The Growing Concern March 2017 by Sandy Munley

Growing Concern

The

MAR C H 2 0 1 7

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E O H I O L A N D S C A P E A S S O C I AT I O N

Break the Rules:Win More Sales

March 2, 2017 / Central Ohio Meeting PAGE 7

Getting and Keeping the Right Employees

March 9, 2017 / NE Ohio Meeting PAGE 19

Grow Your Landscape Business

March 21, 2017 / Workshop Featuring Jeffrey Scott PAGE 13

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PR ES I DEN T’S COLUM N

CATHY SERAFIN

ASLA, RLA

Suncrest Gardens

IT’S SHOWTIME! March is here and hopefully the snow, ice and slush are diminishing. And as we shake off the winter doldrums, I’m reminded of a movie quote we use often in our design office just before a presentation or an important meeting – when we are called upon to shine – “It’s Showtime!” The quote is from Robin Williams – the movie, “Mrs. Doubtfire.” In the movie – and in our business – that final moment has arrived. It is time to put our best foot, face and product forward. Hopefully we are all prepared as we enter these meetings, and this time of year, ready to represent our profession with great excitement and competence. The truth of the matter is, in every realm of the landscape profession here in Ohio, we are gearing up for “the season.” It’s time to send out the Spring Clean-up postcard reminders, finalize the changes and improvements to design and production paperwork, and stock up on the supplies and energy reserves necessary to make our 2017 season successful and profitable. At the same time, trucks and equipment are being re-geared from snow operations to landscape, hardscape and lawn management operations. This operational change is often painful, but our

toughness from years of experience in the profession guides us through the process. Now, more than ever, we need teamwork to facilitate the transformation of our businesses from winter mode to springtime craziness. Hours spent planning and preparing our companies, and staff, pay off big time as we reap the rewards of a smooth transition. For me, I am always happy to know we survived the winter and the transition into “Showtime” and that we are finally getting down to the business of designing and building beautiful exterior spaces! As I pondered our entrance into March, the early part of our “Showtime” season, I thought it would be interesting to get a few impressions of spring from other members of our team. The responses were unique to the individual and the role they play in our company. See if any of these thoughts sound familiar… continued on page 6 The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 3

TAB LE OF CON TEN TS M A R C H 2 0 1 7 WWW. OH I OLA N D SCA P E R S. OR G OH I O’ S P R OF E SSI ON A L G REEN I N D U ST R Y A SSOCI AT I O N OHIO LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION 9240 Broadview Road Broadview Heights, Ohio 44147 Phone: 440.717.0002, or 1.800.335.6521 Fax: 440.717.0004 Web: www.ohiolandscapers.org and www.myohiolandscape.com EDITOR Rick Doll, Jr.

Landscape Ohio! entries are in, and as always, we had some exceptional submissions. Winners will be announced March 30th, 2017 at out Annual Awards Gala.

FEATURES

3 8 12 15 20 24 28 32 33 34

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

It’s Showtime!

PERENNIAL FOCUS

High Performance, Low Maintenance Perennials

EDUCATION

Non-Billable Time is Killing You

FISCAL FITNESS

Small Business Retirement Plans

REGULAR WRITERS Michael J. Donnellan, King Financial, Inc. Jim Funai, LIC, Cuyahoga Community College Shelly Funai, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Sandy Munley, Ohio Landscape Association Bobbie Schwartz, FAPLD, Bobbie’s Green Thumb Cathy Serafin, ASLA, RLA, Suncrest Gardens ADVERTISING INFORMATION Submission deadline: 10th of the month, prior to the month of publication. For advertising rates and ad specs, please call 440.717.0002, 1.800.335.6521, or email Rick Doll Jr. at rick@ohiolandscapers.org. DISCLAIMER The Ohio Landscape Association, its board of directors, staff and the editor of The Growing Concern neither endorse any product(s) or attests to the validity of any statements made about products mentioned in this, past or subsequent issues of this publication. Similarly, the opinions expressed in The Growing Concern are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Ohio Landscape Association.

PLANT OF THE MONTH

OFFICERS President Cathy Serafin, ASLA, RLA

FOR SAFETY SAKE

President – Elect Marie McConnell

Communications & Events Manager Rick Doll, Jr.

