Professional Watershaping
All of us who started our own businesses decided at some point what our companies would be: We chose a focus, set guiding philosophies, developed credos, defined a company culture, settled into a working style and pursued success. One of the most important calls each of us made along the way had to do with how large or small our organizations would be. In fact, this decision has a lot to say about how any business runs and appears to the outside world: It influences the volume of business that can be accommodated, dictates management style, narrows or broadens the organizational structure and ultimately
All of us who started our own businesses decided at some point what our companies would be: We chose a focus, set guiding philosophies, developed credos, defined a company culture, settled into a working style and pursued success. One of the most important calls each of us made along the way had to do with how large or small our organizations would be. In fact, this decision has a lot to say about how any business runs and appears to the outside world: It influences the volume of business that can be accommodated, dictates management style, narrows or broadens the organizational structure and ultimately
In my first WaterShapes column last month, I made the point that small jobs can and should be pursued with every bit as much creativity and energy as large ones. No matter the size of the job, my task as designer and installer is to make all of my clients happy by sharing with them the value, joy and comfort of which watershapes and landscapes are capable. Indeed, making that happen is my charge from initiation of the design process right through any changes and adjustments and all the way up to the final washing of the driveway and topdressing of any damaged sections of lawn. On any scale or level, what I've noticed is that the smallest projects are quite often
In my first WaterShapes column last month, I made the point that small jobs can and should be pursued with every bit as much creativity and energy as large ones. No matter the size of the job, my task as designer and installer is to make all of my clients happy by sharing with them the value, joy and comfort of which watershapes and landscapes are capable. Indeed, making that happen is my charge from initiation of the design process right through any changes and adjustments and all the way up to the final washing of the driveway and topdressing of any damaged sections of lawn. On any scale or level, what I've noticed is that the smallest projects are quite often
One of the fascinating things about working with the different types of clients we encounter as watershapers is that we can never really know what to expect. If my years of experience have taught me anything, it's that perception is often very different from reality. Instead, what I find is that the basic assumptions we might be inclined to make about different "categories" of clients are, often as not, completely confounded by the uniqueness of every situation. As a result, working effectively across a range of project types and client economic levels means being able to withhold judgment or at the very least avoid
One of the fascinating things about working with the different types of clients we encounter as watershapers is that we can never really know what to expect. If my years of experience have taught me anything, it's that perception is often very different from reality. Instead, what I find is that the basic assumptions we might be inclined to make about different "categories" of clients are, often as not, completely confounded by the uniqueness of every situation. As a result, working effectively across a range of project types and client economic levels means being able to withhold judgment or at the very least avoid