Being a Pro in the Service Business: Uniforms - Image & PerceptionsWritten by Jack Stone
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Most landscapers and gardeners who wear uniforms or provide them to their employees choose tee shirts with company logo silk screened on back. This is least expensive of your options, especially if you have a high rate of turnover or lots of seasonal work. The short sleeved work shirt with company name, logo and employee name is preferred option. A well made work shirt can last for years especially if its laundered properly and isn't abused. Making Uniform Work To make your uniform do what its supposed to do you should devise a dress code. A dress code is an understanding between you and your employees as to what you expect them to look like while on job. For example, on hot days your employees should not be allowed to remove their shirts. Half naked gardeners running around a condominium community do not make a good impression. That uniform shirt draped on- a shrub or tied around a lawn mower handle does you no good. Besides, its actually cooler to wear a shirt. Sweat accumulates on shirt instead of evaporating completely away thus keeping skin cooler longer. When using power equipment while mowing, edging, using a weed whip or any other equipment they should wear pants. No caps unless they are company cap. Hair should be clean and neat. Long hair should be tied back. Beards should be trimmed neatly. No smoking except on breaks and lunch. As you can see there are many considerations that should go into a "dress code". Whether you work in garden, do grounds maintenance, irrigation repair or lawn care you need to compete effectively in marketplace. Uniforms will enhance your business and are for everyone in every aspect of Green Industry. Uniforms and a combined dress code will add professionalism to your business. It will bring you more clients, create a better work atmosphere, and help you to make more profits. And that's why we are in business. __________________________________________ About Author: Jack Stone is a Contributing Editor for ProGardenBiz Magazine, an online magazine for professional gardeners and landscape contractors. Visit ProGardenBiz to find out how you can get a free subscription, start-up guidance, business ideas and inspiration at http://www.progardenbiz.com. __________________________________________ You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as bylines and active URL are included. A courtesy copy of your publication or location of link would be appreciated.

Jack Stone is a Contributing Editor for ProGardenBiz Magazine, an online magazine for professional gardeners and landscape contractors. Visit ProGardenBiz to find out how you can get a free subscription, start-up guidance, business ideas and inspiration at http://www.progardenbiz.com.
| | Emotional Intelligence: The Shot Felt 'Round the World?Written by Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach
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Intuition? We read in “The Namibia Economist: Custodian of Business Intelligence,” a Namibian economist saying, “Fore casting is a dangerous exercise and I shall not give myself out as an expert on this terrain. What I’m saying is based purely on my personal gut feeling...” And in Scotland, Lorna and David Ramsay, directors of Top-set®, a company that investigates accidents and incidents, teach engineers in high-hazard industries how to stay alive using their instincts and “gut feelings.” The Ramsays have discovered that when they teach businesses how to think differently, and become more humanitarian, it saves lives, increases business performance, enhances company’s reputation, increases profitability, complies with regulation, and prevents and predicts similar occurrences. Brazilian sports psychologist Suzy Fleury predicts “The team that wins World Cup will be one with most emotional intelligence.” And in US, Shoshana Zuboff, Ph.D., runs a business school program for mid-life executives called, “Odyssey.” The goal, she says, is to “deepen ‘internal’ emotional intelligence, to learn about one’s inner resources and individuality. These things can be taught, but one has to want to learn them and be ready.” What does this term “emotional intelligence” mean? It means liking yourself ... people you like to work with ... kind of work atmosphere that motivates and energizes you ... ethical and skillful leadership ... good manners ... being able to see other person's point of view ... not having tantrums ... a host of good things, large and small, world seems ready for.

©Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . Individualized coaching programs to develop your emotional intelligence, EQ-culture programs for businesses, interactive Internet courses on EQ competencies. EQ in ACTION, http://www.eqcoach.net , the tools and training you need to coach others in emotional training. The EQ Foundation Course© available for licensing. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE ezine.
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