Lessons Beyond the Office
Some of the best leadership lessons I have ever learned did not come from a classroom or a business meeting. They came from the woods. As someone who loves hunting, farming, and spending time outdoors, I have come to see that nature has a way of teaching you things you cannot learn anywhere else.
When you are in the woods before sunrise, watching the world wake up around you, you start to understand patience. When you are tracking an animal or tending to crops on the farm, you learn to observe, plan, and adjust. And when things go wrong, which they often do, you learn how to stay calm and find a solution.
Over the years, I have realized that these same lessons apply directly to business and leadership. The outdoors has shaped the way I think, how I lead, and how I solve problems.
The Power of Patience
If there is one thing hunting teaches you, it is patience. You cannot rush success in the woods. You sit quietly, sometimes for hours, waiting for the right moment. You watch, you listen, and you stay alert. And sometimes, even after all that waiting, you still come home empty-handed.
That same kind of patience is essential in business. Whether it is growing a company, developing a new team, or earning a customer’s trust, the results do not come overnight. I have seen people get frustrated when progress feels slow, but real growth takes time.
When I first started working full-time at Knox Pest Control after college, I wanted to make big changes right away. I quickly learned that leadership is not about forcing things to happen, it is about guiding them in the right direction and allowing people and processes to grow naturally.
Just like in hunting, preparation and patience are what lead to success. You cannot control every outcome, but you can control your effort and your attitude.
Reading the Signs
Being outdoors sharpens your ability to notice details. When you are hunting, you pay attention to every sound, every track, and every shift in the wind. On the farm, you notice how the soil looks or how the animals behave. You learn to see patterns and make decisions based on small but important signs.
The same skill applies in leadership. A good leader knows how to read a situation before it becomes a problem. You learn to recognize when a team member needs help, when a customer is unsatisfied, or when a small issue could turn into something bigger.
Over time, I have learned that awareness is one of the most valuable tools a leader can have. In both nature and business, success often comes down to paying attention. The details tell the story if you are willing to look for them.
Problem-Solving in Unpredictable Conditions
Nature has a way of keeping you humble. No matter how much you prepare, things do not always go according to plan. The weather changes. Equipment fails. The deer you have been tracking all season takes a different path.
When that happens, you learn how to adapt. You find new strategies, stay calm, and make decisions based on the situation in front of you. Those same problem-solving skills are invaluable in business.
In our company, no two days are ever the same. A technician might face a difficult job, a customer might have a sudden emergency, or a system might go down unexpectedly. As leaders, we have to stay composed and think clearly. Just like in the woods, getting frustrated or panicking does not solve anything.
I have found that the best solutions come when you slow down, assess the situation, and focus on what you can control. That mindset is something nature teaches you over and over again.
Respecting the Process
Working outdoors teaches you to respect the process and understand that success takes time and effort. You cannot rush a harvest. You cannot force wildlife to behave the way you want. You have to work with nature, not against it.
The same goes for building a team or running a business. You have to invest in people, give them time to learn, and trust the process. When we hire new team members at Knox Pest Control, I remind them that experience and confidence come with time. Just like planting a field, you do the work now and see the results later.
Respecting the process also means accepting that not everything will go perfectly. Setbacks are part of growth, whether you are managing a business or running a farm. What matters most is how you respond and what you learn along the way.
Finding Balance
Spending time in nature also reminds me of the importance of balance. It is easy to get caught up in the fast pace of business, but the outdoors slows everything down. It helps you think clearly and refocus on what really matters.
Some of my best ideas have come to me while sitting in a deer stand or working on the farm. There is something about the quiet that gives you space to reflect. It helps you see problems differently and come back to work with a fresh perspective.
Leadership can be demanding, but the lessons from nature keep me grounded. They remind me that patience, observation, and adaptability are not just tools for success, they are a way of life.
Bringing It All Together
The connection between nature and leadership might not seem obvious at first, but the similarities run deep. Both require discipline, focus, and a willingness to learn from experience. In the woods, you learn humility and respect for forces beyond your control. In the workplace, you learn the same humility when challenges arise.
Every hunt, every season, and every long day on the farm has taught me something about persistence, problem-solving, and leadership. Those lessons guide how I run our business and how I lead our team.
At the end of the day, both the woods and the workplace reward the same qualities: patience, awareness, and a steady hand. If you can stay calm, stay focused, and keep learning, you will find success, whether you are tracking a deer or leading a company.