Communication paves the way for success and peace.
Written for Farm Futures and originally published in the July/Aug 2024 issue.
“I don’t care if he doesn’t understand everything about hogs or running a sow barn. I need someone who can communicate and understand people.”
“We don’t really get along with each other. We quit talking years ago and just focus on work.”
Communication skills, or lack thereof, are common complaints I’ve heard over the years. One would think that with all our options, mail, email, instant messaging, texting, and Slack channels, we would all be master communicators. But I fear the opposite is true in business, especially family businesses.
As farmers, we often don’t think we need to be great communicators, but let’s think about it.
You need to put together a loan package and convince your lender. This requires written and verbal communication. You have a new employee that isn’t quite up to par. You can ignore the issue, but solving it requires setting clear expectations and communicating your requests. The farm wants to clean out a drainage ditch, and you must present your case to the Army Corps of Engineers. Communication!
Communication has key elements we can all use and improve.
1-Listening for Meaning:
The cornerstone of effective communication lies in active listening. As a leader, cultivate the skill of truly hearing what others say. Beyond gathering accurate facts, pay attention to the emotions behind the message. Pay attention to body language, both yours and theirs. People under stress, excitement, or hesitation—all give off non-verbal cues that give more meaning than their words.
Often, the other side of the conflict just wants to be heard. You can listen to understand how they see the situation without agreeing with their conclusions or actions. Keep asking follow-up questions about their statements without debate until they feel heard. It’s only then that they are open to hearing you.
2-Transparency:
A lack of transparent communication can undermine employee engagement and family unity. When information is withheld either intentionally or unintentionally, uncertainty and doubt creep in. Your employees and your family will tell themselves a story that may not be accurate., but can you blame them? In the absence of information: gossip, rumors, and resentment usually follow.
It is not always easy, but have the courage to share openly, honestly, and frequently. With employees set clear expectations and guidelines. With family members, speak directly to them. While avoidance or going through a third party, like Mom, might seem easier, dealing with hard conversations directly will help you in the long run.
3-Clarity And Consistency:
Cut through the noise by honing your ability to communicate concisely. We often use unnecessary words that obscure our message. I was reminded of this recently when listening to an interview I gave. It was horrible! What I thought was clear logic was a mash-up of words, and not near the level of clarity I wanted.
Family members and family owners are best when they have face-to-face meetings regularly. This may seem like a stretch with all the work to be done, but monthly or even weekly meetings go a long way to decreasing conflict and keeping everyone pulling in the same direction. If there was a secret sauce of successful family farms, it’s this. Frequent, concise, and consistent business meetings. They are that important:
4-Ask for Feedback:
- “What can I do to make your job easier?”
- “What’s on your mind?”
- “I think I heard you say (paraphrase what you heard), Did I hear you correctly?”
As business owners, we don’t often ask for feedback. We assume we are understood. We assume our employees are in a good spot. We assume our family dynamics are good. Ask for feedback instead of waiting for a crisis to spot an issue. It might be hard to hear, but a crisis can be even harder. Some farms even anonymously rate their bosses each year on how well they lead!
In writing this article, I had to think back and recall if I have ever worked with a thriving family farm that was poor at communicating. No. Are there transition plans that are successful without good communication skills? No. Good communication skills will open doors and smooth the bumpy path of business and family. I genuinely believe that investing in improving these skills will pay your farm and family returns for decades.