Okay. Maybe communication isn't completely missing. But in the recipe for success, the ingredient called "COMMUNICATION" is needed in a larger quantity. 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 activities need communicating. So, it's no surprise that communication is key for farms that want to grow or transition to a new generation We should be great at...
Business Growth Strategy, Leadership, Succession Planning
Who’s In Charge? – Part2 The Accountability Blueprint
It doesn't have to be confusing. Build Accountability Blueprints to manage your farm's transition. We can send you a SAMPLE ACCOUNTABILITY CHART Click Here Unlike other businesses, farmers rarely hand over the keys to the next generation and walk away. Most of the time, the process is gradual for many reasons. In some respects, walking away would simplify the transition process, but most farmers and farm families don't want it, and I understand why. To many, farming is more than an occupation; it's a heritage. A gradual transition method is good, but the boundaries of work, money, and decision-making...
Business Growth Strategy, Leadership, Succession Planning
Who’s in charge? – Part 1 Stepping on Toes
Working together, yet apart, helps keeps the peace. It was a fairly standard discussion around a pretty simple question. "Who is in charge of doing the books?" There was an awkward pause as both Mom and daughter look at each other but said nothing. After further discussion, it turns out there was a conflict because It wasn't clear who was in charge of what inside the office. It wasn't clear outside the office either. When asked who was in charge of making the final agronomy decisions (during a private interview), the employee said that Jr. was, unless Dad came around....
Business Growth Strategy, Leadership
Delegating is a skill every leader should master
Have you ever delegated a task to an employee and then felt the need to step in and take over to ensure they did it correctly? Do you ever have the idea that you told someone to tackle a job, but you can't remember who? Are you so busy putting out fires that you can't focus on the larger goals of your business? There never seems to be enough time. Think about your day as an hourglass and your jobs as the sand. There is only so much sand that can pass through it in one day. In like manner,...
Business Growth Strategy, Succession Planning
Perks and Pay can DeRail your Transition Plan
Too much of a good thing. Posted at farmprogress.com on 5/11/21 The farm owns the homes. The farms buys the owner's personal vehicles. The farm buys gas in the bulk tank and everyone fills up their personal vehicles. The farm owns the lake home. And the boat. At first it was just good tax planning. Fast forward a couple of decades and these perks have multiplied and more generations are involved. Instead of one corporate-owned house, there are three. Instead of a couple of business-owned personal vehicles, there is a whole fleet. Speaking of homes…one of the three sons wants...
Business Growth Strategy
How to hire the best temp help
Back in March we visited with Ben Potter, of Farm Futures, about the best practices in hiring temporary help. Ben then captured the ideas in an article on Farm Futures website here. You can download and print it here. 2021 03 How to hire the best temp help-BenPotter . Or continue reading.... Strategies for securing good seasonal workers. by Ben Potter, Farm Futures Mar 10, 2021 Is good help really that hard to find? It can be - especially when you're in a pinch to tap quality workers for seasonal help. But there are some best practices to consider when...
Business Growth Strategy
Why you should manage each employee differently
Why you need different strokes for different folks. "Plug and play" is what we all want with employees. Just hire them, put them in a cab, and don't worry about them. They'll do an expert job. Plug them in and turn them loose. In reality, this management philosophy doesn't work. Plug and play is a mythical management style that doesn't exist. People aren't machines, and employees require management for you to be satisfied. Assuming you hire well, each employee needs a different management style. It may sound overwhelming but how you manage depends on the type of work and their...
Succession Planning
How to start the farm transition conversation
Starting a transition plan isn't easy. It's not only hard to know where to begin, but how do you even begin the conversation? The stakes are high, and many farms don't make a successful farm transition for many reasons. Procrastinating the initial transition conversation is one of them. The younger generation doesn't want to start the conversation because they may appear greedy or ungrateful. The older generation sometimes believes the younger generation needs to "step up" and start the conversation. Unspoken stalemates are often the result. A 4 Step Plan Don't wing it! All too often, this first conversation is...
Business Growth Strategy
Sometimes Ya Gotta Let Go
As business owners we are good at adding. Adding more acres, more sales, more landlords, and more employees. More is a sign of success; at a certain point, more can limit new opportunities. Some opportunities may be growing the farm, succession planning, or building your employee team. There comes a time when you have to let go to get more of what you want. Work - Your time is valuable and there isn't enough time to get all the work done. Every year your time is squeezed even more. Has your role changed but your tasks haven't? Are you doing...
Business Growth Strategy
Do you have the right people on your bus?
Is there a Third Question to Ask? You have probably heard the phrases, "we need the right people on the bus," and "we need the employees in the right seats" on that bus. These phrases imply we need to find the right people to join our businesses and then make sure they are in the right spot. This sounds reasonable. But is there another question you need to be asking? It's not a secret that farms have a competitive advantage when they consistently find good employees and keep them. Part of keeping an employee is placing them in a role...