PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE Devon Stanley, Benchmark Landscape Construction Inc. Thank-you’s and welcomes—In theory two seemingly easy things to do but in practice maybe not as much. Thank-you’s speak to polite expressions of gratitude and appreciation, and make a person feel valued. Welcomes speak to being inviting and hospitable, and also make a person feel valued. How well do we do either at our companies? Do we thank those in our organizations for the seemingly mundane tasks done on the daily? Do we welcome newcomers when they begin their journey with us and make them feel at ease and comfortable? It has been my experience that in this industry, we don’t always do either of those very well. I know for myself, and the company I am a part of, we have had highs and lows in doing this. Most of us would probably agree that it often becomes a roller coaster of practiced culture. Thank-you’s can be overlooked because many of us have this old school mentality of “it’s your job”—you get paid to do it well and payment is your thanks. While there may be some truth to that sentiment, I believe that even a simple yet sincere expression of gratitude never gets lost on the receiver and can also routinely inspire those witnessing the exchange to do the same. The ONLA owes a great big thank-you to Ken Fisher, who has served as Interim Executive Director since the spring of 2017. These last four years Ken has provided a stability of leadership with the staff and board that previously hadn’t been present for some time. Ken’s business acumen abounds and he has an uncanny ability to look at things from the 10,000 foot view and make wise and sound advisements. Ken graciously gave his time and energy to us whenever we needed even when his fulltime role at AmericanHort was demanding. He strengthened a partnership between ONLA and AmericanHort which we hope will continue. Ken has helped set the stage for ONLA to hit a re-set button on our association’s services. Ken, we are grateful for your leadership, your service, and most importantly, your friendship to the ONLA. Welcomes are necessary to the foundation of your company’s culture. Positively introducing someone into your organization sets the tone for their time with you. Do they understand what the expectations are? Are they made to feel comfortable when learning about the culture and operational details? I have seen some who think that because a person enters an organization with some experience on their resume that they should understand and know everything. In fact, I have even seen onla.org
some that intentionally derail an individual’s path because they may realize that an individual doesn’t catch on as quickly as they think they should based off what their resume says. Great welcoming by all parties within the organization help set up an individual for success and makes them feel validated. It makes someone feel eager to jump in and get busy learning the role within their new work environment. The ONLA extends a warm welcome to Tracy Schiefferle as our new Executive Director. Please read her article on Page 3 to learn about the experience she is bringing with her to our association. Tracy is new to our industry but exemplifies the leadership and character needed to thrive in this position. She experienced many of the same issues affecting our industry during her time with the Building Industry Association. It is incumbent upon all of us to welcome her and help her in any way needed to become acquainted with our profession. Tracy has hit the ground running and is soaking up information like a sponge. As she gets out and about in the second half of the year, I ask that you welcome her into the Green Industry Family and the family that is the ONLA. I ask that you help respectfully educate her on issues you see facing our profession and specifically the membership of ONLA. Welcome, Tracy! Thank-you’s and welcomes—theoretical easy asks of all of us but sometimes hard to practice as our lives become busier by the day or we are asked to do more with less in business. I haven’t always gotten it right but I can attest that when I have, it makes a world of difference in the relationships we are forging with our coworkers and industry colleagues. I pledge to be better and would encourage you to as well. THANK YOU for your continued support and WELCOME to those just beginning to engage with the ONLA. We are grateful for your partnerships! B
Devon can be contacted at dstanley@benchmarkohio.com July/August 2021
5
