New England Blade - December 2020

December 2020

ELECTION RESULTS:

Meet the New Board

Alternative Weed Control in Turfgrass

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JIM FAVREAU MASSACHUSETTS JFAVREAU@HARRELLS.COM (978) 227-2785

MIKE KROIAN RI, MA MKROIAN@HARRELLS.COM (401) 265-5353

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CONTENTS • December 2020 FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

70 Recent Event

0 W ebinar Recap: Know Your Audience

80 Research

0 Alternative Weed Control in Turfgrass

120 M ember Spotlight on

0 Ronald Dobosz, Jr.

140 P rofessional Development

0 What Exactly Is Expected?

4 President’s Message from Chris McGinty

4 NESTMA HQ Update 6 NESTMA News 6 Legislative Update

Find this issue, Podcasts, Events and More: TheTurfZone.com

Officers

Directors

Board of Trustees

President

Tom Barry Greens Farms Academy Greens Farms, CT

Kim Britton Saint Anselm College Manchester, NH

Chris McGinty Framingham Parks Department Framingham, MA

Advancing professionalism in sports turf management and athletic field safety through education, research, and scholarships.

The official publication of the New England Sports Turf Managers Association (NESTMA), the New England Blade is dedicated to educating, advising, and informing members of the profession and furthering the goals of the Association. The New England Blade carries news and features related to the sports turf management profession. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material and reserves the right to edit any article or advertisement submitted for publication and to refuse advertising not in keeping with the goals of the Association. Publisher assumes no responsibility for the validity of claims in connection with items appearing in the New England Blade. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorsement by the New England Blade, NESTMA, or Leading Edge Communications, or preference over similar products not mentioned. The New England Blade is published quarterly. Subscriptions are complimentary to members of NESTMA. Presorted standard postage is paid at Jefferson City, MO. Printed in the U.S.A. Advertising: For display and classified advertising rates and insertions, please contact Leading Edge Communications, LLC, 206 Bridge Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064, (615) 790-3718, Fax (615) 794-4524.

14 Index of Advertisers

President Elect Brian Boesch University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI

Treasurer

Art Goodhind Town of Natick Natick, MA

Secretary

Andrew Walsh Pine Banks Park Malden, MA

Past President Ben Polimer Town of Weston Weston, MA

Ed Downing Read Custom Soils/ A.D. Makepeace Wareham, MA Ian Lacy Tom Irwin, Inc. Burlington, MA Ed Olsen Town of Needham Parks & Forestry Needham, MA Jason Puopolo, CSFM Brandeis University Waltham, MA

Michael Buras, CSFM Longwood Cricket Club Chestnut Hill, MA John Cunniff Walpole, MA

Management Team Virginia Wood, Executive Director Peggy Benjamin Kristen Dreyer Charissa Sharkey

NESTMA Headquarters 67 West Street Medfield, MA 02052 (508) 653-1241 NESTMA.org NESTMAinfo@gmail.com

Technical Editor Evan Steele Pioneer Athletics Billerica, MA

Victoria Wallace University of Connecticut Extension Storrs, CT

December 2020 • New England BLADE • 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

ENTHUSIASTIC INVOLVEMENT

G

etting together, at a safe distance, with fellow members at the NESTMA/MALCP Annual Golf Classic was terrific!

It was the first time I had seen many friends and colleagues since early March in Providence. One of the highlights of that perfect fall day was a conversation I had with a sports turf manager who had recently returned to New England and renewed his membership. His enthusiasm about being involved again was inspiring. He clearly sees the benefit of the connections and camaraderie we all enjoy as NESTMA members!

I am honored to begin my term as president of this great organization. My first order of business is to thank Ben Polimer for his leadership and commitment to our industry. During his tenure as president, the board of directors charted a course for significant transformation. Ben steered the ship extremely well and our association is better than ever! I would also like to recognize Vickie Wallace, who exits the board after decades of dedicated service. We are grateful for her countless contributions and valuable guidance.

See below to meet your 2021 NESTMA board of directors.

They are an enthusiastic group of volunteer leaders. I am grateful for their involvement and support of our association, as well as our industry.

As we look ahead to the start of a new year and all the possibility it holds, you can count on NESTMA to be your trusted resource for cutting-edge education, valuable networking, and industry support.

Hope you can join us online on December 15 for our Annual Meeting. I look forward to listening and learning more from all of you.

