Working with me isn’t always a walk in the park. The personality traits that have made me successful can also make me a challenge to work with. I’m passionate about the work we do, and I know I can be too intense. Strengths can be weaknesses, after all.
I also know I’m not the only owner like this and that for companies to be successful, it takes all kinds. It takes people with intensity and passion; it also takes people with patience and level heads. The best teams are able to work well together so that each person can bring their unique strengths to the table.
I’m so excited that at Grow! 2025 in Columbus, Ohio on Feb. 24-26, Grow Group vice president and my right-hand man, Vince Torchia, will lead a session titled “Stop the Madness! Managing Up for Success.”
Vince and I have worked together for almost 15 years, and he’s also worked with and coached other owners and their teams as a facilitator in our ACE Peer Group program. He’s skilled at managing up and teaching others how to do it effectively. He’ll share five strategies during his session at Grow!, but I wanted to give you a preview of three that I think can help anyone reading this month.
Controls versus control
Key leaders need a certain amount of autonomy to succeed, but balancing an owner’s need for information with this autonomy can be challenging. It’s especially hard when leaders take over tasks that the owners used to handle themselves.
What’s critical here is to establish controls or metrics that can give a quick pulse on performance without requiring a manager to be controlling. Industry-specific software is an excellent tool for creating the visibility needed for this.
Clarify roles
When something is the responsibility of two people, it’s the responsibility of no one. It’s easy to drop the ball if we assume someone else is handling it, so managing up (and down … and peer to peer) requires clear roles, responsibilities and ownership. If roles are unclear in your company, a great strategy is to restate what you heard.
A statement like, “So what I’m hearing you say is that we need to keep the crew on the Smith job two days longer, and Brian will rearrange the schedule while I communicate the change with the Smiths. Is that right?” can go a long way in clarifying roles and tasks.
Creating a united front
Teams that undermine each other don’t succeed. Especially among the leadership team or with clients, the team must present a united front externally, even if there are differing opinions internally.
Here’s the secret: We handle disagreements civilly and try to do it privately. We’re all adults and have different opinions, and we can debate the options until we reach some sort of consensus. And sometimes the consensus is, “I still don’t like it, but let’s go with your approach,” and that’s OK.
Skills for success
These skills help successful team members manage both up and down in their organizations, a key for leading within landscaping companies. Vince will dive into more practical insights and strategies for managing your relationship with your boss during this breakout session at Grow! 2025.
We’ll have a host of other breakout session offerings and will also learn directly from the talented team at Hidden Creek Landscaping when we tour their Columbus facility. Early-bird pricing ends on Nov. 1, so sign up at growgroupinc.com/grow-2025 before then to lock in the best price. I hope to see you in February!
