Partnerships are a great idea. You pool together talents and money to go farther than each party could by themselves. Written for MILK Magazine/DairyHerd and originally published at https://www.dairyherd.com/news/business/what-makes-partnership-successful on 5/23/2022. Some partnerships are large endeavors, and others are smaller. But no matter their size, some flourish, and others don't....
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
Dealing with Discomfort
There is more than one way to handle conflict Written for Farm Futures and originally published in their May/June 2022 print issue. The Father and son sat across from each other, building tension. The topic was compensation within their family farm as part of their transition plan. This meeting occurred...
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
Better Communication, Less Confusion
Hold quarterly team meetings to keep goals moving forward and communication flowing. Written for PROGRESSIVE DAIRY and originally published in the March 2022 issue. Are you sometimes left wondering if your employees understand the farm's priorities and goals? Do your employees ever feel they get conflicting messages and wonder, "What...
Succession Planning, Uncategorized
How to Handle Emotional Conversations
Four steps to mediate and solve emotional disputes in your family business Originally published at Farm Futures on 3.10.2022. A couple of weeks ago, Liz and I gave a presentation hosted by PDPWs Dairy Signal. It was a live-streamed conversation with farmers, and the topic was How to Get Your...
Succession Planning, Uncategorized
How to get the work done AND Keep Peace in the Family
Clarifying Who does What can make a big difference Originally published at https://www.dairyherd.com/news/labor/clarify-roles-dont-step-toes on 3/7/2022. One way or another, the work always gets done. We know that. But how the work gets done and who is in charge of the work is a much more complicated question. I recently gave...
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
Onboarding
An overlooked tactic in lowering employee turnover Originally published at Dairyherd.com on 1/11/2022 here Onboarding: An Overlooked Tactic in Lowering Employee Turnover | Dairy Herd It takes a lot of work to find and hire great employees. Hiring employees often takes you away from your normal work. So once an...
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
A Team Review
Let your team improve how the farm operates by hashing out what works - and what needs work. Originally published at https://www.farmprogress.com/commentary/benefits-farm-debrief-0 on 1/11/22. Many farms want to scale up their operations, and they need people to do the work. Ideally, you want great teams of employees. Great teams can...
Business Growth Strategy, Uncategorized
Easy Employee Reviews
How to keep your best employees engaged and happy. Originally published at www.farmprogress.com/commentary/easy-guide-employee-reviews on 11.19.2022. Have you had the frustration of being blindsided by a great employee leaving? They have been on board for a year or so, and it appeared everything was going great. They showed up on time,...
Succession Planning, Uncategorized
What do transition planning and CRP burns have in common?
Successful transition planning takes a plan If you don't want a raging grass fire, you have to plan. To get a controlled fire that burns the CRP grassland without making the local newspaper, takes planning and preparation. I learned the hard way that tossing a match without planning doesn't end...
Business Growth Strategy, Succession Planning, Uncategorized
Communication, the missing ingredient in Transition Planning
When it comes to Transition Planning, communication is the foundation. The transition plan had all but stopped, and unspoken issues were piling up. Both the employees and the next generation were frustrated. Everyone involved was frustrated, including the advisors and spouses. To be fair, this is a top-notch farm with...
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