September 15, 2011
Fall is the time for renewal
Tom Intven
LO President
The crisp morning air of September signals the coming of fall. It’s a time of renewal and fresh starts. The kids are back to school after the summer hiatus, and we hopefully get a chance to catch our breath, look back at spring and summer and review how things went. It’s a time to start new initiatives, and renew our commitments to personal and professional activities.
On the personal level, you may be looking at going back to the gym, starting that diet you have been thinking about, signing up for a course, or getting back to your service club.
Renewal and fresh starts mean behaviour change. While rooted in the best of intentions, behaviour change is often more difficult to achieve than we would like to admit. Therapists tell us that it takes at least three months of cognitive effort and monitoring to change behaviour. Many people give up before that time period because they don’t see results quickly enough, or they see results and then slip back into their former bad habits.
On a professional level, fall is a good time to review company performance and change things around to reflect trends. Perhaps you are looking at trying new systems in your business. Now is a good time to test the waters before the winter. Remember, it takes at least three months of cognitive effort and monitoring to change behaviour. This includes not just your own behaviour, but that of your employees.
From your industry’s perspective, it’s a time when the LO chapter meetings begin again and we start to go to more LO events. We are not unlike most birds, which have more time in the fall for socialization. After successfully raising their young, they start to form flocks before migrating south.
At Landscape Ontario, fall is also a time of renewal. Last November the board started its strategic plan review. Efforts continue to move our association in the right direction by having an up-to-date strategic plan from which we all can work. It’s also a time for elections at the chapter level and the provincial level. New boards bring new energy and new enthusiasm going forward. We hope and trust that this will continue.
I encourage you all to take the opportunity that fall presents to reflect upon your relationship with Landscape Ontario and renew your commitment to the common cause of improving our industry. I suggest that it means only a slight behaviour or attitude change. I implore you to consider a trial period of three months of giving back to your association in whatever way your schedule will allow. Come out to your chapter or sector meetings, get involved in events or a committee. Plan to attend Expo and Congress. Sign up for that course you have always wanted to take. Get involved.
Become engaged with Landscape Ontario. Monitor and measure your efforts as well as your rewards and successes. I am convinced that your efforts will be repaid in many ways that easily offset your investment of time.
Tom Intven may be reached at 519-631-1008, or tintven@landscapeontario.com.
LO President
The crisp morning air of September signals the coming of fall. It’s a time of renewal and fresh starts. The kids are back to school after the summer hiatus, and we hopefully get a chance to catch our breath, look back at spring and summer and review how things went. It’s a time to start new initiatives, and renew our commitments to personal and professional activities.On the personal level, you may be looking at going back to the gym, starting that diet you have been thinking about, signing up for a course, or getting back to your service club.
Renewal and fresh starts mean behaviour change. While rooted in the best of intentions, behaviour change is often more difficult to achieve than we would like to admit. Therapists tell us that it takes at least three months of cognitive effort and monitoring to change behaviour. Many people give up before that time period because they don’t see results quickly enough, or they see results and then slip back into their former bad habits.
On a professional level, fall is a good time to review company performance and change things around to reflect trends. Perhaps you are looking at trying new systems in your business. Now is a good time to test the waters before the winter. Remember, it takes at least three months of cognitive effort and monitoring to change behaviour. This includes not just your own behaviour, but that of your employees.
From your industry’s perspective, it’s a time when the LO chapter meetings begin again and we start to go to more LO events. We are not unlike most birds, which have more time in the fall for socialization. After successfully raising their young, they start to form flocks before migrating south.
At Landscape Ontario, fall is also a time of renewal. Last November the board started its strategic plan review. Efforts continue to move our association in the right direction by having an up-to-date strategic plan from which we all can work. It’s also a time for elections at the chapter level and the provincial level. New boards bring new energy and new enthusiasm going forward. We hope and trust that this will continue.
I encourage you all to take the opportunity that fall presents to reflect upon your relationship with Landscape Ontario and renew your commitment to the common cause of improving our industry. I suggest that it means only a slight behaviour or attitude change. I implore you to consider a trial period of three months of giving back to your association in whatever way your schedule will allow. Come out to your chapter or sector meetings, get involved in events or a committee. Plan to attend Expo and Congress. Sign up for that course you have always wanted to take. Get involved.
Become engaged with Landscape Ontario. Monitor and measure your efforts as well as your rewards and successes. I am convinced that your efforts will be repaid in many ways that easily offset your investment of time.
Tom Intven may be reached at 519-631-1008, or tintven@landscapeontario.com.