As an owner first starting out, it’s expected you’ll have to wear many hats. However, as your company grows, this is also an opportunity to involve your larger team in problem-solving different aspects of the business.
One way to facilitate this is through employee-led committees. Some of these can be solution-oriented, forward-looking or team-building related.
Milosi, based in Hendersonville, Tennessee, started their committees five years ago to provide a platform for individuals who are passionate about a certain area of the industry to focus on a specific area. Bill Petry, a landscape designer with Milosi, says these committees help move their company forward by aligning with their core values.
Scott Richardson, a commercial irrigation manager with Southern Botanical, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, notes when you grow exponentially at a fast rate, it’s hard to sustain quality but their committees help keep everyone focused on the same goals.
“Our leadership really values different opinions,” says Lesley Escobedo, a corporate recruiter with Southern Botanical, Inc. “One of our values is ‘never stopped growing’ so I think that is a way the company can continue to grow, but also our employees, because it makes them think outside of the box and then allows them to take on leadership roles that they might not always have in their day-to-day job.”
Impactful Initiatives
Committees can be particularly useful for exploring a new tool or aspect of the business. Petry says thanks to their ‘Create and Innovate’ committee, they have incorporated plant growth regulators into their business.
“We tested them on a few select properties,” Petry says. “Monitored the results, produced the SOPs and implemented into the business after a testing was complete.”
Southern Botanical has recently started using autonomous mowers and one of their committees meets to discuss how this rollout is going.
“They’ve been working on that for at least six months,” Richardson says. “We’re getting a lot of input, pros and cons of what we’re seeing that we can make changes on. We usually focus on three or four things in a particular meeting, and then we do what’s called clear steps, which is usually given timelines to individuals to close up some of the things we’ve been working on.”
Stephanie Blanco, head of integration with Mariani Premier Group, based in Lake Bluff, Illinois, says one of their roundtables was formed to determine which services should be standard versus optional, and how to set service frequencies to better meet the needs of long-term clients.
“Other groups have tackled opportunities like expanding into new service lines or aligning how we communicate pricing changes to ensure a more consistent and professional client experience,” Blanco says.
MPG’s Best Practices Council shares and refines operational strategies across their partner companies. She says several impactful SOPs have emerged from this group, including client win-back programs, white glove service protocols, and structured follow-ups on client feedback.
“These initiatives have led to measurable improvements in client retention, service consistency, and overall client satisfaction,” Blanco says. “What’s especially powerful is that these ideas didn’t come from the top down – they were developed by the people closest to the work, refined collaboratively, and then adopted across the organization. That kind of ownership and shared success is exactly what these committees are all about.”
Pros and Cons of Company Committees
The main benefits of establishing committees in your business are the cross-pollination of ideas from various departments and cultivating a strong sense of camaraderie within your team.
“They foster a sense of connection, shared purpose, and community – something that’s especially valuable in a fast-growing company like ours,” Blanco says. “The trust and rapport built in these settings often extend beyond the meetings, improving communication and collaboration in day-to-day operations.”
Petry adds that committees create an enormous amount of buy-in and allow team members to work within their strengths.
The primary drawback to company committees is the time investment they call for. Blanco says they hold more than 100 roundtable and peer group meetings annually within their company.
“It requires careful coordination, consistent communication, and a real commitment of time from both facilitators and participants,” Blanco says. “That’s why it’s critical to clearly define roles and responsibilities upfront and to revisit each group’s charter, cadence, and leadership periodically to keep things on track and aligned with evolving needs.”
Escobedo agrees that committees can be ineffective if there is a lack of commitment and shared goals between the members.
Ensuring Effectiveness
Petry says they ensure their committees are effective by implementing tracking. Each one has measurables.
Escobedo says setting agendas helps their committees stay on topic. Incorporating your top-level leaders in the committees can also ensure productivity.
“We also have the two top VPs in the company, which is Brad Blair, who is active in the agronomy and the enhancement task force and then Tommy (Silvers) is involved in the irrigation maintenance task force,” Richardson says. “That creates a lot of healthy internal pressure to make sure everybody’s going in the right direction.”
Blanco says they solicit feedback from their committees with regular post-session surveys and sometimes real-time polling to assess engagement and figure out what’s working.
“We use this feedback to refine agendas, adjust formats, and ensure the discussions are relevant and results-oriented,” Blanco says. “Clear objectives, strong facilitation, and actionable takeaways are also key to maintaining momentum and making sure each session drives value.”
Advice For Others
Escobedo says you shouldn’t form a committee just because it sounds fun. Define exactly what it will do and how it will impact others.
“I think that it’s imperative that you identify some weaknesses in the company,” Richardson says. “Select the right people, and don’t be afraid to step off and create one and then let it build and let it evolve.”
Petry says once you start a committee at your organization, you will see the results for yourself.
“Start with a clear purpose, bring together people who are passionate about the topic, and let the structure evolve as needed,” Blanco says. “Don’t over-engineer it at the beginning. The momentum and value will come from the engagement and collaboration among your people.”
