ARBORICULTURE
Most turf species cannot tolerate excessive shading , which could be one consideration for tree removal .
movie character Jordan Belfort in “ The Wolf of Wall Street ” utilized this principle to his maximal advantage – after all you can ’ t write your name if you don ’ t have a pen .
COMMUNICATION HELPERS AND HINDERERS As with most things in life , communication can either be smooth or rough . Being successful hinges on knowing what works and what doesn ’ t .
In addition to knowing the background of a pitchee , being specific and clear about the proposed action makes a big difference . As David Horsager , author of “ The Trust Edge ” explained , “ People trust the clear and mistrust the ambiguous or overly complex .” In this context , site-specific tree defects , costs and risks should be described clearly and concisely .
Being aware of potential “ interrupters ” and “ blockers ” is also helpful . Common ones include time and attention , initial perceptions , competition with other projects , available funds , expected return on investment and too much work / too little focus .
Being aware of “ noises ” and distractions ; noises can be actual sounds or related elements such accents , body language , facial expressions , preconceived notions , ringing in the ears , and background noises . Even industry jargon – such as IPM , Poa and PGRs – can be problematic . Finally , “ non-answers ” can get in the way of effective communication . When a question is asked and it is not directly answered , the listener must figure out why their question didn ’ t merit the response they were looking for , resulting in a disruption in the information exchange .
Listening actively . Here ’ s a challenge – in conversation , do you listen , or do you wait to talk ? Pausing to focus on the message that your conversation partner is delivering is not only polite , but it also helps prevent missing key information in their response , allows them adequate time to finish what they are saying , and provides a bit of time for you to formulate your response . A good way to fully consider what your pitchee is saying is to take a cue from Steve Covey , author of “ The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ,” to seek first to understand before being understood . If someone feels like they are being understood , they feel affirmed – like their opinion is valued – and are more likely to agree with the need for tree removal .
18 SportsField Management | January 2023 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com