What’s the best leadership advice you’ve ever received
Landscape professionals
Richard Bare
Arbor-Nomics Turf
Norcross, Ga.
“It’s not WHAT you know; it’s WHO you know! I think this old adage is so true because it highlights the importance of networking, always questioning those who are ahead of you, or smarter, to gain knowledge to keep forging ahead. Find some mentors and listen to them.”
Paul Fraynd
Sun Valley Landscaping
Omaha, Neb.
“To build up others, you must first build up yourself!”
Chris Joyce
Joyce Landscaping
Cape Cod, Mass.
“To be a great leader, you need to lead with empathy.”
Greg Winchel
Winchel Irrigation
Grandville, Mich.
“Lead by example, and don’t expect your staff to perform differently than you. For example, if you want them at work on time then you be on time, etc.”
Industry consultants
Marty Grunder
The Grow Group
Dayton, Ohio
“The best advice I have received came from a mentor of mine, Pete Luongo. He said, ‘You can make people more than what they are, but you can’t make them something they aren’t.’ That advice has made a major impact on my hiring decisions and helped me make fewer mistakes. I used to think I could fix anyone, and I have learned to realize that you can’t!”
Phil Harwood
Grow the Bench
Grand Rapids, Mich.
“Nobody cares what you know unless they know that you care.”
Kevin Kehoe
3PG Consulting
Laguna, Calif.
“Treat people with dignity and they will run through walls. 1. Expect a lot from people and they will try more. 2. Listen to them, and they will respect you. 3. Give them straight feedback and coaching, and they will trust you.”
Jeffrey Scott
Jeffrey Scott Consulting
New Orleans, La.
“My father always taught me to be loyal to people when they are down, and this will have the biggest positive and memorable impact on their lives. I don’t know who taught me the following, but I live by the code of making big (often uncomfortable) decisions in order to make a big impact on my business and life. If you focus on only the small easy decisions, you don’t go far, and you won’t make the big steps needed to stay relevant, competitive and innovative.”