FEATURE ARTICLE

Treasurer Adam Capiccioni

Membership Coordinator Noreen Schraitle

What’s in a Name?

Hazards of Operating Unguarded Stone Cutters and Splitters Preventing and Dealing with Workplace Conflict

DIRECTIONS ADVERTISING INDEX WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

4 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

Immediate Past President Bryan Taynor DIRECTORS Brian Maurer, LIC Domenic Lauria Doug Ellis James Funai, LIC Michael T. Ahern, LIC Steve Moore

OLA STAFF Executive Director Sandy Munley

C AL ENDAR OF EVEN TS UPCO M I N G OLA MEETINGS , EDUC AT I ON SE MI N A R S, A N D OT H E R G R E E N I N D UST R Y EV ENT S

MARCH

AUGUST

MARCH 2, 2017 OLA MEETING (Central Ohio)

AUGUST 3, 2017 OLA SCHOLARSHIP GOLF OUTING

Break the rules and win more sales! Features Lewis VanLandingham, Sandler Sales Trainer and CEO of Sharper Edge Advantage, LLC. Hosted & sponsored by Wolf Creek Co. For info call the OLA Office at 800-335-6521.

MARCH 9, 2017 OLA MEETING (NE Ohio) Getting and Keeping the Right Employees, featuring Elise Hara Auvil of EHA Solutions, Ltd. Held at St. Michael’s Woodside in Broadview Hts., OH. For more info call the OLA Office at 1-800-335-6521.

Join us at Mallard Creek Golf Club in Columbia Station for the OLA Scholarship Golf Outing! Proceeds from this event benefit our OLA Scholarship Fund. Our golf outing was created to help generate funding for our scholarship program, targeting qualified students interested in a vocation within the green industry. Registration opens in spring/summer of 2017. Call the OLA at 800-3356521 for sponsorship opportunities.

UPCOMING LIC DATES JULY 19, 2017 TESTING SET-UP Ohio State ATI, Wooster Call the OLA for more information if you would like to volunteer to help with setting up, or staffing the hands-on testing site.

SEPTEMBER

JULY 19, 2017 WRITTEN TEST

MARCH 14, 2017 STONE CLINIC

SEPTEMBER 20, 2017 (TENTATIVE) OLA MEETING (NE Ohio)

Struggling to rockface 2, 2.5 & 3 inch Berea sandstone? Join us for this hands-on clinic where you will learn rockfacing, cutting, dressing, coping, splitting and tooling. For more info call the OLA Office at 1-800-335-6521.

Subject matter and location TBD. For more info call the OLA Office at 1-800335-6521.

2:30pm Ohio State ATI, Wooster Application Deadline: 05/19/17

MARCH 21, 2017 GROW YOUR LANDSCAPE BUSINESS WORKSHOP A 1-day workshop that will help you rapidly build the value and profitability of your business – and bring back the joy of ownership. Speaker: Jeffrey Scott. For more info call the OLA Office at 1-800-335-6521.

MARCH 30, 2017 20th ANNUAL LANDSCAPE OHIO! AWARDS GALA Join Ohio’s landscape community for an elegant, fun-filled night of celebrating LO! winners. Dinner & awards presentation. For more info call the OLA Office at 1-800-335-6521.

OCTOBER OCTOBER 12, 2017 (TENTATIVE) OLA MEETING (Cental Ohio) Subject matter and location TBD. For more info call the OLA Office at 1-800335-6521.

JULY 20, 2017 WRITTEN TEST Ohio State ATI, Wooster Application Deadline: 05/19/17

JULY 20, 2017 HANDS-ON TEST Ohio State ATI, Wooster Application Deadline: 05/19/17

NOVEMBER

OCT. 3, 2017 WRITTEN TEST

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 (TENTATIVE) OLA MEETING (NE Ohio)

9am Ohio State ATI, Wooster Application Deadline: 09/12/17

Subject matter and location TBD. For more info call the OLA Office at 1-800335-6521.

