Ali Anani

I was looking at a stressed tree

I noticed how vulnerable the tree was to insects and parasites

Stressed people suffer. Are they analogous to trees in that stressed people are more prone to diseases? If so, what may we learn from stressed trees and grass?

Soon, I discovered the wealth of information that we may extract from stressed trees and grass.

In fact, management may draw lot of lessons

I was fortunate that my search led me to the excellent presentation by Paul Pugliese. It directed me to many conclusions I draw in this presentation

Turf Grass Organizational-Equivalent

No weeds

No insects

No diseases

No watering

No trimming

Green year-round

No unneeded staff or toxic staff

No harmful employees No sickening

organization No false decisions such

as false incentives No downsizing Productive year-round

Turf Grass Organizational-Equivalent

Perfection is impossible, so how to handle deviations?

Analogously, how to handle organizational imperfections?

Top Five Problems Of Turf Grass Equivalent Organizational Problems

1. People (70%)

2. Fungal Diseases (15%)

3. Weeds (10%)

4. Insects (5%)

5. Nematodes (<1%)

1. People2. Toxic employees who

assume the role of fungi3. Employees who act like

harmful weeds4. Employees who

specialize in carrying rumors and bad news

5. Employees who are hard to classify

See Anani and Bas de Baarfor more information

Turf Grass Lawn Identity Organizational Identity

If the client doesn’t even know what kind of lawn they have, there’ a good chance they caused the problem!

Many organizations create their problems because they do not identify their personality and what business they are in

Turf Grass Steps Organizational Steps

Prepare soil properly Identify their proper field and prepare it accordingly

Turf Grass Steps Organizational Steps

Prepare soil properly-insofar, application amount application timing and desired growth rate/quality

Identify their proper field and prepare it accordingly. Marketing should identify fertile soils to prepare them for the business and to ensure their readiness to accept the offered services or products

Turf Grass Fertility Considerations Organizational Considerations

To try and push growth on drought-stressed grass

To try and push growth on drought-stressed grass

Use High Quality Seeds Organizational Considerations

To try and push growth on drought-stressed grass

Poor employees give poor performance

The poor selection of staff is costly. See this great calculator to visualize the cost of staff waste

Mowing Your Organization

Organizations

Mow at the recommended cutting height and only when the grass is dry.

Mow your offers and employees to a suitable level to renew the organization and protect it from drought of demand

Mow your offers and employees to a suitable level to renew the organization and protect it from drought of demand

Turf GrassOrganizations

Frequent watering is the

number one cause of disease

problems in home lawns

Remember that

Only when the organization is stressed water it. If not, organizational disease will spread.

Avoid “watering” addiction for employees

Turf GrassOrganizations

Soil compaction is a major

root stress, water stress, and

nutrient stress to turf grass.

Stressed grasses are more

likely to get insect or disease problems.

Stressed employees are more likely to get diseases. Absenteeism, high drug invoices and frequent doctor visits are testimonial of the cost of stress. Avoid compacting employees in small areas

Turf GrassOrganizations

Thatch can suffocate roots

and can lead to shallow rooting over time

Do not suffocate the organization by covering its problems. Such practices will eat up the potential of the organization and may lead to its “kill”. Staff will be stressed and less immune to diseases

The previous discussion revealed how poor work planning stress employees. Stress expresses itself as emotional stress, physical stress, behavioral stress and others

Stressed trees are far more attacked by insects, fungus, drought and thermal stress than healthy trees

So, are employees- stress them and get high rate of turn-over and absenteeism. Employees do show clay-like behavior, as Anani demonstrated

The lowest level of performance determines the overall performance of the organization

Stress lowers the weakest level much more readily than it does with the high level performers

Avoid this costly practice