Keep Calm and Carry On Lessons on Resilience & Hope from Great Britain -1939. I saw this phrase several years ago and never paid much mind to it. What does it mean, and where did it come from? Does it apply to us today? The year was 1939. World War ll was about to begin, and the horror of an invasion was on the doorstep of Great Britain. Great Britain was not prepared, and defeat seemed inevitable. There was a massive national movement to get ready, but even then, the outlook was grim. There were many ideas about what to...
Business Growth Strategy
Three questions to ask of any new business venture
All that glitters is not gold. Farm incomes are down, and it may be tempting to start an off-farm business to produce non-farm income. You are probably excellent at production ag, but how well do those talents translate to this new venture? One owner confided to me that, "We have so many business ventures come across my desk in a week we would choke if we tried to take advantage of all of these good deals." His point was the deals were good, but they took his focus away from his core business. Another farmer bought a sawmill production plant...
Business Growth Strategy
Stop focusing on things that don’t matter
The farm to-do list never ends. There is always one more thing to be done, and then another chore pops up that needs taking care of. And of course, the weather always plays a factor in determining what does or does not get done and when. Many farmers are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work to be done. What is the answer? Prioritization and time management! However, prioritization is not a skill that comes naturally to most farmers. How do you decide what is more important than another equally important task? Stephen Covey's Time Management Method You may have...
Succession Planning
We wouldn’t be having this conversation if….
When times are tough, and everyone is under stress all the imperfections bubble to the surface. The imperfections were there all along but aren’t visible until our backs are against the wall. This is especially true of transition planning. My latest Farm Futures article covers some of the problem areas we often see at farms of all sizes and locations. Click here to download the full article: Deal with transition planning before it's too late Common Problems -Tying compensation to ownership -How the next generation builds equity -Providing for the senior generation income while not harming the farm -Conflict among...
Business Growth Strategy
Still Oppurtunities in 2020
Executive Farmer Network Tactics and Takeaways Even with a poor farm economy many farms are doing more than just OK. There is a big spread between farm profitability even if on the outside they look the same. The most profitable farms are taking advantage of the current farm weakness to strengthen their farms in a couple key areas. Agriculture in the USA and Canada has been tough for several years and it is still unclear how the current recessions from the COVID virus will play out. Let’s face it. Life and business are often unclear and sometimes a true crisis erupts, like COVID, that changes everything. At least...
Business Growth Strategy, Succession Planning
Why conflict can be a good thing
Conflict is often viewed as negative but not having the right kind of conflict, often leads to bad conflict later. In an earlier article, we discussed the importance of having trust amount your leadership and owner team. Your farm team may be open and honest with each other, trusting, but do you talk about tough issues or dodge them? What will happen if the issues never get resolved because no one wants to tackle the tough topic? Can the farm move ahead without dealing with the sticky issues? Read the full article here. https://www.farmprogress.com/commentary/why-conflict-can-be-good-thing Want notified when we post new blogs?...
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A farm business case study: Is your farm stuck because of low trust
Without high levels of trust, your family farm will lose traction and stall out. Click here to read the full article Tim Schaefer is a management coach for farms and agribusiness and a blog writer for Farm Futures.
Succession Planning
6 hard truths about succession planning
The happiest and most successful family farms plan succession well in advance. They realize the original plan can change. But a plan, even a plan in progress, is better than no plan at all. Click here to read the full article Tim Schaefer is a management coach for farms and agribusiness and a blog writer for Farm Futures.
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Do you know why people resist change?
Change is necessary to thrive and survive. If you want to regain traction, it is necessary to understand the causes behind resistance to change. Click here for the full article. Tim Schaefer is a regular contributor to Farm Futures writing on the topics of transition planning, leadership development, peer groups, and management.
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Build a Team of Best Friends
If your top employees have a best friend at work, are they more likely to stay? Click here for the full article. Tim Schaefer is a regular contributor to Farm Futures writing on the topics of transition planning, leadership development, peer groups, and management.