Not too many years ago, there were managers in our organizations who possessed great field skills and knew how to get things done. These were field-facing bosses who dealt with the crews, not necessarily the clients. I like these guys. They’re mission-critical for executing in the field.
However, over the past decade, the landscape of landscaping has changed in many ways, with a huge impact on these managers (production managers, field managers and supervisors). There are many titles in use, but we’ll use production manager here. The range and depth of skills needed to be successful in this position have increased dramatically. Our industry must invest in training and education to upskill these leaders.
Technical ability
Production managers need to know how to work with sophisticated software. Our industry is taking advantage of relatively new enterprise systems, which can significantly impact informed business decisions.
Production managers control the input side of most of the cost data (labor, materials, subcontractors).
Furthermore, the ability to understand the available reporting can be empowering in terms of assessing performance and focusing their time. Enterprise systems are just one piece of the technical array. Mapping applications, GPS and Microsoft products (think Outlook) are widely used (appropriately, we service real estate).
An inability to work with software is a huge deficit in a production manager’s skillset.
Business savvy
Production managers need to understand how we make money and what decisions are under their control that contribute to profit. Staffing levels, overtime decisions, crew size, scheduling, routing and equipment utilization all play into profitability.
There are never infinite resources (our clients don’t pay infinite money), so deploying resources is a balance between clients’ preferences, fulfilling the scope and limiting the costs. The decisions can be nuanced and require a basic understanding of the financial side of business.
Field skills
The need for field savvy has not diminished. Understanding how to get the work done, what can be omitted, what can wait, what must be done immediately and what is the best way to do it is essential. The more knowledge of horticulture, turf management, agronomy, pest control, arbor care, floriculture and irrigation systems, the better!
As much as anything, the leadership of people has become incredibly nuanced and challenging.
Production managers must be willing to own their power and exercise their authority. When people leadership is required, passivity is not a workable strategy. This seems obvious, but in today’s world, hypersensitivity to directing activity can be an issue. Speaking of hypersensitivity, PMs are expected to navigate the complexities of our social spectrum without causing offense or implying disrespect.
Production managers must have enough emotional intelligence to relate to their teams appropriately to retain their field teams over time. Teams with tenure are safer, more productive, better able to meet quality expectations and generally lower costs (due to increased productivity).
We all know that our field personnel are constantly approached by competitors and other trades. Their preference to stay is largely dependent upon their leadership.
Moreover, they must maintain discipline regarding safety standards, timeliness, uniforms, attendance and execution.
Production managers set the tone and the pace. Their standards are the standards of the organization. Setting and maintaining high standards is always the best option, and there’s nothing easy about it.
My first boss in this industry was Dave. He insisted that I learn plant names — not just common names but genus, species and cultivars — in Latin! I didn’t think he was serious at first, but I soon learned differently. Dave’s demands made me a better professional and propelled my career.
These leaders have the opportunity and the privilege of significantly impacting the lives of the people they lead. The excellent leaders among them will leave a legacy of people who can say they are better men and women for having worked for those who taught, trained, held accountable and encouraged them.
Thanks, Dave.
