Whether you’re a world-class athlete, parent, dairy manager or musician, almost all success comes from being “consistent.” But what does that really mean? Being consistent means … having the discipline to do something the same way over and over and over again.
It starts with just one person who does the same thing (correctly) until it becomes a habit. Eventually, it’s an action that seems to happen automatically and looks effortless … but it’s not.
It requires practice, time, patience and a ton of discipline. And in order for it to truly be called consistency in an organization, everyone needs to be doing their job the same way, every day.
So who is this one person who gets consistency started? You.
Basically, consistency is a chain reaction. If you expect your cows to perform consistently, they need to receive consistency. That means they need your employees to do their work consistently.
And if you expect your employees to work correctly and consistently, their managers and leaders need to be managing and leading consistently.
And that only happens when you demonstrate self-discipline and create good habits for yourself … day after day.
So … what are your daily habits? Do you randomly walk through pens after your cow movers clean them to make sure they’re doing what they’re supposed to every day?
Do you check the maternity area every day to see how clean and organized everything is and then compliment or correct the people who are responsible for what you see?
Do you ask your maintenance guy about his to-do list on a regular basis to make sure he’s keeping his (and your) priorities in order and is getting even the “littlest” things done?
What about you? This week, are you taking the time and effort to do what needs to be done to reach your goals?
Good or bad, your habits have put you in the exact place you are today. And no, that’s not supposed to be an inspirational quote that you see on Facebook. It’s simply reality.
You see, the equation of life is actually simple math … what you do + what you do + what you do = your life. Everything you do, whether positive or negative, adds up.
Your habits equal your results. Want to be a better manager? A better parent? A better person? You can. But first, you have to change what you do in order to create new habits.
Today, start focusing on how you manage your dairy’s team. Specifically, focus on your words and your actions. When it comes to your role as the leader of your team, ask yourself … “Do I follow through with what I say and then follow up to see what my employees are doing?”
If the answer is “no” or “sometimes,” don’t be surprised that your cows aren’t performing. Your animals are only as good as the people taking care of them. And the people taking care of them are only as good as you. PD
Tom Wall
Dairy Coach
Dairy Interactive, LLC