Chris McGinty NESTMA President

ELECTION RESULTS:

MEET THE 2021 NESTMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS We are pleased to introduce the volunteer leaders elected by the NESTMA membership to lead the association in 2021.

DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

Tom Barry Greens Farms Academy Greens Farms, CT

Ed Olsen Town of Needham Parks & Forestry Needham, MA

Chris McGinty Framingham Parks Department Framingham, MA

Brian Boesch University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI

Art Goodhind Town of Natick Natick, MA

TREASURER

Ed Downing Read Custom Soils/ A.D. Makepeace Wareham, MA

Jason Puopolo, CSFM Brandeis University Waltham, MA

SECRETARY

PAST PRESIDENT

Ian Lacy Tom Irwin, Inc. Burlington, MA

Evan Steele Pioneer Athletics Billerica, MA

PRESIDENT ELECT

Andrew Walsh Pine Banks Park Malden, MA

Ben Polimer Town of Weston Weston, MA

Please reach out to any board member with your comments and suggestions as to how to make your NESTMA experience the best it can be.

4 • New England BLADE • December 2020

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December 2020 • New England BLADE • 5

NESTMA NEWS What a Day!

Many thanks to the sponsors, players and volunteers who participated in the MALCP/NESTMA Annual Golf Classic in October.

It was a spectacular fall day, everyone was happy to see each other, and much needed funds were raised for industry research and scholarships.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

LEGISLATION TO WATCH

Annual Meeting – December 15

The NESTMA Board of Directors has scheduled the association’s annual meeting as a Member Meet Up on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. via Zoom. Watch your email for an invitation and plan now to join us for a review of the year that was and a look ahead to 2021!

Membership Dues

Many thanks to those who have already renewed their NESTMA membership for 2021. Renewal is quick and easy online at https://nestma.org/Renew21. Your continued financial support during these challenging times is important and appreciated.

UMass Winter School for Turf Managers: January 4 – March 26, 2021

The annual UMass Winter School for Turf Managers is a certificate program designed to convey concepts essential to maintaining high quality turf, with emphasis on environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility. This unique short course has a long and storied legacy, having run continuously for nearly a century. UMass looks forward to carrying on this tradition in 2021 in an adapted format appropriate for the current pandemic.

KEY CHANGES FOR THE 2021 SESSION: • An entirely online, virtual program which eliminates travel and lodging costs • An extended program period (12 weeks) from January 4 to March 26, 2021 • A blend of live and on-demand education for maximum flexibility • A reduced tuition rate and no application fee LEARN MORE AT: https://ag.umass.edu/turf/education/turf-winter-school

NERTC Goes Virtual: March 2 – 4, 2021

Plans for the first virtual New England Regional Turfgrass Conference are underway. The event will be held online March 2 – 4, 2021. Visit nertf.org for details.

Best Wishes Mary!

Mary Owen quietly retired from UMass this summer after decades of tireless service to the turf industry. She was a founding member of NESTMA and the first woman president in 2002. “She made NESTMA the ‘go to’ organization for sports turf managers,” says longtime member and past president David Pinsonneault. Read more of Dave’s tribute to Mary along with some great photos from the archives at https://www.nestma.org/Mary-Owen

By Bob Mann

As

I write, things are relatively quiet in New England from a government relations perspective. Couple of things worth talking about.

The City of South Portland, Maine continues in its efforts to heavily regulate the use of pesticides and fertilizers on turfgrass.

On September 15, the City Council held a workshop to discuss their proposed ordinance, the result of over a year of effort on the part of the Fertilizer Committee.

The ordinance combines the pesticide ordinance already in place into a newly titled Landscape Management Ordinance and creates the Landcare Management Advisory Committee. New to the ordinance is a provision allowing for the use of chlorantraniliprole on “performance turf” every other year.

As to permissible fertilizer use on performance turf, organic sources must be prioritized but bridge products can be used if the slow release component is greater than fifty percent. For residential turf, an annual comprehensive soil test is required indicating the need for nitrogen (I guess I missed that little nugget in Doc Rosenau’s 9:05 AM soils class at Stockbridge) and only phosphatefree, water insoluble organic fertilizers can be applied.

On the flip side of this anti-agronomic morass, the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Action Plan has released a working draft that seeks to address in part the threat of climate change by utilizing urban green space as carbon sinks. It’s actually not bad.

