It Takes A Team

by Michael Hamline, Editor / Published December 2015

When I was eight years old, my love for baseball and the Kansas City Royals became permanent. The year was 1985 and my family watched with delight and amazement as the Royals, who were trailing the Cardinals three games to one in the World Series, made an amazing comeback to win the Series. Soon after, my parents took me to the parade in Kansas City to celebrate the champions, and I am convinced that this event is what made me a lifelong Royals’ fan. Perhaps, if I had known it would be another 29 years before the Royals would even make it back to the postseason, I would have chosen another team to root for. However, I am just one of many Royals’ fans that have remained loyal through the postseason drought.

Imagine my delight when last month, November 1 to be exact, the Royals won the World Series for the first time in 30 years. I was jumping up and down and cheering for the team and was delighted to be cheering for another World Series champion. What stands out the most to me about the Royals’ postseason run is how it really did take the entire team effort—pitching, fielding, and hitting—to advance to the World Series and win in five games.

And team effort is where baseball intersects with the pressure washing industry. As you read Cleaner Times this month, you will notice that throughout the articles there is a premium placed on teamwork. It starts with a profile on Midland Manufacturing, a company with 49 employees who are described as “deploying as one group.” Billy Hodes, Vice President of Midland Manufacturing, states, “Each member of Midland’s team has a responsibility and they are accountable to the entire team.” The need for teamwork continues to come to the forefront in Mark Battersby’s article, “The Professional Way to Find a Pro,” as he describes the importance of finding a tax professional to help prepare your company’s tax returns.

In addition, the need for teamwork is emphasized in this month’s CETA Edge article, which encourages employers to see their employees as a great source of ideas to better their business. As the article, “Meeting the New Year with Resolve,” points out, it is important to establish a business plan and then talk about how your employees—the team—can formulate their goals to better the business. Teamwork is essential in our industry!

And from the team at Cleaner Times, Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year!

Michael Hamline
michael@adpub.com
(800) 525-7038