“Meaningful Adjacencies”
Just after sunrise on a hot, humid July morning, I gathered with nearly 500 landscape professionals at Arlington National Cemetery for our annual green industry day of service, known as “Renewal & Remembrance”. That place always humbles me and inspires deep reflection unlike any other place I have ever visited. Mere words don’t do the […]
Plain Indifference
Last week in this space I discussed the idea that to perform consistently at a high level requires an ability and willingness to take a “Fresh Look” at the situation. That trait is the opposite of plain indifference, which is an eloquent way of referring to what’s commonly called a “Don’t care attitude.” When I […]
Mind Reader
Are you gifted at reading minds? I most definitely am not. Many things can be said about me, but being a Mind Reader is not among them! As I think back through my career and the businesses that I’ve started, built and led, there’s one person who seemingly possessed that mysterious gift when it came […]
At The Summit
It is such a glorious moment when you make it to the top! The ascent can be literal, as in climbing a mountain, but it can also be figurative in many aspects of life and business. Whatever the pursuit, climbing is hard work; not only do you need to move steadily and maintain your footing, […]
What Floats Your Boat?
The answer can be quite literal, as in the case of a rather unique “boat building competition” that I participated in this week. With the limited time and materials available to us, however, the reality is that most of the crafts barely floated at all and none for very long! I am pleased to announce […]
Two to Tango
It takes Two to Tango and many more to have a Chorus Line. For either of these to work without stepping on feet, or worse, requires careful Collaboration. It’s not about just getting together with a vague idea of what’s supposed to happen next; success in these endeavors requires careful thought about the purpose, the […]
Wizard of Oz
Where does the magic of estimating originate? How does contractual analysis actually happen? Is there really a person behind all of these mysterious activities? Yes, indeed there is. He is the Wizard of Oz. For a long time, the identity of the Wizard of Oz was a well-guarded secret. People in the kingdom knew about the magic […]
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie…
Photo credit: Misha Corbett …..He’s going to ask for a glass of milk! So begins the children’s classic by the same name, written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond. I heartily recommend it to the parents of children, to grandparents and to all who are kids at heart. If this one doesn’t make […]
Caring Creates Culture
It’s the first essential ingredient: Caring. If a team commits to building a culture together, it all begins with deciding what they care about the most. More likely than not, the team leader sets the tone by demonstrating that he or she genuinely cares about the others on their team. An unsolicited, shining example of […]
Truth or Fiction?
Recently I’ve encountered a rash of applicants for various management positions who have been less than truthful on their résumés and employment applications. In some cases, their stated accomplishments have proven to be bold-faced lies. This has come up so often that it suddenly feels like an epidemic problem, although I certainly hope it is […]