Relating qEstablish positive relationships with your boss, know his or her strengths/weaknesses, and preferred communication style (in person or in writing). qFind a mentor to look up to. qValue diversity and learn from others. qAccept constructive criticism and learn from mistakes. qSurround yourself with people who bring out best in you. qAvoid getting caught up in office gossip and politicking.

The time has come for all faded jeans to pass. For all torn tee shirts to seek shortest path to rag barrel. The time has come for UNIFORMS!

What work does your company do? Irrigation and sprinkler installation, landscape contractor, lawn maintenance, interiorscape plant care, nursery and growing grounds, waterscape, landscape design? These all have one common element, our customers and how they view us.

Many of you have probably noticed increasing frequency with which you see your competitor and his employees wearing some sort of uniform. Whether they are wearing a green tee shirt and jeans or work shirt with company name, employee name, logo and matching cap and pants, it all boils down to making you look like a businessman who doesn't really care about quality of his work.

It's all a matter of image and perceptions, both by your customers, present and potential, and employees. Landscapers and gardeners who wear uniforms generally get a higher dollar per hour labor rate from their customers than than those who don't wear uniforms or they get more work and sign more contracts than their competitors. This alone should be reason enough to convince you to start wearing some sort of uniform.

Uniforms do a variety of things all related to image. They tell your customer that you are professional, reliable, consistent, and organized. That you have a high sense of self esteem. That you care, because if you care about yourself you'll care about them. That you can be trusted, because you or your employees don't look like burglars. People who look like they know what they are doing are treated with respect. Uniforms separate you from your competition. They become an important sales tool as part of concept of "first impressions".

Uniforms also contribute to your employees sense of pride, of belonging to "the team". It reduces their clothing expenses, thus a uniform becomes a pay raise! Some contractors even have slight variations in uniforms of various crews working at large residential communities or their landscaping and maintenance departments to promote a healthy sense of competition.

Other considerations are that many government agencies require contractor employees be readily identifiable when working on public or government property. With increasing frequency homeowner associations and property management companies are requiring uniforms.