When it comes to household chores or responsibilities, some people quickly hire out lawn care. They feel their time is too valuable or they just don’t want to be out in the hot sun dealing with the yard. Other people, like me, love the task that anyone with a yard outside their home needs to worry about.
The job itself will vary depending on things like the climate and part of the world you reside in, the size of your lawn and the weather. For me, it doesn’t matter whether it’s early spring when the grass comes out of winter’s dormancy and starts growing quickly, early summer when thunderstorms and consistent rains add moisture and thickness or the fall when the leaves, acorns, and pinecones might fill the lawn, it’s always a treat to escape from the world by popping in my earbuds and getting behind my lawnmower. I’ve written about it before here, here, and here.
Teaching the Techniques
Earlier this week, my son Ryan mentioned to me that he and some of his buddies were thinking of starting a lawn care service this summer to earn some extra money. I loved the entrepreneurial spirit he showed but I did giggle when thinking about the fact that he really hasn’t ever mowed the yard before.
Oh sure, he has operated the lawn mower on some of the days I was away and the grass was growing quickly, but that’s like saying a 4-year-old who discovers scissors can cut hair is ready to open her own beauty parlor. The lawn after a younger Ryan used the lawnmower still needed attention and care.
Tonight he actually learned what it means to mow the law the right way.
The 8 P’s of Proper Care for Your Lawn…and Business
Perimeter – I explained to Ryan that the easiest way to get started was to mow the edges of each section of the yard. This would help him understand the boundaries and would create some extra space for turning and maneuvering the mower. In business, setting your boundaries and seeing things from all sides before you begin is an ideal way to start every new task or relationship.
Precision – Each pass of the mower will cut the section of lawn below the deck. As you change directions, it’s important to line up the wheels with the cut-line and head back the other direction so it looks good upon completion. There aren’t many jobs today where “being close” or “almost perfect” wins the day. Dot your i’s, cross your t’s and make sure the results are what they should be.
Patterns – I explained to Ryan that each time you mow the lawn, it’s best if you cut in different directions. One week might be straight cuts across the lawn while the next week you could rotate perpendicular or even half-rotate and mow diagonally. This helps the grass blades grow evenly and makes sure that any missing sections are effectively manicured. What patterns in your business are not only easy to recognize but, if you take the time to make them stand out you’ll be rewarded by people who see it after you did.
Passion – I love my time alone working on the lawn. It’s been something that I have enjoyed since I was a teenager like Ryan. That passion is evident in the results I see at the end of doing the task. While he asked to help tonight, Ryan was still going through the motions and not really enjoying the walks back and forth across our large corner lot. He missed a few swaths of grass and had to begrudgingly stop and ask questions along the way. As soon as he starts saying he “gets” to mow the lawn instead of he “has” to mow the lawn, I’ll know his passion is growing. Do your customers, clients and community members feel your passion for who you are and what you do? If the answer is yes, success is on the way or you’re already experiencing it.
Perseverance – As stated earlier, we live on a large corner lot. It’s almost a third of an acre and takes almost an hour to cut the grass. While it is a self-propelled mower, it does require some physical effort to push and guide the mower along its desired path. What looks like a long job gets easier and easier with every stripe you mow. Stay focused on keeping the mower moving forward and you’ll be done before you know it. What are you focused on doing each day to build, grow and maintain your business? Are you displaying confidence, competence, and consistency to earn trust from every you interact with?
Perfection – It’s hard to attain in anything we do…but that shouldn’t stop us from striving for it, right? What would it look like if every stripe was perfectly straight, every blade was chopped to ideal height, and no loose grass was left strewn on top of the lawn or along the sidewalks? What is the ideal day in your job, role or business? As Steven Covey once said, “begin with the end in mind.”
Perspective – Sure, it’s a household chore. It’s manual labor and it sometimes it’s exhausting. At least you have a lawn to worry about…right outside the house that you live in. It’s also not a daily task. At most, it needs to be done twice a week during spring and early summer, but usually, it’s just one hour a week. What can you do in your business each week for one hour that could make a huge impact on your overall outlook?
Pride – I know how good I feel when I am done mowing the lawn. I smile with great pride at how the end result looks. I usually will walk along the sidewalk and make sure everything is just right and then retire to the back patio for a cold beer as I gaze upon my handiwork. Someday soon, Ryan will experience that pride of a job well done. Who knows? Maybe he’ll earn some clients who will gladly compensate him for that pride? What is it that brings you pride each day in your business? Whatever it is, you need to find more ways to make it happen. Start doing that thing today.
I’m not expecting that Ryan will want to mow our lawn every week but at least I know he now knows what he’s doing when he does. When the day happens when I’m sitting on the patio watching him display all 8 of the P’s, I can assure you two more P’s will come to mind. Proud Parent.
Photo courtesy of Nikhita Singhal
Photo courtesy of Daniel Watson