OCT. 10, 2017 WRITTEN TEST 1pm OLA Offices, Broadview Heights Application Deadline: 09/19/17

The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 5

PR E S IDENT’ S C OL UMN continued from page 3 Ric H. (Owner) “March in our business and the landscape industry in NE Ohio always means one word to me – Transition. It’s that time of year between planning and getting ready for ‘the season’ to the actual time of working on projects and maintaining sites. It’s also the time of year when our production teams are transitioning from snow and ice management services to landscape services. It’s an unpredictable time of year when we are really influenced by the weather. One day can be snow ops, the next day landscape ops. March is hard on the production and management crews and all employees, but thankfully it is only 31 days long!”

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Rob C. (Garden Center Director) “Anticipation. I get excited to see the early signs of spring. Longer days, witchhazel blooming, hellebores, and seeing our great customers who love plants as much as I do.”

perennials ferns vines roses

Jeff C. (Development Director) “When this month is close at hand, I feel Panic and Relief, all in the same emotion. Panic, in that all of the goals we set out in the fall may not be met. Relief in that some of the goals we did solidify will soon be implemented. Panic and relief – relief and panic – either way, I am just happy March is here and April is close by.” Rob G. (Management Director) “March, to me, means Focus. It is important to stay focused on finishing the snow removal season strong, as we transition into our spring workload. Focus in March is never losing sight of the importance of delivering a timely quality product and services to all of our customers.”

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Kolin A. (Systems Director) “March is the calm before the storm!” The OLA is hoping your transition into March and Spring 2017 is smooth and invigorating! Stay focused and use your anticipation to overcome any signs of panic, or stress. Remember, no matter how you are feeling this March as our busy season approaches, we are in this together and a part of something much bigger – the Ohio Landscape Association.

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So, bundle up, sharpen your pencils (do we actually still do that?), get organized, get energized, review your process for maximum efficiency, and prepare for the season – “It’s Showtime!”

6 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

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PL ANT OF TH EOHIO M ON TH CENTRAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

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FI SCAL FI TN ESS

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SMALL BUSINESS RETIREMENT PLANS Employee benefits play an important role in the lives of employees as well as their families. For that reason, the benefits you offer can be a deciding factor for a potential employee’s decision to work at your business. There are two types of employee benefits: (1) those the employer must provide by law; and (2) those the employer offers as an option to compensate employees. Examples of required benefits include social security and workers’ compensation, while optional benefits include health care insurance coverage and retirement benefits. Both required and optional benefits have legal and tax implications for the employer. I typically recommend a 401(k) Plan for businesses with over 50 employees. If your business has less than 25 employees you should consider other available options, which can give you more flexibility along with a lower cost and less paperwork and administration. Two of these options are...

SEP PLAN A SEP is specifically designed for self-employed people and small business owners who typically employ fewer than 25 employees. This plan is great for self-employed individuals with no other employees or small businesses with employees who meet certain compensation and tenure requirements. Generally clients choose a SEP Plan if they are looking for flexibility in their contribution percentage. In fact, the business owner decides each year whether, and how much, to contribute to employees’ SEP-IRAs. Employees do not make contributions through the plan, but they can make contributions on their own into their individual SEP-IRA. continued on page 16 The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 15

FISCAL FI TN ESS continued from page 15

On the downside, employers must make contributions and percentages must be the same for each eligible employee. All employees who are eligible must be included. Exceptions may include employees who have worked for the company for less than three of the past five years, those under 21 years old and those who have been paid less than $600 in compensation.

More information can be found at the Small Business Administration’s website at www.sba.gov. Discuss your options with your tax and financial advisors. If you would like a free consultation regarding your current plan or if you are looking to establish a new plan, feel free to call.

SIMPLE PLAN Michael J. Donnellan is President of King Financial, Inc., with offices in

A Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) is designed for small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. The plan is funded by employer contributions and can also be funded by elective employee salary deferral. SIMPLE Plans are largely funded by employee contributions, but limited employer contributions are required.

