My first leadership experience was in Enumclaw’s Chinook 4-H Club when I became a club officer in 2002 or 2003. From the beginning, the joy of serving was about more than a shared love of cows; it was about the people. It was also fun, and I have learned over the years that fun is an essential piece of the leadership puzzle. Over the years, those 4-H leadership positions evolved into various American Dairy Science Association and Farm Bureau leadership roles at the local and national levels. Regardless of the role, helping to strengthen our industry and move it forward was the collective goal.
A few months ago, I asked my Facebook friends what leadership means to them and their farms. Here are a few words that they shared: communication, appreciation, delegation, vision and accountability.
Other responses included valuing everyone’s contributions, leading by example, and “asking what [employees] need to make their jobs easier or improve procedures and then providing those things to show trust and respect.”
What do all these responses have in common?
They involve people.
Think about all the ways that you lead and why you do it. This could be self-leadership, leading your family, leading employees on your farm, industry leadership or various roles in church or other groups you belong to. What answers are coming to mind when you think about why you lead? How can you take your leadership to the next level? Are there skills that you want to further develop or areas you’d like to spend more time on? Even the best leaders have room to grow, and they are often looking at where they can improve.
As you ponder these questions, take a look at the articles in the business management section of this issue, which focus on how to enhance your own leadership skills and how to lead your employees well.
In Program aims to strengthen dairy farm leadership, employee engagement learn more about a program that is helping dairy owners and managers improve their management by surveying employees and then working with the farm’s leadership team to develop a plan to leverage strengths and improve weaknesses.
Bob Milligan also provides tips for onboarding new employees to get them off to an excellent start.
Additionally, Davon Cook discusses how peer groups and advisory boards can take your management to the next level. I interviewed her on the Progressive Dairy Podcast last fall, and she provided great tips and advice for setting up an advisory board on your farm and how to join a peer group of like-minded people. If you’d rather listen to this information instead of reading it, tune in to season 4, episode 30 of the Progressive Dairy Podcast to hear our conversation.
During a session led by Bruce Dehm at the Indiana Dairy Forum in February, Indiana dairy producer Steve Obert shared how implementing an advisory board on his farm has helped to bridge the gap between generations as his sons have transitioned into management. Read more about Obert’s experience and learn what else Dehm says successful dairies do well.
Whether you currently find yourself in the 4-H show ring, the boardroom or anywhere in between, continuing to sharpen your leadership skills helps to strengthen our youth organizations, our farms and our industry as a whole.
Happy National Dairy Month!