The trepidation of engaging in discussions on this topic gave way to an understanding that there was much overlap between the organizers putting together a report for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and green industry representatives. The draft report goes out of its way to single out turfgrass and best management practices: “Encouraging wider adoption of turf best management practices is one of the most powerful ways to increase carbon sequestration rates and enhance water quality.”

Actually, when you look at the chart comparing different approaches to soil organic carbon sequestration in the report, it’s not even close – BMPs for turf are an excellent tool. The document goes out of its way to cite our own Mary Owen and Jason Lanier’s Best Management Practices for Lawn and Landscape Turf as the guiding document. Feel free to reach out to me for a copy of the report. Keep in mind that there is a bill in the Massachusetts legislature that tackles this very same subject but is not nearly as friendly to the green industry. If I were to guess, the final report, should it be adopted by EEA, would serve as a blueprint (greenprint?) for future legislation codifying the importance of soil health. •

Bob Mann is Director of State and Local Government Relations for the National Association of Landscape Professionals in Fairfax, VA. Connect with Bob via email at Bob@LandscapeProfessionals.org.

6 • New England BLADE • December 2020

WEBINAR RECAP

Know Your Audience: Strategies for Discussing Pest Management

J

im Brosnan, Ph.D., Professor and Director of the Weed Diagnostic Center at the University of Tennessee, delivered a webinar filled with concrete information and proven tactics to help turfgrass professionals become better communicators around pesticide use – an issue that, Dr. Brosnan maintains, “is not going away.” While we cannot do his entire message justice in this space, here are a few key take-aways.

• As an industry, we have very little training on how to discuss what we do with an audience that is largely uninformed about our profession.

• Typical means of communication are no longer effective. A different approach is needed, and it begins with understanding human nature.

• He cited and recommends the following books: he Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established T Knowledge and Why it Matters by Tom Nichols ever Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life N Depended On It by Chris Voss Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman xtreme Ownership: How Navy Seals Lead and Win E

by Jocko Willink

• Knowing that people are risk averse, talk about the risk of NOT managing pests as opposed to the benefits of doing so.

Use proactive messaging, for example: Rather than saying: “We need to spray the field for grubs.

The treatment is completely safe and won’t harm the kids at all. Hundreds of research trials have shown this response.”

Try emotionally reframing your message: “If we don’t do something about the insects, kids are going to get hurt. I’m worried kids might injure themselves on weak turf from insect damage.”

• Dr. Brosnan provided specific examples of effective communication techniques such as Mirroring, Tactical Empathy, Accusation Audits and Illusions of Control.

• In conclusion, he challenged the industry to practice communications engagement and become active participants in this ongoing debate. “ He who has learned to disagree without being disagreeable has discovered the most valuable secret of negotiation.”

Robert Estabrook, Former Editor, Washington Post We are grateful to Dr. Brosnan for sharing these important communication tactics, as well as to our sponsors: Harrell’s, Hart Seed, and Replay. •

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twitter.com/theturfzone December 2020 • New England BLADE • 7

RESEARCH

ALTERNATIVE WEED CONTROL IN TURFGRASS

By D.E. Carroll & J.T. Brosnan

In

certain regions of the United States and Canada, legislation has severely restricted traditional synthetic herbicide use in residential and commercial landscapes.

Specifically, residential use of synthetic pesticides deemed “cosmetic use” in the Ontario Province, Canada, has been banned. Other aspects of the turfgrass industry such as sports and golf are able to receive exemptions through government approval, stated reduction goals, integrated pest management certification, and increased transparency requiring reporting and in-person meetings to discuss pesticide application. (Ontario Regulation, 2018). Similarly, in Montgomery County, Maryland, the use of synthetic pesticides perceived for use cosmetically is banned. Only natural, non-synthetic herbicides listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) may be used for this purpose (County Council for Montgomery County, Maryland, 2019). Many local governments, such as the city of New York, banned glyphosate use on public land such as school districts, parks and in municipalities, except for maintenance of invasive plants in native area. (The New York City Council, 2019).

In the United States, many active ingredients in organic pesticides are considered minimum risk, categorized as section 25b products, and are exempt from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) registration process. Products must meet six criteria for inclusion in this category. Because labeling in this category is typically not federally regulated, labeling of nonsynthetic herbicides is not consistent and may include wording such as “organic” or “natural”, despite these products not undergoing typical organic product registration. Although not required by federal law, independent agencies perform organic standard research to determine which products receive organic seals on labeling (Figure 1). Additionally, individual states may still require a registration process for minimum risk products and may limit herbicide use in some areas to only products listed by independent testing agencies. An example of a natural product research agency that maintains a list of products compliant with internal organic standards is OMRI. OMRI is a non-profit organization, and thus not considered a regulatory agency.

