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Author: Phil Harwood

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Phil Harwood

Phil Harwood is a Senior Advisor with Tamarisk Business Advisors. Contact him at phil.harwood@tamariskadvisors.com

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Employee Retention: Change the recruiting conversation

If you want be successful at recruiting, it’s time to change the conversation. A new generation of candidates has different expectations of its employers, and these expectations present themselves initially during the recruiting process, requiring a different type of conversation. Employers seeking to connect with a new generation will miss the mark if they fail […]

High Performance: “We’ve been low-balled,” a timeless classic

“A low-baller is ruining our market!” It’s a common complaint but many times the complainant is just being out-maneuvered. Let’s look at some classic reasons why this may occur. Reason No. 1: It’s not the truth. Customers often tell contractors that their decision was based on price when it wasn’t. It’s a convenient excuse for […]

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Create the ultimate GIE+EXPO experience

Phil Harwood discusses how landscape contractors can create the ultimate GIE+EXPO experience when they make the trip to Louisville, Ky.

High Performance: Is recruiting a challenge or an existential threat?

Recruiting has never been more difficult than it is today, and companies are spending more than ever to recruit people. Some are even questioning the long-term viability of their companies as they suffer through a prolonged labor shortage that appears to have no end. We have a growing and aging population, creating more demand for […]

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Reduce your financial risk in snow management

Phil Harwood talks strategy by relaying to snow + ice management contractors how to reduce their financial risk in snow management.

High Performance: Jumping in the pool

C’mon. Jump in. It will be fine. Or not. Too often in our industry, new hires are expected to jump into the pool to see if they will sink or swim. Some figure it out. Others don’t. With a severe labor shortage, this approach to new hire onboarding and training is surprisingly commonplace. There is […]

High Performance: Managing the daily disaster

In our industry, something bad happens almost every day. Someone is going to make a bad decision. Some machine is going to fail. Some customer is going to lose their mind. Some vendor is going to let you down. Someone is not going to show up for work. Disaster may be too strong of a […]

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Don’t call us, we’ll call you

If you grew up listening to the radio in the ’70s like I did, you probably know the Sugarloaf song, “Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You.” What you may not know is that this jingle describes a key difference between businesses. You see, there are only two types of businesses. The first type calls the […]

High Performance: Is the train on track, off track or not moving?

Now that we’re closing in on the halfway point of the calendar year, it’s an appropriate time to evaluate how the year is going. Many of you are on track to meet, or even exceed, your goals for 2019. This may be due to strong economic demand, good teamwork or other factors. If this describes […]

High Performance: Empowerment leads to development

According to the Gallup organization, lack of development is the number one reason people leave a company. This should come as no surprise because we all want to learn and grow. This is a basic human desire. You have it and so do I. Why would anyone want to work in a position or for […]

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Recruiting game changer: finding purpose

Why? Why would someone agree to work at night, in the cold, on call, not knowing if a shift is going to last eight hours or 28 hours? Why do some people fall in love with the snow and ice management industry, while others resent having to work in it to make ends meet over […]

High Performance: What’s your company type?

When it comes to staffing, I encounter three very different types of landscape companies. The first type of company is struggling greatly to find qualified employees. Some of these companies are on the verge of extinction — contemplating liquidating or selling. Profits have been suffering due to high turnover, low production volume, substandard quality, accidents, […]

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Are you a boss or a coach?

Evaluate your management style to determine if you’re a boss or a coach.

High Performance: Don’t send your employees in blind

Recently, we had a plumbing issue at the house. I began to research how to make the repair myself but decided to call a local plumbing company instead. A service technician from a local plumbing company showed up at my door. He was on time and seemed like a perfectly nice young man. He even […]

High Performance: Accountability starts at the top

As the new year begins, it’s a good time to refocus on our goals for the upcoming year. What do we want to accomplish? What are the big strategic goals? What are the sales goals, production goals and profit goals? What do we want to accomplish in our personal lives this year? Perhaps you worked […]

High Performance: the ultimate recruiting method

What’s the best way to recruit people? This question is asked of me more than all others combined. Everyone is looking for the answer, and I’m going to give it to you. The ultimate recruiting method is for your current team members to become your recruiters, not because recruiting has been assigned to them or […]

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Prep your family biz for the next gen

It’s estimated that family-owned businesses comprise up to 90 percent of all businesses in North America. Many are not adequately preparing to transition leadership to the next generation. According to a recent survey conducted by professional services firm PwC, 43 percent of family businesses had no succession plans in place. This may explain why only […]

High Performance: Recruiting in a tight labor market

When employers are struggling to fill open positions, it becomes even more important to be very selective during the hiring process. This may seem counterintuitive, but let me explain. Do you remember a time when it was relatively easy to fill an open position? I sure do. I recall looking through a stack of applications […]

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Compete by engaging your employees

They say competition brings out the best in people. Is that true? In my experience, it’s not. There are other factors at play. If you want to compete to win, you should understand these factors. First and foremost, it’s important to recognize that people who are highly engaged in their employment situations are more likely […]

High Performance: 10 tips for attending GIE+EXPO

Are you planning to attend the GIE+EXPO Oct. 17-19 in Louisville, Ky.? If so, I have some tips for you. 1. Have a plan. Study the materials. Think through your logistics. Even if you’ve been attending for many years, the show changes every year. Don’t just show up and try to figure it out. 2. Bring […]

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Sometimes it is about the money

My (fictitious) operations manager, Tom, just informed me he is leaving the company. I’m shocked. Tom is a good guy, and we have been investing in his development and going out of our way to make him feel appreciated. He recently received a 12 percent raise, and, earlier this spring, we bought him a new […]

High Performance: Get your team back into action

This time of year always brings a sense of anticipation—of getting back into action after the summer months. As a student, it was all about stepping up to the next grade, new classes, new teachers, new friends and more. As a college football fan, it’s all about a new season, new players and hopes for […]

High Performance: Teamwork lessons from the FIFA World Cup

  In most countries around the world, the FIFA World Cup Soccer tournament is bigger than the Super Bowl is in the U.S. It is a really, really big deal. This tournament showcases top-level talent from around the globe. Players from all different teams come together to compete for their home countries. In doing so, […]

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Discover your blue ocean

Imagine a world without competitors, where you are able to charge whatever you want and get it. Imagine having highly qualified personnel, customers who are patient and strong positive cash flow. Welcome to the premium market. The premium market is a different world than what most of us operate in. In the bestselling book “Blue […]

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