Brickman

[johnnybravo8802]

Originally Posted by Picasso

Very well said dave! And if you really don't want to be a number then go get a education that applies to the company and you will become more then a number. You will become a vice president or a branch manager or a operations manager. The guys out doing the work are replaceable commodities. That "number" attitude just rubs me the wrong way, I can't stand when workers get a attitude that the company "needs" them and can't survive without them. Soon after that they start asking what work are we doing today? And decide if they want to do it or not. And then they find out that I have a list of others that are waiting to replace them.
Posted via Mobile Device

I hate to tell you but everyone is just a number in this day and time-I don't care how much education you have. If you don't think you're replaceable with a BS or Master's degree, just test the waters.

[DLAWNS]

Originally Posted by Lawn Man Dave

In every large company you are just a number guy's.......... Southwest airlines for example started pretty small and veryone knew everyone..... now they are big and you are mor or less a number and it is not longer really a family atmosphere.........

Anyone who complain's about just being a number in a BIG company is out of touch with reality.

Originally Posted by Picasso

Very well said dave! And if you really don't want to be a number then go get a education that applies to the company and you will become more then a number. You will become a vice president or a branch manager or a operations manager. The guys out doing the work are replaceable commodities. That "number" attitude just rubs me the wrong way, I can't stand when workers get a attitude that the company "needs" them and can't survive without them. Soon after that they start asking what work are we doing today? And decide if they want to do it or not. And then they find out that I have a list of others that are waiting to replace them.
Posted via Mobile Device

I see both of your points however I am not talking about laborers or even supervisors (that was my position), or even superintendents everyone there (at least that I saw) got treated like dirt from laborers right up to branch managers....and I can't speak for any higher than that as I didn't see that high up behind the scenes.

Originally Posted by johnnybravo8802

I hate to tell you but everyone is just a number in this day and time-I don't care how much education you have. If you don't think you're replaceable with a BS or Master's degree, just test the waters.

Very good point!

[Lawn Man Dave]

Originally Posted by Picasso

Very well said dave! And if you really don't want to be a number then go get a education that applies to the company and you will become more then a number. You will become a vice president or a branch manager or a operations manager. The guys out doing the work are replaceable commodities. That "number" attitude just rubs me the wrong way, I can't stand when workers get a attitude that the company "needs" them and can't survive without them. Soon after that they start asking what work are we doing today? And decide if they want to do it or not. And then they find out that I have a list of others that are waiting to replace them.
Posted via Mobile Device

At least in aviation even managers are number's......... directors are maybe a half number but even then they fight to perform and keep their job's because they are replaceable......

The only real way not to be a number is to have something like CEO, COO, CFO, CMO after your name..... but even then you have to perform or the owner will find someone else.

I learned a long time ago that in this world you are just a number....... don't perform and your boss of client will find someone else........ If you think you are better then that and are not just a number you are only hurting yourself.


Now do I beleive people should be treat with respect and like members of the team? You bet!

If I worked for Brickman would I expect the owner to know me by name and say hi when he saw me? Would I even expect him to talk to me? No and No, same with the manager..... would I expect respect from my supervisor or foreman if I had earned it? Yes.

[Barefoot James]

That's what is nice about this business. You can grow by numbers or go under by them.

Have faith and follow Jesus, love your neighbor as you do yourself, pay your taxes and you will be ok, here in this world and better in the next.

[johnnybravo8802]

In the medical profession(I'm speaking from experience), middle management(Master's degrees) are the one's who get the axe everytime you turn around. I worked at a hospital that had a habit of evaluating the manager at the end of the year and if the numbers weren't there, they got canned-I saw them go through three managers in three years. Another hospital I worked at laid off 11 people right before Christmas- they look at higher salaries and if the position is actually needed. Nobody....nobody is irreplacable. I always like the colleges that advertise the degrees you can earn that will guarantee you your boss cannot live w/o you....what a crock of sh#@!!!!!!!!!!.....and people believe that....That's what you call, colleges trying to make money...

[John Zaprala]

Originally Posted by Lawn Man Dave

Now do I beleive people should be treat with respect and like members of the team? You bet!

If I worked for Brickman would I expect the owner to know me by name and say hi when he saw me? Would I even expect him to talk to me? No and No, same with the manager..... would I expect respect from my supervisor or foreman if I had earned it? Yes.

Couple quick things here. We keep our trucks for 10 years, they are rotated a couple trucks at a time each year as they approach 10 years. So, there will be some hurt looking cabs, etc., but we do abuse it everyday with a 24' trailer fully loaded and then all winter to plow.

Absolutely, views and experiences of any big company employee will vary from branch to branch. But I see my branch manager everyday of course, my regional manager at least twice a week and he greets me with a big smile "Great to see you John!" I see the Division manager (tri-state area boss) usually once a month and he knows me by name and I started in Sept! So, not to drag this out any further, but you can see that you can have a situation where you definately don't feel like a number. Not in my branch anyhow.

[White Gardens]

Wow, just read the whole thing.

I agree with both sides of the coins in this thread.

The only thing I wanted to add is that Brickman was started in the 1930's. If a company has been around that long and survived, then it is understandable that they are as big as they are.

[EagleLandscape]

I would credit 99% of their growth to the fact that the people that run the company are businessmen, not grass cutters.

that is solely why they are successful.

let the people that lay down pretty stripes in grass, lay downs stripes. leave the business running to those who know their stuff

[White Gardens]

Originally Posted by jwingfield2k

I would credit 99% of their growth to the fact that the people that run the company are businessmen, not grass cutters.

that is solely why they are successful.

let the people that lay down pretty stripes in grass, lay downs stripes. leave the business running to those who know their stuff

Kinda like farmers, who might be great farmers, but horrible businessmen.

[johnnybravo8802]

Personally, I like to be a great striper and a great businessman. If I wanted a desk job, I would have gotten one. I have just never understood someone who gets in the Green Industry and then ends up behind a desk.Man, get out and feel the sun and the wind-that's the whole point. If you want a desk job, be an accountant!!!