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“ Because the ( robotic ) mower takes off very little leaf tissue every time , there ’ s less stress on the plant . Our research has shown improved rooting and improved density of the canopy .”

Yeah , well , you ’ re not grass . And stress , I argue , can be good for human growth , physically , mentally and economically .

That quote is from Clint Waltz , a UGA Cooperative Extension specialist in turfgrass with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences ’ crop and soil sciences department . He was referencing a study of robotic lawn mowers and their frequent , small cuttings of grass plants .

For grass , lower stress may be good . You and I are not grass .

Industry and Job Stress All of us in this industry are under increasing stress today . OPE dealers face uncertainty about how battery-

GLENN HANSEN

powered equipment is changing their business . Landscape contractors deal with labor shortages every day . Equipment manufacturers still struggle with supply chain issues as well as legislators dictating product rules . Distributors deal with shifting product demands , dealers ’ inventory concerns , and the evolving retail landscape . And simple storytellers like me wonder if AI will steal my job . This stress will make OPE stronger than any similar industry today . Stress is a creative muscle builder . I firmly believe that . People who work through stress get stronger and build better businesses . The pandemic provides several examples of businesses that worked through stress to succeed . Restaurants innovated with protected outdoor seating . Bars built take-home cocktail kits . Zoom meetings blossomed ( yeah , that ’ s kinda sad ) and countless companies figured out ways to let some of us work from anywhere .

Unfortunately , stress also breaks people and destroys businesses . People respond to stress in different ways , and it ’ s not always just a simple choice . I compare it to a roller coaster ride . You get near the top of the first big drop and people throughout the ride respond differently to the exact same stressful situation . That ’ s reality .

Still , within that reality is our individual ability to acknowledge stressful situations and see the possible growth there . Battery-powered equipment stressing you out ? Well , it ’ s not going away . So , you need to find a way to manage that stressful situation for your own growth . Stressed out because you can ’ t find employees ? That ’ s a real thing . But it might be solved by yes , fill in the blank . Maybe it ’ s higher pay , flexible hours , or autonomous equipment that replaces some staff .

Every new business or new product , I could argue , is a response to a moment of stress . Someone lost a job and the stress made them create their own job . A product failed on the sales floor and a stressed-out engineer came up with a new idea . Customers complained and a stressed manager said , “ We need to do something different .”

Recognize stressful situations for what they are . Moments of change . Opportunities for growth . Chances to create and suceed .

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4 OPE + April 2024 www . OPE-Plus . com