A business that does not invest in or develop leaders, but instead only chase revenue, often falters. A farm business is no different, but the family dynamics present on farm operations can make leader development a tough proposition.
Speaking at Top Producer Summit in Nashville, Tenn., on Feb. 15, Rena Striegel, president of Transition Point Business Advisors, detailed five steps toward strengthening the core of a farm business: “I find that when top operations do these, they get better performance out of people, less stress, and better performance overall.”
The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!
Vision to Monsters
Unified Vision: First, Striegel recommends a unified vision for a long-term, 10-year plan. Whether the end target is diversification or expanded acreage, she stresses the need for an agreed-upon plan.
Define Roles: A family operation typically has a tricky time with precise job descriptions. Therefore, how does a farm create clarity of roles? “Build up a template to delegate responsibility and build in accountability to develop the next generation of leaders,” Striegel says.
Monitor and Measure: A periodic job review, rather than an annual review, may be optimal, and should be supplemented by individual development plans: “Wait until just one time of year and you may not be getting much information from the conversation.”
Remove Obstacles: “Identify roadblocks,” she says. “Who or what is the barrier to developing people?”
Don’t Ignore Monsters: Small issues move in one direction, inevitably larger in scope. “An operation can’t afford to ignore monsters, because they always grow into bigger problems. Kill monsters when they’re little and less problematic and get rid of them by increased structured communication.”
The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!
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