Conversely, the Environmental Protection Agency is considered a regulatory agency and although not federally required, also tests natural products and lists those meeting organic criteria.

Active ingredients on these lists include chelated iron, acetic acid, corn gluten meal, and a variety of soaps and oils. Chelated iron, also referred to as Iron HEDTA, is concentrated iron formulated for increased uptake in broadleaved weeds versus grasses. Once inside the plant, the iron is oxidized and causes necrosis (Charbonneau, 2010). Acetic acid, which is concentrated

8 • New England BLADE • December 2020

in household vinegar used for cooking at 5%, is generally concentrated in horticultural vinegar at 20 to 40%. Horticultural vinegar applications can kill weeds by removing the waxy cuticle found on leaves, thus drying out the plant. Citrus oil and soaps such as pelargonic acid or ammoniated fatty acid work in similar fashion by stripping the leaf cuticle to facilitate water loss. Unlike many synthetic herbicides, products with these active ingredients are generally fast acting and results may be observed within a few hours of application (Figure 2).

Products containing these active ingredients are widely available to the public and can be purchased at most big box retail stores and online (Figure 3). Due to the lack of regulation in labeling, many manufacturers produce products of differing trade names that have similar active ingredients included at variable concentrations. For example, horticultural vinegar is available as Green Gobbler concentrated at 20, 30, or 40% acetic acid; Eco Garden Pro (8% acetic acid + 5% sodium chloride); or as WeedPharm (20% acetic acid) among others.

A common misconception is that products labeled as “organic” are non-toxic. This is false. Similar to synthetic pesticides, product labels contain the signal words caution, warning, or danger to alert applicators to toxicity. “Caution” labeling indicates the lowest level of toxicity to humans followed by “Warning” meaning moderately toxic and “Danger” denoting high toxicity. An example of organic herbicide toxicity labeling is horticultural vinegar labeled with a “Danger” distinction because the product is a strong irritant and needs to be used with care.

It is critically important that end-users read and follow label instructions for both conventional and alternative herbicides before application.

Most of these alternative weed control products are nonselective and are therefore injurious to desirable turfgrass (Figure 2). To mitigate injury concerns, these alternative options should be used to spot-treat individual weeds rather than being applied via broadcast sprays. Research conducted at the Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA) assessed the efficacy of AXXE (40% ammonium nanonate), horticultural vinegar (30% acetic acid), Fiesta (26.2% Iron HEDTA), Avenger (70% d-limone citrus oil), and A.D.I.O.S. (11.9% sodium chloride) for control of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale G.H. Weber ex Wiggers) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Herbicide treatments were applied in late July with sequential applications made on two or four week intervals. Three applications of Fiesta applied at 25.2 fl oz/1,000 ft2 every four weeks controlled clover and dandelion within six days of initial application through mid-October. While not considered injurious

FIGURE 1: The Organic Materials Review Institute and Environmental Protection Agency seals of organic certification may be printed on herbicides meeting organic standards outlined by the organizations.

FIGURE 2: Natural, non-synthetic herbicides including Avenger (70% d-limone citrus oil), Finalsan (22% ammonium soap of fatty acid), Suppress (47% caprylic acid + 37% capric acid), and WeedPharm (20% acetic acid) resulted in injury to bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) within one day of application. Photo credit: Maggie Reiter, Ph.D., University of California cooperative extension advisor.

FIGURE 3: Alternative weed control products purchased from big box retail stores and online.

RESEARCH • continued

to the turfgrass sward, increased iron uptake in the desired perennial ryegrass stand resulted in grey discoloration (Figure 4).

Other natural, non-synthetic herbicide treatments including AXXE (15% v/v) and horticultural vinegar (50% v/v) provided some control of both weed populations compared to an untreated check, although both were injurious to turfgrass (Figure 5).

Treatments of A.D.I.O.S. (50% v/v) or Avenger (14% v/v) did not control dandelion or clover and were not injurious to desired turfgrass.