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The employer has two options each year. OPTION #1: Match up to 3% of each employee’s compensation or $11,500, whichever is less. OPTION #2: Contribute 2% of each eligible employee’s compensation up to $4,900 for 2011 and $5000 for 2012. (The eligible compensation limit determined by the IRS is $245,000 in 2011 and $250,000 for 2012). Another option would be a Solo 401(k). These are designed for a self-employed individual or business owner with no other employees other than a spouse. Generally these plans offer tax-deductiblity for contributions and the earnings grow tax-deferred. Participants direct their own investments within different asset classes within a family of mutual funds.

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PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH

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PL ANT OF TH E M ON TH

JIM FUNAI, LIC Cuyahoga Community College

SHELLEY FUNAI, LIC Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens If you heard the name “snowball bush,” you may be thinking of a certain type of viburnum, while someone else is thinking of a type of hydrangea. You can’t really have a meaningful conversation because you are talking about two different plants.

WHAT’S IN A NAME? As the two of us sit down to discuss/write this month’s article, we are only one short month away from taking a team of students to the National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC), hosted by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). And by the time you are reading this article, we will likely be in Provo, Utah – at Brigham Young University – doing battle in 28 events, representing all facets of the landscape industry. Ohio sends some of the more powerful teams from its different colleges – a state which always puts on a great showing of well-educated and ready to work, soon to be graduates. Of the 28 events, three focus on plant identification skills; Woody ID, Annual/Perennial ID, and Indoor/Tropical ID. This being an international competition – we can still call it that if one of the colleges comes from Canada, right – there are plants on each of the lists that we are unfamiliar with. Every year, it seems there are changes to the lists, which adds to the pain of trying to memorize nearly 200 botanical and common names for plants.

20 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

Along with learning new names, this challenge always brings us to a struggle of what feels like learning a whole new language. And in truth, it is fair to look at learning botanical names as a new language. The good news is that this foreign language is based in Greek and Latin, which our own language borrows a good deal of words from. For those of you with some Spanish under your belt, you’ll see even more similarities.

While it may seem like a lot to ask – to try and learn what some of the botanical Latin names mean – it can make learning new names and identifying plants much easier. Pre-Carl Linnaeus we had names of plants that were quite descriptive of the plants appearance, using more than five words – and sometimes ten – for just one plant. Try remembering all that! Thankfully, Linnaeus invented the binomial (two-name) system that we use today. So, as we – along with our students, employees, and co-workers – struggle to learn proper plant names, we must reassure ourselves that this is all for the sake of clarity. Case in point, just the other day a student asked where they could get a ‘Rock Maple,’ because a property owner asked for one. Usually, it is the woodworkers we hear use this term, in reference to their attempt to distinguish between softer-wooded Maples and harder-wooded Maples. So, what good is the name Rock Maple? I’m guessing everyone reading this said, “Oh, a Rock Maple is a ____ Maple,” right? Or, is it more likely that you all said, “What the heck is a Rock Maple?” You get the point – common names just don’t cut it.

Back to where we started though, this whole conversation was actually sparked by a number of plants on all of lists that start with “cal,” and wondering what it means. For the nerdiest of you, a crucial reference guide through this topic is Botanical Latin by William T. Stearn. This book is the motherlode of information on why plants are called what they are. And even though we narrowed the names down to two names (binomial), these names are still quite descriptive of the plants. In our example of “cal,” we learned that calo is a Greek derived word, meaning “beautiful.” What makes it a bit more difficult is that each prefix, or suffix, can have a number of different endings. In this case cali, calli and calo all mean the same thing. Have you ever used a Beautyberry Shrub in your plans? (You should, if you haven’t!) Beautyberry is Callicarpa. Calli = “beautiful” and carpus = “fruit.” So, botanical name or common name, you are calling this plant the one with beautiful berries. Some names describe ID characteristics of the plant. Threadleaf False Cypress is a plant that we see used quite often around NE continued on page 23 The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 21

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P L ANT OF THE MONT H continued from page 21

