6. Lessons From The Garden.(A)(IBD'S 10 SECRETS TO SUCCESS)

Byline: Amy Alexander

Summer days for Carol McGarry begin with a walk through flowers. McGarry is executive vice president at Schwartz Communications Inc. inWaltham, Mass., and an avid gardener.

Each summer morning, she peers at the lilies and black-eyed Susans growing in her yard. She looks for weeds that need pulling and leaves that need staking. She surveys for signs of wilt.

The key to having a bountiful garden or a great business, she says, is developing a feel for the details. Though she washes the soil from her hands before she gets to work, McGarry keeps her awareness level high all day long.

In meetings, for instance, she makes it a habit to look at the expressions and body language of colleagues or clients to see if they're excited about -- or resistant to -- an idea she's presenting.

"To be a good gardener, you have to really monitor your garden all the time.You watch for little pests and you watch for leaves wilting," she said. "You have to tend it, and it's the same with management.

"Most people don't jump up and down and yell when they want something. . . .You have to look for the subtle signs."