Research conducted at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN) in summer 2019 found similar results. A trial initiated in late July assessed the efficacy of eight alternative herbicides (Fiesta, Avenger, Burnout, horticultural vinegar, A.D.I.O.S., Biosafe, Natria, and WeedBeater Fe) for control of white clover. Two weeks after treatment, several alternative products controlled white clover similar to a single application of Trimec Classic (2,4-D, MCPP, and dicamba) at 3 pt/A; these alternative treatments included single applications of Fiesta applied at 12.6, 25.2, or 50 fl oz/1,000 ft2; horticultural vinegar (30% acetic acid; 50% v/v); and Avenger (70% d-limone citrus oil; 20% v/v). The desired fine fescue (Festuca spp.) turfgrass stand was discolored following Fiesta treatment and injured by horticultural vinegar and Avenger. Treatments of Natria (3.7% ammoniated soap of fatty acid; 20% v/v), Biosafe (40% ammonium nanonate; 15% v/v), WeedBeater Fe (1.5% Iron HEDTA; 100% v/v) and A.D.I.O.S (11.86% sodium chloride; 33% v/v) did not control white clover. Burnout (24% citric acid + 8% clove oil; 6% v/v) controlled clover ~ 50% compared to a non-treated check.

A second trial was conducted in February 2020 at the University of Tennessee to assess efficacy of alternative weed control products for control of winter annual broadleaf weeds in dormant bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.). Eleven days after treatment, Fiesta applied at 12.6, 25.2 or 50 fl oz/1,000 ft2; AXXE (15% v/v); horticultural vinegar (50% v/v); and Natria 20% v/v) controlled broadleaved weeds such as hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta), henbit (Lamium amplexicaule), mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum), and corn speedwell (Veronica arvensis) ~ 50%. Thirty-three days after initial treatment, the end of the study, Fiesta applied at 25.2 or 50 fl oz/1,000 ft2 with a three-week sequential application controlled these broadleaf weeds 60 to 80%, similar to Roundup Pro at 16 fl oz /A and Cheetah Pro at 82 fl oz/A. At the end of the study, AXXE, horticultural vinegar, and Natria, treated sequentially three weeks after initial application, controlled these broadleaved weeds ~ 25%. The low control provided by these products at the end of the study compared to the 50% control observed 11 days after treatment indicates that sequential applications should be made every two weeks to obtain the greatest weed control.

Results of these research projects show that alternative weed control products can reduce weed populations compared to nontreated turfgrass, although outside of Fiesta, they are generally not as effective as traditional synthetic herbicides. Alternative products are not translocated throughout plant tissue, which often results in regrowth of treated weeds. Therefore, sequential applications will be required for sustained weed control, which can be costly. For example, an application of Fiesta at 50 fl oz/ 1,000 ft2 is approximately $25.40 per 1,000 ft2, compared to $0.76 per 1,000 ft2 for an application of 2,4-D + MCPP + dicamba at 4 pt/A.

10 • New England BLADE • December 2020

FIGURE 4: Grey discoloration of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) three days after Fiesta applied at 25.2 fl oz/1,000 ft2.

FIGURE 5: Turfgrass injury three days after application of horticultural vinegar applied at 50% v/v.

Changing legislation in certain areas of the United States and Canada may put pressure on synthetic pesticide use in turfgrass.

Homeowners and turfgrass managers should be aware that while natural herbicides may be an effective tool compared to not using any weed control product, they are not an equivalent replacement to synthetic herbicides. In scenarios where alternative weed control products are required or preferred, they can be used to control select weed species via spot treatments applied sequentially. Products containing high concentrations of chelated iron, such as Fiesta, or acetic acid can be used for broadleaf control when applied as sequential spot treatments. However, these applications can cause undesirable injury or discoloration to turfgrass. More research is needed to better understand alternative methods of controlling weeds in maintained turfgrass.

Investigations pertaining to effects of environmental or meteorological factors on efficacy of these products are warranted.

The authors would like to thank Dr. Frank Rossi, Associate Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist at Cornell University, and Vickie Wallace, University of Connecticut Extension Educator and Program Director of UConn’s Sustainable Turf and Landscape Program, for their assistance in developing this article.

Literature Cited

Charbonneau, P. (2010) Efficacy of iron chelate herbicide for turf broadleaf weed control. Sports Turf Manager 23(2):25–27.

County Council for Montgomery County, Maryland (2019) Non Essential Pesticide Prohibitions, Cosmetic Pesticide Use Restriction Bill. 52–14.