Ohio, so many of you are probably familiar with it. This plant has one of the longer, more fun names to say, Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Filifera.’ The fun part; Chamae = on the ground, or creeping (Greek), Cyparis = cypress (the tree), Pisi = pea shaped/ size (Latin) and Fere = almost, or nearly. Pulling in the end, Filiforma is the Latin word that means threadlike. So, when you plant a Threadleaf False Cypress, you are planting a low growing plant that looks like cypress, has small pea looking fruits and threadlike leaves. So, how fun was that? Many names focus on color traits found in some part of the plant. And plenty of those are reused time and time again, such as Ruber, which is found in Acer rubrum (Red Maple), or rubus species (Raspberries). Some can be a bit obscure, like when you head into your local hardware store to pick out a paint color and find there are 100 names for white. There is a great mix of both Latin and Greek based names for every possible color out there. That said, some of the more common examples that you will come across are Albus, meaning white. An example of which is Cornus alba, a dogwood with white flowers and fruit, and melano, meaning pure black. An example of which is Aronia melanocarpa, the chokeberry with black fruit (as many others in the species are reds). Finally, some botanical Latin names are derived from the name of the person who may have discovered it, or the place where it was discovered. In these cases, we say the name is a “Latinized.” For example, Virginiana means it was found in Virginia, or maximowicziana – one of the best, we think – means it was discovered by Karl Maximowich, the late, great Russian botanist. So, while we haven’t shared a specific plant with you this month, hopefully we’ve helped to quell some of the annoyance that comes with learning a “foreign language.” There are plenty of examples out there, so we encourage you to start exploring little by little. Or, just keep reading our articles, as we always love to throw the meaning of the botanical names in when possible! Jim Funai is full-time faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, a NALP accredited associate of applied science in hoticulture degree program offering many paths to higher education in the green industry. He is pursuing a PhD in Landscape Engineering and Forestry and is a Licensed Arborist. Shelley Funai is Grounds Manager at Stan Hywett Hall and Gardens in Akron, Ohio, which offers a historic estate designed by Warren H. Manning and a beautiful manor house museum. She is Landscape Industry Certified in Ornamental Plant Care. Both are graduates of The Ohio State University. Contact Jim and Shelley via email at hortsquad@gmail.com.

If there was ever any doubt as to where the Titan Arum plant, Amorphophallus titanum, got its name... mystery solved!

The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 23

F OR SAFETY SAK E

HAZARDS OF OPERATING UNGUARDED STONE CUTTERS AND SPLITTERS Stone-cutting machines, also called stone masons, stone cutters, stone splitters, and rock cutters, have hydraulically operated rams to split and cut various types of stone products used mainly for decorative purposes in the landscaping industry. The machines are produced in both stationary and mobile models. Their high-pressure hydraulic systems may be driven by combustion engine (gasoline/diesel) or an electric motor. Stone-cutting machines with unguarded cutting blades, which allow worker’s hands or other body parts to be placed in the point of operation, can cause amputations and other serious injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010 (the most recent detailed data), 180 injuries occurred while using shears, which operate similar to stone cutters. Of these injuries, 100 were amputations and 50 were described as cuts, lacerations and punctures.

24 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

OSHA’s Englewood, Colorado, Area Office investigated a landscaping products company that used a stone splitter to cut decorative rocks. Each rock was lifted by a forklift to a rolling conveyor table where the operator placed the rock under the cutting blades or the “point of operation” by hand. The operator then operated the hand controls with one hand and held the back of the stone with the other hand. This method of operation put the operator’s hand within inches

of the unguarded point of operation and could have resulted in severe injury, including amputation. In addition, the rocksplitting process often results in flying rock chips, which presents a hazard to the operator’s eyes and face.

REQUIREMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The Englewood office’s investigation found that many of the stone cutters available for purchase pose amputation hazards because, typically, these machines are not designed with adequate machine guarding to prevent the operator from reaching into the point of operation.

Identify the hazards of powered stone cutters and splitters prior to being used, asking questions such as:

OSHA worked with the stone splitter manufacturer and the landscaping company to retrofit the machine with twohanded controls, which prevented worker access to the point of operation. A cycle-initiation method was installed that requires constant, simultaneous pressure from each hand on two separate controls to move the cutting blades. If the operator removes either hand from either of the controls, the blades will stop immediately. This type of machine-guarding configuration is known as a “two-hand control.”

