Great Idea: How Do We Get the Team to Think Like Owners?

Transparency has been one of the biggest drivers of our culture at Grunder Landscaping Co. When our team understands how the business works and where they fit in, they show up differently and the results follow. Here's what we've done to make that happen.

Share the numbers.

For a long time, I kept our financials close to the vest. Revenue, job costs, margins: I thought that information was for ownership only. When we started sharing that data with our team through our monthly meetings, things changed quickly.

Team members started asking better questions and making better decisions because they understood the context behind their work. A crew leader who knows what a job is supposed to cost is going to manage materials and time very differently than one who doesn't. Give your team the information they need to make good decisions, and most of the time, they will.

Connect their role to the result.

It's not enough to share data. You have to help each person on your team understand how their specific role contributes to the company's success. When our production teams understand that finishing a job on budget affects our profitability, and that our profitability affects what we can pay and invest back into the company, they start thinking about their work differently. The connection between what they do every day and how the company performs has to be made crystal clear. Don't assume they see it on their own.

Make the upside real for them.

When the company grows, everyone should grow as a result. We've structured our bonus program at GLC so that team members share in the company's success. It's not abstract: it shows up in their paychecks. People who have a real stake in the outcome behave like they have a real stake in the outcome. That's not a coincidence, it's by design.

Getting a team to think like owners doesn't happen overnight, but it starts with treating them like owners: give them information, give them context, and give them a reason to care.

If you want to see how we put this into practice at Grunder Landscaping Co., join us for a GLC Field Trip this year. It's my favorite event I host, and I mean that. I love sharing what I've learned from 42 years of mistakes and successes with people who are serious about growing their businesses. You'll meet our leadership team, tour our facility, and hear directly from the people who are doing this work every day. We have dates available in June, August, September, October, and December 2026 (and most of them sell out!), so don't delay. Will I see you there? Learn more about the event and register here.

Marty Grunder
Founder & CEO
The Grow Group & Grunder Landscaping Co.