Chapter 4.4 Develop people to grow your business and their career
Background information
The ability to quickly adapt to changing situations (seasons, markets and input costs) is a key factor in business success. Applying new knowledge and skills enables a business to seize opportunities and provides a buffer against influences beyond the farm gate.
It is important to commit to identifying and implementing new ideas for your business. This involves a commitment to gaining or developing the knowledge and skills of each individual and, through them, the lifting the capability of the whole business.
At a glance
- Commit to identifying and successfully applying new ideas for the business.
- Develop knowledge, skills and confidence within the business.
- Foster positive attitudes and support for change.
Developing knowledge, skills and confidence within a business requires a commitment to:
Seek new ideas and information
People with a commitment to learning, growth and improvement are those who are most likely to be able to adapt to the changing realities of business and family life. Learning creates opportunity and this can lead to new production and business options. In general, better trained people are more confident in their decision-making and are more likely to make timely decisions that can benefit the business.
There are many ways to learn, discover new ideas and identify opportunities. Some people prefer reading articles and books, while others prefer to attend workshops and field days or to participate in discussion groups and use the internet.
Commit to an annual training plan (Tool 4.4) for your team and family. What training would they like to attend or need to attend. Develop a plan and add a budget to boost accountability.
Tool 1.14 in MMFS Module 1 Plan for Success is a template for conducting a capability review, which assists in highlighting areas of strength to encourage and areas for further development and timeframes for their achievement.
Learn by doing and trying new ideas
Applying new knowledge or skills to benefit your business is not always a straightforward process. One useful approach is to always debrief and discuss what went well and what could be improved when you perform tasks. Examples of times to debrief include:
- A team member attends a training program. Discuss what they took from the program the pros and cons of the new approach or concept. Consider trying some changes that will benefit your business.
- Debrief with your team after they have participated in a key activity, for example, after pregnancy scanning. What did they observe, what do they think could be improved, how have they seen others approach this task, what would they recommend doing next? This builds their buy-in and brings new insights into your business.
Another idea is to allow your team to do a small trial of a new idea or ask them to present the idea as business case. This means they share their idea in a logical format and it is reviewed by the team for input and refinement. They may even use a partial budget process (Tool 1.14 in MMFS Module 1 Plan for Success) to identify the gains and trade-offs.
These processes consolidate learning by doing and trying new things. The key here is to be open to new ideas. You don’t have to make all of the changes suggested, but you can actively listen and discuss them. You may have been working on-farm for many years and have the advantage of experience. Allow the emerging team to have the same period of trial and error in a supportive workplace.
Encourage positive attitudes and support for change
There are many reasons why people are reluctant to adopt new ideas and implement change. Generally, these barriers to adoption can be attributed to either a lack of knowledge, skills and confidence or a lack of perceived benefits from the change.
When planning or implementing new ideas, use production or discussion groups to share experiences (good and bad) in a positive environment. This support significantly contributes to successful practice change, by sharing information and reinforcing positive outcomes and attitudes.
Good ways to develop the capability and confidence of business members include:
- At your business meetings, plan ways to improve the capacity to learn and implement change within the business.
- Allow the team opportunity to have input to business decisions and include them in the planning process so they become familiar with the process of assessing opportunities and risks.
- Use external information sources (discussion group or advisors) to assist with business decisions and include the team in these conversations to ask questions and learn more about how you utilise and implement advice.
- Develop and maintain a positive attitude. Build a commitment to whole-of-life learning, training and skills development.
SIGNPOSTS
There are two types of mindsets we can cultivate – one that embraces problems as opportunities to learn, and one that avoids them, often out of fear to fail.
Learn the difference between leading from trust versus threat.
Being successful in business requires a mix of skills, and that’s exactly what you’ll hear as you listen. It’s a collection of the latest information, talks and motivation for you and your business.
The stories of NSW’s best and brightest young farmers.
It doesn’t matter if you employ a few key staff members, a single manager, or are responsible for many employees in a corporate farm setting, it is vital to the running of your farm that you know how to engage and communicate with the people you employ.
Many employers think that the main reason people stay with or leave a workplace is due to the salary packages offered. While this may be true for some, there are often more complicated factors – in addition to a competitive salary, people value a challenging and rewarding workplace.
Sources, collates, and aggregates agricultural information, tools resources and opportunities, including training and events.
Host farmers provide paid, full time on-farm employment for a school leaver or young Australian for 10-12 months, whilst receiving support from the program to work with their new employee. The host shares their skills, knowledge and industry insights with the employee, as well as the employee participating in external training opportunities and industry events.
A template to record training for groups of workers.
Record formal and informal training received by a worker.
Handy templates such as career plans and training records. Developed by Dairy Australia but easily modified for the livestock industry.
A national program for young people in all facets of the wool industry which develops their leadership and professional skills.
Participants develop a better understanding of themselves and their teams, while learning more effective ways of creating a positive team culture through planning, goal setting and communication.
