We frequently get asked "How do you find team leaders?" and the answer is both simple and complicated: "We don't find them, we create them!"

So how do we do it? One of the many ways is by trusting in our existing team leaders to train the others on their crew. On our current team, there's one team leader who does an exceptional job of this, and working on his crew is as close to a "leadership development program" as we have for future maintenance team leaders. 

Mike has been with the company for 30+ years and is certainly not our only team leader who does a great job of developing future leaders, but this week I wanted to share one thing I see him do that makes it possible for the other two members of his crew to learn so much while working alongside him. He says it all out loud.

While Mike works, he is identifying plants, talking about what he's going to do and why, saying out loud the steps it'll take to complete, and maybe even listing off a few horticultural fun facts.

It's so simple, but it works! When we simply narrate what we're doing, it makes it possible for team members to hear and follow the mental process that goes on while on a jobsite. Along with hearing the thought process, team members are also able to see what Mike is doing. 

I think this tip for teaching applies to roles beyond our crews, too. When training a new sales person, or someone for other roles, simply saying out loud what you're doing and why can be a powerful way to transfer knowledge. And as an added bonus: sometimes when we say things out loud, we realize ourselves that maybe there's a better way to do something. It's often a great tool for process improvement, too.

If you want to see more ways that we teach our teams at Grunder Landscaping Co., join us for our final Grunder Landscaping Co. Field Trip of the year on December 4-5. This is your last chance to come see our operation in 2024, and a great opportunity to gather intel that will help you kick off 2025 strong. I hope to see you there!