Being a crew leader is the gateway to leadership in the blue-collar world. It takes many different skills. There are very few natural leaders who excel at all of the qualities you need. How do we find them? We usually take a dependable, productive person and promote them. Unfortunately, too often circumstances force a promotion. […]
Storm damage is the ultimate opportunity for arborists to play Monday morning quarterback. Whether it’s our mistake when a client’s tree breaks or we are called to a new property to clean up the mess, there are the inevitable would haves, could haves or should haves. “I wish I had removed that tree.” “If only […]
They say the fear of public speaking is one of the greatest phobias for people to overcome. This makes sense, because performing in front of a large group with all eyes on you can be unnerving. It can make you feel panicked and vulnerable, with nowhere to hide. However, I believe a more common, although […]
Every once in a while, you get to work on an extra-cool project. I was very excited when Dan Mayer asked me to work on a project on the Muddy River in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Being a big fan of Frederick Law Olmsted (often called the father of American landscape architecture), I was really […]
“I can’t find good help” … “Millennials aren’t coachable” … “People don’t want to work hard anymore” … “No one wants to do blue-collar work.” You hear people say these things all the time. I don’t necessarily believe them, but recruiting good people can be challenging. Let’s not debate these cliches. Let’s look at some […]
