“True leadership lies in guiding others to success – in ensuring that everyone is performing at their best, doing the work they are pledged to do and doing it well.”
–Bill Owens

Weed Man USA C.O.O Jennifer Lemcke believes that “positive thought leadership is so important – not focusing on just the problem, but bringing up solutions.” Being the C.O.O. of the largest franchised lawn care company across North America, Lemcke has a lot on her plate, but she does it well. Not only does she exude several character traits of a true born leader, she also puts the work in to better herself, the company and the success of Weed Man franchisees.

What is the most important question leaders should ask themselves to gauge their effectiveness, and why?

 It is the role of a good leader to always be asking themselves, “What is my end goal?” Whether it is a long-tern or short-term goal or project, it’s important to have that in mind to help prioritize what is important on any given day. Business leaders tend to get pushed and pulled in so many directions over the course of a day that they may start to equate the amount of work – no matter what it is – as progress. When in fact, a lot of that work is busy work and isn’t helping them to reach that end goal. The best way to stay on track is to make sure metrics are implemented. At Weed Man, we use metrics for everything and it’s what keeps me focused on where my time needs to be spent. When the metrics are telling our team that something is not working right on a big project, I know that I need focus my efforts on figuring out what the metrics are communicating to our team and where we need to adjust – but always with the goal in mind.

How can this kind of self-assessment and introspection help you become a better leader?

 Staying focused on the end goal and following the metrics designed to get me there has helped me become a leader that really takes ownership of projects. I am always thinking about work and how we can be doing things better. Instead handing something off, I really immerse myself in the project until it’s complete. Even if that means putting on a uniform to go out into the field! Sometimes that’s the only way to get a real answer for any problems and as leader that kind of attention to detail will filter through the whole organization.

As M.D. Arnold once said, “A good leader leads the people from above them. A great leader leads the people from within them.”

Do you have any general advice for leaders who are trying to improve?

 Align the work you do with the goal you are trying to achieve. Ask yourself whether the work you’re doing is getting you closer to your goal or is it just busy work? Whenever I oversee a project, I want to show to my team that I have our ultimate goal in mind, whether that be driving more customers to our service or supporting our franchisees in growing their business.

What do you think sells prospective franchisees on Weed Man USA? What do you hear from existing franchisees?

The fact that we’re a family. We are a close-knit group. We know each other’s kid’s names, hobbies, what the weather’s like etc. Sometimes, I’m probably too engaged, but we have trust, which is something we take pride in, especially within the sub-franchisor group. When we say we’re going to do something, we do it and if we mess up, our franchisees know we will fix it. In addition to that, our systems are a large factor of our franchisees’ success. Prospects are encouraged to contact existing franchisees and they always open up about financials and back up their success. We really don’t have to sell it anymore.

If you are interested in learning more about franchise opportunities in your area, visit us at www.weedmanfranchise.com or call 888-321-9333.