Cover Profile: Meet & Greet

Weekly meetings keep operations on track at DowCo Enterprises, serving not only as open forums for entertaining new ideas and sharing frustrations, but also as checkpoints to review progress and set goals.

To cover bases with each department, Maurice Dowell, owner of the Chesterfield, Mo.-based company, dedicates separate meetings for managers, office personnel and Hispanic employees. Arranging a specific Hispanic meeting, in particular, has improved internal communication, Dowell noted.

“The Thursday Hispanic meeting is a venue for them to keep things open,” he explained, noting that a few years ago, miscommunication led to a walkout. Reaching out these workers in a separate meeting serves as a rap session. “It’s a great opportunity for them to vent.”

Dowell conducts most of the meeting in English, and bilingual foreman help relay concerns to the group. In addition, he tries to keep these gatherings light-hearted, starting meetings with Snickers bars. “When we have these meetings, it brings everyone together and we’re communicating,” he said.

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The author is Managing Editor – Special Projects for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at khampshire@lawnandlandscape.com.