The following measures will prevent or greatly reduce the chance that a worker using a stone cutter or splitter will suffer an amputation or other serious injury:

• Does the equipment have machine guarding at the point • • • • •

of operation? Can the guarding be easily removed or bypassed? Does the guarding keep the operator’s hands, fingers, and body out of the danger area? Is there evidence that the machine guarding has been tampered with or removed? Could changes be made on the machine to eliminate the point of operation hazard entirely? Are the machine manufacturer’s recommended safety procedures available to the operator and being followed? continued on page 27

The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 25

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FOR SAFETY SAKE continued from page 25

Ensure stone cutters are equipped with machine guarding to prevent worker access to the point of operation. A good system eliminates the possibility of the operator or another worker placing parts of their bodies where they could be injured by hazardous moving parts. Examples of machineguarding methods include two-handed starting devices, barrier guards, remote-operator controls, and electronic safety devices. This also includes the two-handed control retrofit described earlier. Conduct regular inspections and keep machinery clean and properly maintained. Good inspection, maintenance and repair procedures contribute significantly to the safety of the machine operator. Routinely inspect and maintain machinery according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and good engineering practice.

CONCLUSION Amputations from point-of-operation hazards, and eye and face injuries from flying rock chips, may result when workers use stone-cutters and splitters. Amputation hazards can be prevented by equipping stone cutters and splitters with two-hand controls or other devices that will prevent worker access to the point of operation, as well as providing adequate training in the safe operation of stone splitters. Eye and face injuries can be prevented by providing and enforcing the use of adequate eye and face protection.

This information was provided via the Safety and Health Information Bulletins located on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration website at https://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/. The information is provided to assist employers, as well as health and safety professionals, in assuring safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women.

Provide workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) that adequately protects them from recognized hazards and ensure that it is used properly. For example, provide safety glasses with side shields or face shields for workers exposed to eye hazards, face shields to protect workers’ faces from flying rock chips, or gloves to protect workers’ hands from cuts and abrasions from handling rock or stone. Train workers on the following topics:

• Hazards in the work area, including machine-specific ones • Machine-operating procedures • The purpose & proper use of machine-guarding, including instruction in the safe use and care of the machines

• Procedures for addressing unsafe conditions, such as, immediately reporting problems with machine guards

• Safe use of PPE Provide adequate supervision and reinforce safe practices by ensuring that:

• Only trained workers operate machinery • Machine operators do not wear loose-fitting clothing, jewelry, or other items that could become entangled in the machinery • All other workers are prohibited from being near the machine during cutting operations

This home-made splitter claims to deliver 70 tons of splitting force. That’s nearly 1,000 times the amount of pressure necessary to break a human bone.

The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 27

F EATURE ARTI CLE

PREVENTING AND DEALING WITH WORKPLACE CONFLICT Like most contractors, you probably do not see conflict resolution as one of your primary jobs, but as the experts tell us, conflict in every workplace is inevitable, so it makes sense to do whatever you can to sharpen your skills in calming troubled waters. As an owner or manager, you have a special responsibility to avoid the appearance of unreasonable bias in dealing with emotionally charged disputes, even when you are directly involved. Ideally, your approach will respect the dignity of others while emphasizing that solving the dispute is the goal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not finding a winner or loser. 28 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

Ultimately, it’s part of an owner/manager’s job to deal with workplace conflict head-on. Ignoring it will only make matters worse, and will eventually impact team productivity, results, employee satisfaction, and the manager’s reputation. Here are some ways to manage workplace conflict, so that little problems don’t fester into BIG problems: Make the ability to collaborate an expectation. Establishing expectations start with the hiring process. Are you looking to hire lone wolfs, or employees who can work with others? If it’s the latter, then you need to ask questions that uncover how well the candidate gets along with their co-workers. Look for red flag answers like, “Well, I have very high standards, and sometimes get frustrated with others if they don’t meet those standards.” Which often translates to: “I thought my co-workers were idiots and we fought like cats and dogs.” Make the ability to collaborate a job expectation for all employees, reward it, and make it a condition for advancement. Recognize the difference between healthy and destructive conflict. Healthy conflict is making it OK to disagree, to debate an issue, challenge the process, and speak up. Destructive conflict is when it gets personal, gets in the way of working effectively, and has a negative impact on productivity, innovation, and ultimately, results. Don’t ignore it. Look for little signs that can turn into big problems. A manager needs to be having regular one-on-ones with all direct reports, as well as regular team meetings. These are the opportunities to ask questions, listen, and watch for subtle clues of unhealthy conflict. Most employees won’t want to tattle on their co-workers or be seen as a complainer – but you might pick up that they are going out of their way to work with another employee. Point out your observation, and ask why. Be a role model with your peers. Many managers don’t understand the connection between how well they work with and talk about their fellow managers, and how well their own employees work together. Employees learn more from watching a manager’s behaviors than they do from what the manager says. continued on page 30 The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 29

