What I’m seeing right now isn’t a technology gap, it’s a thinking gap.
Across irrigation, and honestly across business in general, the dominant questions haven’t changed.
How do we do this better?
How do we manage water?
How do we make these systems work?
How do we improve results with what we already have?
At a glance, those sound like the right questions. They sound practical. They sound responsible. But more often than not, they’re where things start to stall.
I recently read Who Not How by Dan Sullivan, and one idea stood out clearly:
“You don’t need to figure out how – you need to find who.”
That shift seems simple, but in practice it changes everything. Because the longer we stay in “how,” the more we take on something we were never meant to carry alone.
Where Leadership Breaks Down
The pressure in this industry is only increasing. Expectations are higher, the margin for error is tighter, and performance is being looked at more closely than ever.
And in that environment, the cracks show quickly.
In his book, Sullivan talks about how entrepreneurs get stuck when they assume they need to “figure everything out themselves.” That thinking shows up everywhere right now.
“How” starts as a productive question – but it quietly becomes a control mechanism.
It keeps everything internal.
It keeps leaders trying to solve problems they don’t fully understand.
It keeps teams working harder instead of working better.
And eventually, it creates weight. That’s where hesitation starts to creep in. Teams stay close to what’s familiar instead of pushing into what’s required, decisions get delayed, conversations that would bring clarity get avoided.
Underneath that is something most won’t admit.
Fear of getting it wrong.
Fear of being exposed.
Fear of stepping outside what they know.
So they stay in motion, but nothing really changes.
Sullivan puts it simply, “The problem isn’t the goal. It’s how you’re thinking about achieving it.”
The real shift isn’t doing more, it’s asking a better question. Not how do we improve this, but who should be carrying this?
That’s where leadership shows up. Not in having all the answers, but in being willing to bring the right people into the work.
Updates from the Field
On the ground, the pattern is consistent. More systems are being installed, more data is being collected, more effort is being put toward improving performance.
But the results aren’t keeping pace – not because the tools aren’t capable, but because ownership is unclear.
Systems are running, but not directed. Teams are accountable for outcomes they don’t fully control. That gap is where performance breaks down.
And this is exactly what Sullivan is getting at when he talks about “expanding your capability through people, not effort.”
Trying to solve complex problems by pushing harder internally doesn’t scale. It creates bottlenecks, delays, and inconsistent execution.
At its core, GRO exists to answer a different question – who is actually responsible for making these systems perform?
Because in a lot of cases, the honest answer isn’t clear. And when ownership isn’t clear, performance becomes inconsistent by default.
We started GRO to bring the experience and operational clarity required to move systems from installed to performing, and that requires a different level of conversation.
Looking at what isn’t producing results.
Challenging assumptions that have gone untested.
Closing the gap between effort and outcome.
That’s where most organizations hesitate – but it’s also where the biggest gains are made.
Let’s Connect in Person
This July, I’ll be in Scottsdale speaking at the Lawn & Landscape Technology Conference.
The focus isn’t on tools or upgrades – it’s on responsibility.
Because no system, process or technology will ever outperform the people behind it. And right now, the biggest shift that needs to happen isn’t technical – it’s in how leaders think about ownership and who they bring into the work.
Sullivan’s point is clear – growth doesn’t come from doing more yourself, it comes from engaging the right people at the right level.
That’s the conversation that needs to move forward.
Come find us at:
- July 22-24: Lawn & Landscape: Landscape Technology Conference – Scottsdale, AZ
- Nov 18-20: World Workplace IFMA Conference – Anaheim, CA
The pressure around water isn’t going away. If anything, it’s making things clearer.
What’s working, what isn’t, and where the gaps actually sit.
Staying in “how” feels productive, but it keeps the problem contained.
The shift is simple – ask who, not how.
And, as Sullivan makes clear, be willing to trust that answer enough to act on it.
Randy Valk
Founder/CEO
Grassroots Resource Optimization