Why mere words are NOT enough
How can you plant positive mindsets in your leaders? Just as with any landscaped environment, you begin by keeping the weeds out! Negativity and laziness are examples of two of the most nutrient-depleting weeds in any work environment. As the leader, you can plant and maintain a workplace that thrives on being positive and adaptable, or you can let the weeds deplete it. Many experts say you can keep the weeds out. In the book, Change the Culture Change the Game, authors Roger Conners and Tom Smith give a great breakthrough strategy for energizing your team and creating accountability. When people believe in what they are doing, they are more productive and contribute more to the organization’s success – they keep the weeds out.
One of the simplest ways I have found to grow a positive belief system is to use stories. Sharing stories focuses my team on a situation they can discuss and reflect on. By using stories, I take my team on a short journey and show them what success looks and sounds like.
In my upcoming book, Cultivate: A Landscape Leader’s Guide to Empowering Teams, I give leaders a tool to cultivate, plant and water the culture they need for consistent, high-end results. Here is a sample from the book that will help you plant and grow the idea of being adaptable.
Adaptable
Being adaptable is one of the top qualities that people who work outdoors are known for. Oftentimes when teams are working on normal maintenance schedules, they get an unexpected request, or maybe the weather changes. Kenny and his team were about halfway finished laying sod for a last-minute, urgent project for a client. The client’s septic tank had been replaced, and she had a dinner event coming up that very night. Kenny’s crew showed up, prepped the large area and started putting in fresh sod. Before long, the cloudy skies above opened up with a gentle, cool spring shower that showed no signs of letting up.
Kenny and the team never stopped. They kept a positive attitude as they said, “Let’s finish.” Since there was no thunder or lightning, they kept laying the sod and finished the job before the ground became too saturated. Later, Kenny’s boss thanked him and the crew for getting the job done, saying, “You overcame the weather and finished.” Kenny smiled and walked to his truck, saying, “That is who we are; we are known for being able to adapt and overcome problems.”
The next day, Kenny’s boss got a call from an excited client who had seen the crew finishing up their work in the rain. “You have some of the best employees in the world,” she said. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you finished my yard, even with the rain. My event was a big success and nobody ever suspected what kind of shape my yard was in just a few hours earlier. It came together beautifully because your team adapted and overcame the short deadline and the rain. Thank you!”
Questions:
What challenges did Kenny and his team overcome to get the job completed on time?
How could Kenny and the team have responded negatively to the obstacles?
Use this story in your next leadership meeting and ask the questions at the end. It’s like planting vegetables in the garden. Allow your leaders to discuss this. Let me know what happens by emailing me at Jeff@jeffmcmanus.com.
