Preserving excess fruits and vegetables during plentiful times, to enjoy later, is akin to identifying and capturing successful behaviours for future benefits in organisations.
We were gifted a huge box of lemons by a wonderful neighbour just before lockdown. It far exceeded our daily needs for lemon slices and if they weren’t going to be wasted, we had to do something to preserve these wonderful fruits. Bottling was the answer.
COVID-19 level 4 has been an interesting experience for many of our clients at both the individual and organisational levels. They have all seen great things happening, in themselves and their people. Behaviours they could never have imagined. People stepping up, teams running exceptional processes, organisational adaptation at a rapid rate.
In summary – in responding to this crisis, people have done better than expected!
One of the questions we’ve been working on with our clients is how to capture these successes and successful behaviours? How can they “preserve” these behaviours to incorporate and develop them into the future when there isn’t a crisis triggering change? How can they prevent the good stuff “going off?”
We put together a recipe for “bottling success”.
The FMS Recipe for Bottling Success
- Observations
What have you observed? What are the behaviours resulting in success? Clarify exactly what these successful behaviours are (what are you seeing and hearing?)
- Strategy
Remember your Strategy. Connect these behaviours your strategy. Which of these successful behaviours relate to your strategy? This gives you your goals.
- Communication
Clearly communicate these goals (remembering that these will look and mean something different, depending on the audience)
- Tools and Resources
Make sure everyone has the tools they need to continue with and further develop these behaviours (which means gap identification and filling if required and may require a return to 1 & 2 at this stage)
- Coaching
Old habits die hard and new one’s need nurturing
- Accountability
Provide a mechanism for accountability with consequences (both positive and negative)
- Review
Go back to 1, CHECK and revise as required
A Recipe for Preserved Lemons
9 small lemons
Sea Salt (1 tablespoonful per lemon)
- Cut the stalk off the end of the lemon
- Slice it into quarters standing the lemon upright (so that it sits opens but does not fall apart).
- Pack sea salt between cuts (approx. I tbsp. per lemon) then pack lemons as tightly as possible into an open necked jar (1 litre, sterilised).
- Push the lemons down and pack as tightly as possible to encourage them to release their juice
- Close jar and leave overnight
- Next day press the lemons down more to release more juice and repeat for 3 days.
- Top up with more lemon juice, if necessary.
- Seal jar and leave for 1 month until they will be soft and ready to use
- Rinse off excess salt before use. Refrigerate and use within 6 months
Commonly used in Moroccan cuisine. We have used them in casseroles, curries and salads – they add a fragrant sweet and sour taste.
Once pickled you can use the whole fruit, including the rind.
Keep in the fridge and it will last for 6 months