Ontario Regulation (2018) Pesticides Act, R.S.O. p.11 Ontario Regulation 63/09.

The New York City Council (2019) A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the use of pesticides by City agencies. Committee on Health Int. No. 1524. •

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ON

RONALD DOBOSZ, JR. PARKS DEPARTMENT FOREMAN Park & Recreation Department • Wilbraham, MA UMass Graduate • Turfgrass Management How did you get your start in the sports turf industry?

I started mowing greens at a 9-hole golf course in Ashfield, Massachusetts when I was 14-years- old.

Where did you go from there?

I was a Golf Course Superintendent for 21 years – from 1993-2014.

Who was your mentor when you were starting out in the industry?

My first mentor was Chuck Martineau, longtime Superintendent at the Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, New York. Also, Tom Columbo, Superintendent of Hyannisport Club and Jim Fitzroy, retired golf course Superintendent and former GCSAA president.

All three of these men taught me the importance of a strong work ethic and about being a dedicated crew member who takes pride in his work – big or small.

What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received?

That small details make huge differences!

What’s the next “game changer” you see on the horizon?

More wear-resistant turf species, such as turf type tall fescues.

What’s your favorite/most useful: Equipment? Ryan Jr. Sod Cutter Product? Growth Regulators Technology? Infield Conditioner Options Can you share a bit about your family life and what you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Jen, my wife of almost 27 years, and I have 18-year-old twins.

Sophia attends Bridgewater State University and is majoring in Physical Education and Teddy attends Boston University and is majoring in Biology/Pre-Med. We live in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. I enjoy playing golf and good cigars!

What advice would you share with people starting out in the sports turf industry?

To network as much as possible and to never be afraid to call and ask anyone for advice.

What have you enjoyed most about being a NESTMA member?

Meeting with peers, sharing ideas and networking. •

12 • New England BLADE • December 2020

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WHAT EXACTLY IS EXPECTED?

By Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM

K

nowing what success looks like is one of the most foundational needs we have at work. It often surprises people to learn that, on average, about half of all employees are not completely clear about what they’re supposed to be doing at work.

Let’s explore why there is such a disconnect about expectations and how you can ensure your team is set up for success.

The first, and easiest, way to create clarity is around job responsibilities. Make a list of what you (or your direct reports) do on a regular basis. Start with a list of tasks and meetings, then consider areas of responsibility, and finally items that are required to be turned into other people like time sheets, financial reports, or status updates. Then compare this list to the published job description. See all the discrepancies? It’s important that these get reconciled – either by rewriting the job description to be accurate or by modifying daily work to match the existing job description – in order to help set the tone for clarity around employee job functions.

The second area where we experience confusion on the job is in the arena of relationships. Who do I report to and who reports to me? Most organizations today are actually matrixed instead of hierarchical, meaning that we often work in teams and report to multiple people over the course of a week, month, or year.

This is actually an advantage because matrixed teams can achieve more and be more successful than organizations which have a simple, silo chain of command. However, it naturally opens the door to confusion. Who helps with career planning, team conflicts, pay discussions, or process questions? It could be multiple people and they may not be sure.

Third, there are many cultural expectations, or “unwritten rules” which are definitely expected and rarely articulated. For instance, when I run meetings, I have an expectation that we have an agenda and begin and end on time. I don’t tolerate people showing up even a minute late and I’ll stop discussion in the middle of a sentence if we run out of time. When I work with a group, I share these expectations and ensure there is agreement.

This way, there is never confusion about expectations, or the consequences for failing to meet them. Of course, my expectations may seem harsh to you if your work group, or your preferred style, is different. And that’s the point – the emotional expectations of how a team will function must be explicitly discussed and agreed upon because we all have different ways of working.

Now that it’s clear why, and where, there can be so much confusion about expectations on the job, it’s time to start fixing the problem. No matter your position, initiate both formal and informal discussions around expectations. It takes everyone on the team to engage and adjust to changes by having regular conversations to continually clarify what is expected of each person. But the research proves that teams who clearly know what is expected of them are more productive, cost-effective, and adaptive. And there is no easier way to increase productivity than through job clarity.

Neal Glatt, CSP, ASM is a managing partner of GrowTheBench.com – a leading provider of affordable online education, professional development and peer networking for green industry professionals.

Contact Neal via email at Neal@GrowTheBench.com.

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