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In our weekly meeting last month, I asked our school’s Athletic Director, Ross Bjork, to share 10-15 minutes with our leaders.   It is always good having another respected voice to encourage and assist in the growing greatness on our team.  Ross talked a lot about going through adversity and drawing closer together as a team.    The overall message left our team encouraged and confirming their role in making the campus beautiful.  They heard that their role...

Last week at work in our Leader-to-Leader meeting we discussed the word “enthusiasm”. I asked the different groups to define the word and I heard, “excited, passionate, eager”. One guy said, “hooah!” and explained that was the Army’s way of showing enthusiasm.  You usually don’t see “displays enthusiasm” listed in job descriptions, but it plays a massive role in meeting production and getting results.   I found that just talking about the word and letting others voice their...

When you see this photo what comes to mind? “What the heck happened to this tree?!” I laughed when I first saw it.  Whatever happened, It is obviously an un-natural occurrence. “Who would do this?!”  Surely someone is responsible for the damage and neglect. I took this picture a year or so ago on a property less than one mile from my office, but thankfully, I was not responsible for the tree.  And, the person that asked me to...

Does your team collaborate, cooperate, do both or neither? I have worked with all types of teams and by far the collaborative team works with less drama and with great pride.  There is a huge difference between collaborating and cooperating – especially in the outcome. Invest in growing a collaborative team. Cultivate your Greatness....

“I need a raise,” said one of my employees.  I nodded my head and waited for the justification.  No justification was offered other than there should be more pay for the job being done.  I thought of all my employees and did a comparison.  The employee standing in front of me was not doing more than was being asked; no being pro-active; no solution oriented thinking.  Nothing about this employee stood out as being better, more...

Do you ever get weeds, like plantain, in your turf areas?  Or, do you ever get the feeling that an attitude of negativity is growing among your team?  What do the two have in common and what does this tell us?  I walked the Ole Miss Grove, a 10 acre green space in the center of campus, and share what I have learned.  Nature lets us know when things are out of balance and needs attention. Feel...

“Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.” ~Mahatma Gandhi I prefer to give humanity the benefit of the doubt and believe most of us don’t truly enjoy disagreeing with anyone - especially at work.  After all, as a team you have one another’s back; are supportive and encouraging.  In building team unity, voicing disagreement may feel rude or seem out of place.  However, after seeing a project fail, the feeling of regret for having said nothing...

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” ~Harry S. Truman Were you, like me, a kid who did not like to read? I never enjoyed sitting down long enough to get into reading. Most people in our industry can have a negative reaction to reading. “We are too busy to read a book,” or “If I’m not moving, I’m sleeping!” or the usual blank stare when I refer a good book. But what if I...

Who is going to make you more successful in life? A few weeks ago while running in the woods I did a short video to encourage you as I learned from one of the greats John Maxwell.   Feel free to share this video with a friend.  Enjoy. I am looking forward to doing a Landscape University class with some great companies and schools real soon.  We sold out for 2017. Cultivate Your Greatness! Jeff...

 “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”  ~Henry Ford Recently I set up some forms to pour a well needed sidewalk in front of home.  It has only been 5 years since we removed the old sidewalk, why rush?  With a little encouragement from my family, I set to work. The sidewalk had to follow a curving, sloping contour.  I knew I needed a flexible material to use on my forms.  I had seen...