F EATURE ARTI CLE continued from page 29

Learn a conflict resolution methodology. Most people shy away from conflict because it’s often messy and painful. If you’re not good at something, or you don’t like it, you’ll most likely avoid it. However, if you learn and practice a consistent approach, you get good at it, and your world gets better as a result of dealing with it, then you’ll be more likely to seek out opportunities to deal with conflict.

There are a lot of different conflict resolution models, but most of them have the following 5 elements:

1. Stay calm and deal with the emotions first. 2. Have the employees state what is bothering them in a respectful and specific way.

3. Listen to the each person’s perspective to gain a complete understanding of the situation.

4. Solve the problems by looking for the root cause and try to find a win-win solution.

I’d recommend taking a course in conflict management or reading a good book, like Crucial Conversations. A good course or book will give you a framework and set of tools, which gives you the confidence to confront conflict in a constructive, deliberate way. You’ll also be able to coach employees how to handle their own conflicts.

30 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

5. Agree on the actions to be taken, and encourage those involved to make a commitment to following through on those actions. Any new skill takes time and practice before we get comfortable with it. The important thing is to have the right intention – which is to resolve the conflict, not to punish the other person.

Help your employees with their conflicts. Once you’ve learned how to handle your own conflicts, you can help your employees deal with theirs. There are two ways to do this – teach them a methodology (or have them learn the same way you did) so that they can handle them on their own. In fact, some managers and experts say this is the only approach a manager should take – that is, they should never get involved in a conflict between two of their employees. While I can see the value of encouraging employees to handle their own conflicts without having to “run to Dad or Mom,” I still think there are times when a manager needs to step in.

Learn to proactively eliminate destructive conflict and deal with it before it gets out of control and everyone will be able to focus on their work, and not get caught up in unproductive and stressful workplace drama.

However – it’s important that the manager doesn’t get caught in the middle by having individual conversations with each employee and trying to mediate. Instead, the manager should sit down with both employees and coach the employees through it. The Growing Concern | March 2017 |

D I RECTI ON S

SANDY MUNLEY

Executive Director The Ohio Landscape Association

OLA PARTNERS WITH HEARTLAND FOR CREDIT CARD PROCESSING The Ohio Landscape Association has selected Heartland Payment Systems® as a new Member Service Provider for merchant services (credit card processing). In November, Heartland Payroll Solutions® became a Member Service Provider, so now you can take advantage of the full suite of payment, payroll and HR solutions that Heartland has to offer. As experts in payment and payroll processing, Heartland can customize value-added programs that are right for your business. Heartland is a very service-oriented company and we are confident that they will take very good care of our members, while offering OLA Members Only Discounts. Their relationship managers and territory managers are known for maintaining long-term relationships through unparalleled customer service, so you know that your dedicated Heartland representative will be available when you need them. That is why we chose Heartland. Another important reason we chose Heartland for merchant services is they are very transparent. There are no hidden fees, no hidden markups, and no extra charge for PCI compliance. Your merchant statement will clearly outline the charges from the banks that are passed on to you. Heartland does not mark up these pass through fees, as many providers do. Your statement will clearly show the fee that Heartland collects. We are happy to introduce the father and son team that will be working with OLA Members on the credit card side – Adam

32 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

Niec and Brian Niec. Adam can be reached at 440-829-5868 or Adam.Niec@e-hps.com and Brian can be reached at 440-4760791 or Brian.Niec@e-hps.com. As announced a couple of months ago, Eric Hajek, PHR, SHRM-CP is the territory manager servicing OLA Member accounts for Heartland Payroll Solutions®. Eric can be reached at 330-620-7443 or Eric.Hajek@e-hps.com.

