Author: Phil Harwood

Phil HarwoodAug 23, 2018

As much as I love the holiday season, I also love getting refocused on all things business after the first of the year. For me, January is a time to execute. No more time for planning; that was done last fall. Plans are in place, budgets are set, and everyone knows what to do. Now […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

If I asked you to open up your calendar and show me what you have planned for the week of January 4, 2016, what would I see? Some of you have been preparing for January 4th for months – the first business day of the New Year. In fact, when you look at your plans […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

I’m not a marathon runner, but I’ve run plenty of races. I know the feeling of having nothing left in the gas tank, while still having a ways to go, and with the knowledge that everyone around me will turn on the jets during the final stretch. Running a business is more like a marathon […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

The year-end bonus is a staple at many companies. Unfortunately, what’s meant to be a positive thing often turns into a negative experience. Year-end bonuses are typically meant to reward people for their efforts and provide motivation going forward. Instead, unmet expectations and an attitude of entitlement often result in disappointment, hurt feelings and even […]

Phil HarwoodNov 15, 2018

The Thanksgiving Day holiday gives us an opportunity each year to pause, reflect, and give thanks for the many blessings we have in our lives. It’s also a great time to take action. It’s one thing to say that we’re thankful or to offer up a prayer of thanksgiving. It’s quite another to do something […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

Steve was hired in the spring just before the spring rush. He had never worked on a landscaping crew before but caught on quickly. He enjoyed the work immensely, especially after being stuck inside a warehouse for the past dozen years. He loved being outside, even in inclement weather, and the satisfaction of seeing what […]

Phil HarwoodJul 29, 2018

When I was a young boy, I played organized football. I was relatively smart, quick and athletic, but small—especially for football. I ended up playing in the defensive backfield as a safety—in a position where I wouldn’t be much of a factor in the game. At least that’s how I saw it. My job was […]

Phil HarwoodJul 29, 2018

Anyone who’s ever played sports knows there are certain rules that apply when the game is nearing the end. Stress levels increase as final results are on the line. If you’re winning, there’s an effort to become defensive to protect the lead. If you’re losing, just the opposite is true. In either situation, decision-making becomes […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

You’ve probably heard this phrase before, related to networking, business development and sales. The theory goes that if you’re always seeking new opportunities, doors will open. It’s the old, “the harder I work, the luckier I am” routine. It’s a numbers game. Increase the input to increase the output. Regardless of how you frame it, […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

In the September 2015 issue of LM, Phil Harwood outlined the problem with most performance reviews, and how to revamp the process to make them effective for your company. Download his template for a better performance review here: Performance Review Template (Word doc).      

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

Performance reviews present a conundrum for managers for a variety of reasons. However, they are an essential part of employee engagement, satisfaction and retention. In other words, they cannot be ignored or administered poorly without damaging employee relations, reputation as an employer and your ability to attract talent. Organizations desperate to find qualified staff would […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

I broke the Rule of 5:1 today and was promptly called out for violating such an important principle. After eating crow and apologizing for not practicing what we preach, all is once again just dandy at Pro-Motion Consulting. Have you ever heard of the Rule of 5:1? Probably not. The Rule of 5:1 states that […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

In a previous blog post, I jokingly referred to hiring zombies as a way to solve the labor shortage. I don’t actually think this the best solution, not only because zombies don’t exist, but also because the real solution isn’t going to be found in some new recruiting technique. The real solution is only going […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

We have decided to start hiring zombies. You see, we’ve done everything possible to find normal, living beings but they just aren’t available. So, we’re going to go after a non-traditional population. The only issue with zombies is their preferred diet, but I think we could work around that. Besides, hiring zombies is the only […]

Phil HarwoodNov 3, 2023

Carrying an evenly distributed load is much easier than hauling an uneven load. Imagine carrying a 
single bucket of water, switching hands to alleviate the strain one side or the other. Now imagine carrying two buckets of water—one in each hand. Regardless of the weight, two buckets are preferable to one because of the weight […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

I do some of my best work above the clouds. As a frequent flier, it’s always nice when the plane settles in at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet. The sun is out. The ride is smooth. Drinks are served. And as the worries of life below the clouds fade away, my mind becomes clear. […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

Recently, I’ve been noticing the abundance of nice properties without fresh mulch installed yet. These same properties are typically mulched in the early spring, but this year there seems to be a delay. Of course, there could be any number of explanations. All I know is the mulch is missing, the property looks bad and […]

Phil HarwoodJun 9, 2015

No, I’m not “bringing booty back.” The base (not bass) I’m referring to is the base of your company—your core people, that is. The base is the foundation that supports the rest of the organization. If the base is weak, the entire structure is unstable and prone to fracture or even collapse. However, if the […]

Phil HarwoodJun 9, 2015

June is a great month to hit the pause button and celebrate. We should celebrate our achievements from the spring season, even if they’re few and far between. Surely there has been some level of achievement that deserves to be recognized and celebrated. Maybe not every goal was met, but we can still take time […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

Very few green industry companies are not hiring. In other words, they’re fully staffed with no openings. Most companies are actively looking for help, and many are desperately scrambling to just find anyone willing to work for them. This raises interesting questions. Why are only a few companies fully staffed while the rest aren’t? What […]

Phil HarwoodAug 6, 2018

My first spring in the green industry was in 1985. I was a co-assistant manager for a large regional lawn and garden retailer. With only a few months of training under my belt and no prior experience in the green industry, I was completely unprepared for the onslaught of the spring season and the stress […]