The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal with Negativity at Work

Chapter 17. The Yard Guy

She tapped the yard guy on the back, who was crouched over looking at the grass. He pulled a few pieces to show Hope. "It's working just like I said."

"Yeah, about that," Hope said. "I was wondering how in the world you can eliminate the weeds and prevent them from taking over my lawn without chemicals when everyone in my neighborhood uses chemicals to treat their lawn."

"Well, you see, I have a different approach. What I do is treat the lawn with an organic mixture that creates an environment where the good grass can grow healthy and strong. Then it grows and spreads to the point where it crowds out the weeds, and the weeds have nowhere to grow. It's all about the environment. Takes a little longer and a little more work up front, but once you have the good grass growing good and strong, it spreads like kudzu and then you have an amazing, vibrant lawn. Makes everything a whole lot easier, and it's less expensive, too. Instead of spending all that money on chemicals, you simply continue to support a healthy environment."

Hope couldn't contain her enthusiasm. She hugged the yard guy and called him a genius. No one had ever called him a genius before. "Weird," maybe, for putting garlic on someone's lawn, but genius, never. But he very much liked the sound of it. And to Hope he was a genius because he provided the missing and key piece to the first part of her presentation. ...