easter approaching, this weekend I took a walk through the woods. The trees stood quiet, bare branches reaching out into every direction, buds just beginning to emerge. Without careful notice, the trees may have seemed lifeless.
But we know those trees are doing something remarkable; they are preparing for a transformation, and their example holds a powerful message for all of us. During the winter, trees look inactive; however, they’re anything but. Beneath the surface, they’re storing energy, strengthening roots, and preparing for a new season of growth.
It’s easy to misread silence as a lack of progress in ourselves, our teams, or our programs. But growth isn't always loud. True transformation often starts in the quiet.
Each fall, trees let go of their leaves. Not out of weakness, but out of wisdom. They release what they no longer need to survive to take on the winter ahead. That seasonal surrender makes spring possible.
We, too, carry things that served us once but no longer do—outdated habits, old playbooks, rigid expectations, even limiting beliefs. It’s important to know when it’s time to let go to grow.
Before the first buds appear, the real work happens underground. Trees continue to deepen their roots in winter. They fortify what can’t be seen—so when the time is right, the visible growth comes fast and strong.
The same is true for us. You can't chase success before building trust. You can’t expect buy-in without shared values. A healthy team culture becomes the root system of high performance.
Sometimes the most meaningful growth is happening when it looks like nothing is happening at all. Honor the season. Trust the work. Your influence is growing—even in the quiet.
“Storms make trees take deeper roots.”
— Dolly Parton
Connecting this quote to the story. Like trees that strengthen their roots during the harshness of winter, the quote reminds us that adversity often deepens our foundation, preparing us for seasons of growth we can’t yet see.
Chasing Influence tip: The tree that appears dormant in winter is simply gathering its strength for spring. True transformation follows the same rhythm.
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2025