For anyone who grows crops for a living or gardens as a hobby, this past “spring” will be hard to forget. Throughout most of the Midwest, it’s been an unusually long, snowy winter and short, wet spring.
Usually, the challenges of growing anything are pretty straightforward … plant, pray, fertilize, control weeds, pray, wait, pray, harvest, pray. When the weather cooperates, farming and gardening are really enjoyable. But when it doesn’t, Mother Nature can really take its toll on all your hard work.
Unfortunately, growing crops and raising animals doesn’t happen overnight. Agriculture is all about a long, steady process. Each seed takes time to germinate, and each plant takes time to produce.
And the same goes for cattle. From conception to production, it’s a process of years, not months. Yet when weather and illness strike, everything you worked for can be lost in a matter of hours, days or weeks.
Just like most things in life, the “good stuff” takes time to come together. World-class cheeses take months and years for their rich flavors to emerge.
Grand Champion genetics are developed over numerous generations of careful selection. Well-built facilities require detailed planning and quality craftsmanship.
Genuine, lasting relationships are developed over years of consistency and trust. And while you probably already know all of this, chances are you still get impatient and want what you want right now.
Sure, you don’t plant corn one week and then plan to harvest it the next. And you don’t breed cows today and expect them to deliver tomorrow. Of course, you’re well aware it takes time and preparation for your fields and animals to produce. So, what about your people?
If you hire new employees today, what do you expect from them tomorrow? Hopefully, you have high expectations for everyone on your team and count on them to deliver.
But how do you help make that happen? Sure, you hired them today because you needed them to work for you today. But if they just started, they probably don’t know what you want them to do unless you tell them … or better yet, show them.
I know, you’re busy doing your job and so are all the other people on your team. But if someone doesn’t invest time and energy into developing your people and their skills, how are they supposed to help you run your dairy?
You see, while many of your long-term employees are simply “putting in their time,” few people are “investing their time” into training new employees how to do their work correctly. And yet day after day, your dairy’s results are a product of the work your people do.
Unfortunately, when it comes to farming, there are a lot of things you don’t have a lot of control over. But developing your people isn’t one of them. Who knows?
This year, you might not be able to count on your crops. But you can still count on your people to take care of your cattle. Help your team help you; spend some time showing them how. PD
Tom Wall
Dairy Coach
Dairy Interactive, LLC
