PREPARE FOR THE 100 DAYS OF VICTORY Marty Grunder, Grunder Landscaping Co. For years we called the time from mid-March to July 4 the 100 Days of Hell. All our people, resources, and equipment are stretched to their limits as we try to meet our deadlines and keep our clients happy. My coaching client and friend, Jeffrey Johns, who runs an impressive company in Georgia called Coastal Greenery, told me that at his company they’ve reframed this time period and now call it the 100 Days of Victory. It’s a much more positive way to look at the challenge ahead for our companies: these next 100 days will be challenging, but they also hold tremendous opportunity for landscape pros. Our mindset makes a big difference and focusing on the opportunity ahead rather than feeling sorry for ourselves is powerful. When we approach the challenges we face with a positive, cando attitude, it’s amazing what we can accomplish. That’s become even more apparent in the last 365 days, as my company and no-doubt many others in Ohio have faced obstacles to our success left and right. As we approach the busiest time of the year, I want to equip you with the tactics that can help you navigate it well:
around our goals for the day. Teamwork is one of our four core values at GLC because we understand that for us to be successful we must work effectively together. All three of these tips have something in common: they’re ways you can help your teams to have more good days than bad days. This improves efficiency, helps everyone to better manage their time, and keeps a handle on morale in a time when it can be easy for teams to feel overworked and defeated by the challenges they face. As the 100 Days of Victory get closer, prepare your plan now so that you can manage your time and maximize your wins. We’ll be holding a virtual workshop to go deeper into how pros can do this, Time Management for Landscape Pros, on March 10. In three quick-hitting, one-hour sessions Grow Group vice president Vince Torchia and I will share how landscape professionals can set themselves up to have their ideal day, week, and month. Learn more and register on our website: growgroupinc.com/time-management-for-landscape-pros B
Get Organized Few things impact a business as greatly as organization. A smooth morning roll-out is key to a successful day, and it’s hard to do that when the team can’t easily find what they need and get out the door. If you don’t have a system in place already, work on organizing the tools, equipment, and materials your crews need so that they can find it on their own without waiting for someone to help them. At Grunder Landscaping Co., we have toolboxes on the truck to store commonly used tools and organize any specialty tools in the shop so crews can easily grab whatever they need. Keeping most of the tools on the truck reduces time in the morning and afternoon. Create Detailed Plans At GLC, we will not schedule a job until we have all of the details required to do the job. Our sales people create drawings, notes, and workorders as if they wouldn’t be available to answer questions or meet the production crew on the jobsite once they start the work. When I was younger, I sometimes would just sketch out a drawing and plan on going to the jobsite to show the crew what needed done. I thought that saved time, but I now realize that time spent planning and documenting ahead of time is more effective and efficient than time spent explaining after work begins. Gather the Troops Each morning our entire field crew gathers for a quick safety circle. It may seem counterintuitive when we’re trying to save time, but this time together as a team gets everyone centered onla.org
Contact Marty at marty.grunder@ grunderlandscaping.com March/April 2021
9
