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 a presentation to a group of dairy farmers when one raised his hand. "How do we get the work done AND keep the peace on our family farm?" After a follow-up question, he said his family was going through a transition from one generation to the next and who was...
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 employee is hired, it's tempting to just jump right back into your work again. But it's best to pause and remember that one-third of new employees will leave within the first six months. That is sobering. Why so many? The answer is tied to how you integrate them into your...
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 problem solve and manage themselves. It's probably your dream of having motivated and knowledgeable employees who look for solutions and hold each other accountable. Thus, freeing up your time to focus on growing the farm. You invest a lot of time and money building your team, hiring, training, and...
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, did the work, and didn't create problems. Yet here you are again; a great employee is leaving and you have a slot to fill. Labor has always been tight, but finding and keeping top farm talent has reached a crisis point over the last couple of years. Finding good team...
Succession Planning, Uncategorized
What do transition planning and CRP burns have in common?
Successful transition planning takes a plan Originally published at Progressive Dairy on 11/25/2021. 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 well. The same goes for transition planning. Transition planning is a bit like a pasture burn. It can either be effective and routine or really exciting and out of control. When transition planning is out of control, bad things happen, and people get hurt. Relationships and bridges...
Business Growth Strategy, Succession Planning, Uncategorized
Communication, the missing ingredient in Transition Planning
When it comes to Transition Planning, communication is the foundation. Originally published at FarmFutures.com on 10/13/2021 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 really great people. Many good things are happening on this farm, so it's not like there are many major problems. But they do have a bunch of little ones that no one was talking about. Yet, there is one missing ingredient. Communication. We have...
Business Growth Strategy, Leadership
Communication Tools to tame the whirlwind
Holding onto outdated communication tools might be holding you back. Originally published at farmfutures.com on 8/20/2021 Communication is often the missing ingredient as farms try to grow. Okay. Maybe communication isn't completely missing. But in the recipe for success, the ingredient called "communication" is needed in a larger quantity and quality. For several years we have been surveying owners and employees on various topics as part of the Executive Farmer Network peer group events. Communication is always listed as a top item that everyone believes needs addressing. Most farms are at a size when everything from long-term strategies to daily...
Level
Managers
Growing crops and livestock is one thing. Growing your operation is another. Even the most successful farmers find it challenging to manage a complex operation. That's because farming and ranching require one set of skills while managing a successful business takes a completely different set. In the past, farms were easily separated by how well they managed production. Maximizing production separated the great farms from the mediocre. But the last couple of decades brought everything from the widespread use of artificial insemination, seed trait stacking, and GPS-controlled equipment. We are awash in the same data that helps drive decisions to...
Level
Professionals
How to stay on top Saying No so you can say Yes It's been said that staying on top is harder than getting on top. As a result, many farms at the top don't feel like they are on top. It's still a struggle. But the struggles change as they grow. Farmers have told me it's hard to keep an edge on top and not let success lull them into complacency. It's easy to see that these professionalized farms are successful. The homes are often a little nicer than their neighbors. When there is a land auction, these farms can...