Landscape Management, February 2010
COVER STORY LESS THAN 10 OF SLOUCHES AND GROUCHES CAN BE TURNED AROUND Kurt Kluznik Yardmaster nudged Dad to part ways with the strays and BAs bad attitudes For 35 years Ive been Mr Nice Guy I give employees fi rst second third you name it chances McCarthy says But in this economy theres zero room for weak people or those who employ them Grow or go Less than 10 of employees who are slouches or grouches can be turned around says Kurt Kluznik president of Painesville OH based Yardmaster Kluznik should know Hes attempted plenty of people makeovers since launching his now 300 employee four branch business 38 years ago Of the select few Ive seen do an about face many didnt do so until they were working for themselves Kluznik notes I used to ask myself Why couldnt we harness that But I dont any more I now know the it wasnt there to harness not then not for us On the people side of the green business LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET FEBRUARY 2010 16 little stays the same Kluznik says One of our branch managers was a real all star but fell far and hard he adds The guy was a solid hire and a well liked manager for years But as it turns out part of why he was so well liked was he would let his people take shortcuts and would clean up after them It got to the point where even our best guys were taking advantage of him He learned a hard lesson on the difference between being liked and being respected A good manager earns both A smart manager also knows how one individual no matter his or her position can sway the energy of an entire organization Hoopes adds I recently witnessed a CSR customer service representative take down an entire offi ce with her infectious bad attitude Hoopes shares I wish I could say that ugly scenario is the exception but Id be lying through my teeth LM continued from page 14
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