Jeff McManus: Master Landscaper, Culture Builder, Total Weed
I’ve just been through a raft of interviews for my latest book, with a wide range of outcomes. Some are focused on growth strategy alone, but others drift into other areas of my work. And that’s when things fall apart. If we’re talking about serious growth issues, then suddenly veer into cartooning, and then getting meetings, I expect the audience suffers from whiplash.
What do any of these things have in common, they might reasonably ask?
I imagine Jeff McManus must get the same reaction, when he tells his story. Jeff heads the landscape department at “Ole Miss,” the University of Mississippi, but if you ask what he does, you’ll get a much different reply. “I tell my team, ‘we’re helping to find the cure for cancer. That’s our real job.’”
“We know that the appearance of the campus is a deciding factor in where students choose to study,” he continues, “and it’s our job to present the university in its best light. We’re actually part of the recruitment mission.” And one day, one of the students they help attract to the campus may indeed find the cure for cancer.
By instilling this higher purpose to his team’s work, he’s also cultivating an internal culture and movement. And it’s all by intention.
And that’s where it gets… interesting.
Because Jeff is also an accomplished business author, who writes and speaks about building internal cultures that help organizations grow. No wonder our mutual friend, 🇨🇦 Ben Baker🎙️ , introduced us. Jeff McManus is not only a master landscaper, he’s using the same strategies weeds use to foster explosive growth of any enterprise.
In the Weed Strategy model, Jeff is employing Soil Strategy. That is, wherever weeds take root, they’re always ready to make the most of it. They can thrive in almost any substrate. But while they can’t change the quality of their environment, we can, because we can control the quality of our internal cultures.
As a result of Jeff’s nurturing strategy, his department is winning national championships of their own. For landscaping. Hanging from the rafters in their shed are several national championship banners, much like those hanging in the stadium where the Ole Miss Rebels play—or any of the stadiums housing NBA, NHL and NFL champions.
Jeff’s sense of higher mission is infectious. Spend any time talking with him, and you’ll come away wondering how you can reframe your own mission. Or perhaps feeling better about how the disparate parts of your own story fit together to produce something utterly unique about you.
Weeds aren’t just fierce conquerers of territory. They’re also relentless collaborators that nurture their higher purpose at scale.
And Jeff McManus isn’t merely a landscaper. He is a total weed.
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Founder and Lead Cultivation Officer of The Jeff McManus Group
2yStu, humbled by your story telling and framing. Your wordsmithing made my heart glow. We are planting seeds of greatness in all industries, if we take courage to encourage our people and cultivate a culture of growth. Keep cultivating your greatness my friend!
Telling your story in ways that align you with engaged and profitable internal and external stakeholders, and dissuading those you cannot add value to... from darkening your doorway.
2yGlad you and Jeff McManus are in the weeds together Stu 😂😂😂😂😂🙏
Visibility Coach | Empowering Coaches and Consultants with confidence and Video Visibility | Podcast host | Podcast guest | 30 yrs in Video
2yThat's a powerful "larger mission" right there!
industrial account manager/ mover of the ball
2yYes he is a total weed.
Love it, head of landscaping department at Ole Miss said, “we’re helping to find the cure for cancer. That’s our real job.”