Water the Flowers
Invest attention in top performers so strong behavior crowds out the weeds.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 98%
The Water the Flowers model redirects managerial attention from persistent underperformance toward the people already modeling excellence. Meyer compares employees to plants that turn toward the sun: wherever a leader directs attention becomes the team’s gravitational center. If most attention goes to the “weeds,” the organization can inadvertently amplify weak behavior and neglect the people carrying the standard. Instead, identify the “flowers,” invest in them, celebrate their conduct, and help their example form a canopy of strong norms. That canopy reduces the cultural space available to weak behavior. The method does not mean tolerating misconduct; it means ensuring correction is not the dominant use of leadership energy while excellent people go unrecognized.
Origin
Meyer adapted a gardening lesson from his grandmother, who taught him that healthy flowers block the sunlight weeds need.
Core principles
- 01Leadership attention is a gravitational force.
- 02Top performers need investment even when they require little correction.
- 03Strong behavior can crowd out weak behavior.
- 04Problem-fixing alone can pull culture toward the problems.
How to run it
- 1
Spot the flowers
Identify employees who consistently deliver the performance and behavior the organization wants.
Pro tip Look beyond visible stars to reliable people quietly raising the team’s standard.
- 2
Audit your attention
Compare the time spent developing strong performers with the time spent correcting problem employees.
Watch out Urgent problems can disguise a chronic imbalance.
- 3
Water excellence
Recognize, coach, challenge, and create opportunities for the strongest contributors.
Pro tip Ask what growth or support they need instead of assuming they are fine.
Watch out Praise without development can feel empty.
- 4
Make the standard visible
Celebrate wanted behavior so other employees can see what the organization values.
Pro tip Name the behavior, not just the person.
- 5
Manage the weeds proportionately
Address poor performance directly without allowing it to consume the culture’s attention.
Watch out Crowding out does not replace consequences for harmful behavior.
In the wild
Meyer spent roughly the first decade of his career trying to motivate problem employees. His grandmother’s garden lesson led him to spend more time with people he had taken for granted because they were already doing a great job.
→ Strong performers became the focus of cultural reinforcement rather than an ignored constant.
Common mistakes
Taking reliable people for granted
Low-maintenance performers still need recognition, growth, and leadership attention.
Using positivity to avoid accountability
Watering flowers complements direct action on harmful behavior; it does not excuse inaction.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for managers whose reliable top performers are being taken for granted.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal as a reason to ignore misconduct or avoid necessary performance action.
From the transcript
“If you really want to get rid of the weeds, the best thing you need to do is water the flowers because the flowers will…”
“Our employees are like sunflowers. They will turn wherever the sun is.”
“If I water the flowers and spend more time with the people who maybe I've taken for granted because they're doing such a great job,…”
From the episode
#665: Danny Meyer, Founder of Shake Shack — How to Win, The Art of The Graceful “No,” Overcoming Setbacks, The 6 Traits of Exceptional People, The 4 Quadrants of Performance, Lessons from Hospitality Excellence, and More
Danny Meyer