A small vegetable garden in Alberobello taught me as much about the community as its famous stone homes.
During our trip through Puglia, Amy and I spent a day walking through Alberobello and Locorotondo with Michele Miccoli.
Michele introduced us to the trulli, the distinctive white limestone homes with conical roofs that have stood for generations.
Their construction is remarkable. Built from carefully placed stone, these homes have endured because generations of skilled people have maintained them.
Michele helped us appreciate the people behind that work.
At one stop, he told us about an older couple who tended a vegetable garden and invited visitors to taste what they grew.
They welcomed people to enjoy the garden and hoped visitors would leave a small donation in recognition of their effort.
Michele shared the story with humor, but I appreciated the larger point.
We often admire what has been built without fully appreciating the people whose ongoing work sustains it.
I see a similar dynamic in organizations.
Experienced people preserve institutional knowledge, maintain standards, and solve everyday problems that rarely attract attention.
Their contributions become most visible when that experience is no longer available.
Michele gave us a different appreciation for these communities and the people who care for them.
Who in your organization deserves greater recognition for the work that keeps everything functioning?