OLA Garden

The OLA had a garden at the Great Big Home and Garden Show again this February. We received a lot of great compliments on the garden from attendees about the accessibility of our garden, the colorful plantings, and the fact that we labeled our plants.We gave out a few thousand Landscape Ohio! Magazines, as well as a few thousand postcards promoting the use of OLA Members and our consumer website referral system.

ADVERTI SI N G I N DE X

34 2 21 Adam and Brian Niec are relationship managers with Heartland Payment Systems. They follow the same principles Heartland is well known for: honesty, transparency, and integrity. They take pride in service after the sale and continuing to cultivate excellent business relationships.

Our sincere appreciation to the following people & organizations that made this garden possible: GARDEN DESIGNERS Ken Sasak, Kevin Sasak & Melissa Wasik Sasak Landscaping, Inc. PROJECT MANAGER Ken Sasak Sasak Landscaping, Inc. ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER Kevin Sasak Sasak Landscaping, Inc. GARDEN CONSTRUCTION TEAM Empaco Equipment Corporation Ohio Landscape Association Sasak Landscaping Western Reserve Landcare MATERIALS AND TRANSPORTATION Brothers Grimm Landscape & Design Co. Great Big Home and Garden Show Kichler Lighting Kurtz Bros., Inc. Pond Supplies of Ohio, Inc. Sasak Landscaping, Inc. SiteOne Landscape Supply Willoway Nurseries, Inc. Wolf Creek Company Again, many thanks to everyone involved in the garden! And a special thanks to Sasak Landscaping for going above and beyond to handle all the details and create a beautiful garden for the OLA!

Abraxus / Royalton Supply Botson Insurance Group, Inc. Davis Tree Farm & Nursery, Inc.

Klyn Nurseries, Inc.

Mason Structural Steel, Inc.

Medina Sod Farms, Inc.

MRLM Landscape Materials

O’Reilly Equipment, LLC

Oliger Seed Company

Premier Plant Solutions

Shearer Equipment

The Snowfighters Institute

Sohar’s / RCPW, Inc.

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Valley City Supply

VanCuren Tree Services, Inc.

Zoresco Equipment Company The Growing Concern | March 2017 | 33

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

The Ohio Landscape Association is delighted to welcome the following new members to the association:

REGULAR MEMBERS

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Eddybrook Tree Farm & Landscaping PO Box 554 Johnstown, OH 43031 (614) 560-4012 Bob and Brad Eddy

MJH Lawn Care, LLC PO Box 361433 Strongsville, OH 44136 (440) 567-4793 Matt Haystrick

HLM Property Management 5901 US Hwy. 6 Hartsgrove Twp., OH 44085 (440) 990-9532 Rick Huffman

Russell Landscape Services PO Box 136 Centerburg, OH 43011 (614) 332-1236 Heather Pennell

GreenMark Consulting Group 13413 College Valley Lane Henrico, VA 23233 (610) 905-3637 Steven Cohen

J & D Landscapes, LLC 12234 Grandview Drive Burton, OH 44021 (440) 319-8928 Joseph N. Pastor

Trimmin Lawn Services, LLC 8936 St. Rt. 14 Streetsboro, OH 44241 (330) 840-8777 Mike Jones

Medina Tractor Sales 6080 Norwalk Rd. Medina, OH 44256 (330) 725-4951 Bryan Hollopeter

Lutz Landscaping & Management, Inc. PO Box 2482 North Canton, OH 44720 (330) 268-4279 Joe Lutz, II

Williams Landscaping and Pavers PO Box 7 Grafton, OH 44044 (440) 476-9135 Brian Williams

STUDENT MEMBERS

Earth N Wood Products, Inc. 5335 Strausser St., NW North Canton, OH 44720 (330) 499-8309 Kip Hornish

Cuyahoga Community College Jennifer J. Shields The Ohio State University Christian J. Moore

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34 | Official Publication of The Ohio Landscape Association

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