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What characteristics or qualities do you find most important as you try to identify future leaders for your organization?
Landscape Professionals
Paul Fraynd
Sun Valley Landscaping
Omaha, Neb.
“We hire and promote for high agency, curiosity and a bias for growth. The people who rise are those who take ownership, adopt new tools quickly, seek out learning opportunities and genuinely care about the work we do in the field. They don’t wait to be told what to do; they understand the goal and take initiative to improve the outcome.”
Noe Loarca
Avanza Landscape and Maintenance
Arlington, Va.
“Independent decision making and ownership. A team member stands out when they don’t wait to be told what to do or how to do it, and then get the rest of the team on board. They take responsibility for the outcome, whether it was good or bad.”
Mike Giese
Perfecturf Lawncare
Mt. Pleasant, Wisc.
“We seek out integrity and trustworthiness. Consistently behaving ethically and honestly builds trust within the organization.
A desire to learn, curiosity to ask questions and a drive to take on new challenges.”
Industry Consultants
Marty Grunder
The Grow Group
Dayton, Ohio
“A future leader must be able to lead, and the true measure of leadership is the ability to develop other leaders, not followers. At Grunder Landscaping Co., we look for individuals who take initiative, anticipate needs and execute small assignments with ownership and consistency. When those fundamentals are strong, we expand their responsibilities incrementally. Leadership potential reveals itself through action over time, not through stated ambition. Our role is to create low-risk opportunities to observe decision making, accountability and problem solving in real situations.”
Jeffrey Scott
Jeffrey Scott Consulting
New Orleans, La.
“A ‘growth mindset’ is the most important characteristic, in my clients’ companies and in my own. Do people like to learn, take initiative, set goals, accept feedback without being defensive and learn from their mistakes? Number two is bringing a great attitude toward life and their team. These two together can lift an entire company.”
