A missed delivery, an unexpected callback or a project that exceeds its labour budget. When a problem occurs, we correct it immediately to keep work moving so we can get on with the next job. But what if we’re treating the symptoms rather than the underlying cause? Unless we stop to understand why something has happened, what’s preventing it from happening again?
After more than 45 years in the landscape profession, I’ve learned that experience alone doesn’t make a company better. What matters is how we turn those experiences into better decisions, stronger teams and more effective systems.
Define what great looks like
Before improving performance, we need to agree on what great looks like. A successful project is about more than a beautiful, finished landscape. It’s also a prepared team, a clear sales-to-production handoff, safe execution, a satisfied client and a healthy margin.
When expectations exist only in the owner’s head, people have to guess. Clear standards give teams a picture of success and a way to recognize when the process falls short. But standards aren’t meant to be frozen. They’re a starting point for finding better ways to work.
Consider a crew arriving at a jobsite only to discover that critical materials are missing. An emergency trip to the supplier gets the work moving, but at the cost of lost production time. Identifying the underlying breakdown in estimating, purchasing or communication can prevent the same problem from recurring. That’s the difference between fixing an incident and improving a system.
Learn from successes, not just mistakes
The military uses after action reviews (AARs) to turn experience into better performance. Ask: What was supposed to happen? What actually happened? What went well, and why? What should we improve?
Those questions belong in our industry too. After a challenging installation, a major project or a difficult maintenance week, bring the people involved together. Keep the conversation factual and constructive. Examine the work, not just the worker.
We usually investigate the job that exceeded its labour budget. But consider the project that finished ahead of schedule with outstanding craftsmanship and strong profitability. Was the estimate more accurate? Did materials arrive in the right sequence? Did the foreperson find a smarter installation method?
Celebrating success builds morale. Understanding why it happened builds a better business. If we study only failure, we overlook many opportunities to improve.
Give improvements a place to live
The people closest to the work often see problems first. Team leads recognize wasted movement. Gardeners notice unclear service instructions. Designers see information that doesn’t survive the handoff to production. Their observations matter when we capture and act on them.
At our company, a Continuous Improvement Board captures opportunities year-round, from daily frustrations to larger challenges. We prioritize them regularly. Drawing on the Eisenhower Matrix, we weigh urgency against importance. We also consider the likely benefit and the effort required. Safety concerns and serious disruptions demand prompt action. Important but less urgent improvements need planned action.
Continuous Improvement Teams (CITs) bring the right people together to evaluate and implement larger improvements when time and resources permit, without disrupting daily operations.
The off-season provides an opportunity to tackle more substantial initiatives, but it shouldn’t become a parking lot for forgotten ideas. Every worthwhile improvement needs an owner, a priority and a review date. Successful practices should then be shared across teams.
Close the loop
Before implementing a change, agree on what a successful outcome should look like.
A suggestion on a board isn’t yet an improvement. Someone must test the change, verify the result, and once proven effective, incorporate it into the appropriate standard operating procedure (SOP), checklist or operating standard. Train the affected teams so the better method becomes part of everyday work.
Did a revised loading sequence eliminate forgotten equipment? Did a clearer handoff reduce callbacks? Did a smarter installation method save hours without compromising quality or safety? If not, ask why and adjust.
Continuous improvement isn’t another manual, meeting or management initiative. It’s a shared habit of learning, making thoughtful changes and checking whether they work.
As the year draws to a close, bring your teams together for an after action review. Examine what went well, what didn’t and why. Carry those lessons forward, correcting recurring weaknesses and making successful practices repeatable.
The strongest companies aren’t necessarily those that encounter the fewest problems. They’re the ones that consistently leverage experience to build better teams, stronger systems and higher standards. That’s how individual businesses improve, and how our industry advances.
“The person who really thinks learns quite as much from his failures as from his successes.”
— John Dewey
Glenn Curtis
Owner, Plantenance Landscape Group
Glenn Curtis is co-founder and president of Plantenance Landscape Group and Design Plantenance, an award winning firm creating exceptional outdoor environments for more than 45 years. As a Certified LeanScaper Advisor, he also helps landscape professionals implement practical systems and processes that improve clarity, profitability and long-term performance.
