This spring, there is an increase of sales in certain sectors, driven by land stress and owners’ inability to weather another financial or literal storm. Many of these properties are monocultures or singularly focused production units and highly dependent on one source of income from one crop.

Monocultures are great for scaling up and for having one specialized line of equipment, data base, parts inventory, market, husbandry system and storage facilities. These farmers tend to be very good at what they do, are technically advanced and keenly focused on their chosen sector.

However, a monoculture is known to be tough on natural land regeneration if not handled properly and there is no safety net, other than hedging or government intervention through insurance, payout or subsidy.

Risk mitigation has always been important for farmers. Regardless of how nice a day it was when the farm was bought, there will be tough spells before it is sold or transferred.

There is no claim that mixed farms are under less tension from weather events, but something is usually harvestable and saleable. This mitigates crop and financial risk and can also be a labour advantage.

Bringing in several hundred people to harvest cherries and then sending them home is expensive, tough on the employee and does not spread the risk of labour acquisition. A farming operation with a variety of crops can distribute fewer staff over a longer season and, in some cases, create permanent homes for employee families with year-round engagement, especially if any value adding, such as packaging or product creation, occurs on the farm.

Debates around monoculture often focus on loss or lack of biodiversity. There is mounting scientific evidence that highlights the intergenerational advantage of bio-diverse systems. Farmers who like the open fields of a monoculture know the importance of this and practice such actions as no-till to ensure moisture retention.

Those buying land this spring are making a serious investment. The average increase in value of cultivated Canadian farmland was 11.5 per cent in 2023, and there is clear evidence that the cost of owning land in some areas now outstrips its income generation ability.

Regardless of farm size, the operation that uses a model of diversity and maintains and integrates natural landscapes may be more resilient in times of weather and financial stress, as the risk is spread over several enterprises. The big advantages in complimentary biodiverse systems are that water is captured and retained, land is renewed, carbon is sequestered, beneficial insects, birds and wildlife live in a harmonious ecology and there is cash flow in intervals.

Although the system might be stressed, it is not often destroyed when exposed to a series of extreme weather events. It’s something to think about when restructuring the farm for the future.

– This article was originally published in the May 27, 2024 issue of Farmtario.

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An inclusive culture starts with parenting that offers boys and girls the same opportunities, lets them make mistakes, invests with or in them, and sticks to a business plan that includes insurance, wills, business and financial planning, personal directives and transparent day-to-day discussions.

For this last column, I asked women specifically how they held their own space and what kept them inspired. Here’s what they told me.

Grace and forgiveness

This is the ability to pause, observe, think and find a harmonious solution. These women demonstrate grace. They forgive. They do not carry old hurts, but set boundaries so they can make decisions that are transparent and inclusive while protecting their time and place.

Regardless of the situation, the door remains open for new ideas, and in particular for the children who wish to come back to the farm or business.

Bringing more than a plate to the table

Observation was a big part of navigating those uncomfortable moments when these women were vulnerable to feeling small. The ability to recognize differences, styles, cultures, and the conditions of the dialogue, and to understand the relationships within the room was considered important to these women and to their holding their space in these conversations.

They also knew that as women in agriculture they brought more than a plate to the table. They knew their worth and described bringing creative, unique, and well-researched value to the farm along with a keen understanding of harmony and ingenious business ideas.

One woman summed it up saying: “By knowing my own value, I hold my own space.”

Creative, fluid and whip smart, these women were confident in their skills and loved to inspire to those around them.

Inspiring and empowering others

Always on the move, the ladies who contributed to this column loved to create events or businesses that were exclusive to them or their community. This way they were holding space or letting others know what they were capable of while inspiring others to fully appreciate their individuality and value. These “events” varied from fantastic family meetings to community learning and even international involvement, and all were based on the premise of empowering others to grow at their own pace.

Brilliant strategists regardless of the challenges they faced, the women I spoke with were thriving on solving the unsolvable and taking on challenging tasks. They were up to taking risks and adding new skills. There was a constant set of new goals and their idea of fun was to keep learning and growing.

They reported that what inspires them directly are great conversations, super challenges, keeping fit, making and keeping connections, and travel. They all love to speak publicly and are always looking at new business opportunities or ways of enhancing their existing farm or business.

Worthy of special recognition here is the way they use their time and talents to open the conversation and to develop space for others. This is leadership exemplified. They use their ability to inspire others to grow the business and the community in which they live and as fuel in their own tank.

Creating a culture of inclusiveness

The stages of succession differ across the nation. Not all the women were raised in farming families while others were third and fourth generation. Those with small children were starting to plan and looking for creative ways of being fair. Other families were stuck keeping busy without advancing, or the family was in limbo because the farm could not support all the siblings.

A few were generations into very successful and inclusive transitions while others were generations into unhappy and combative exclusion. The daughters-in-law had to navigate a set of special circumstances and were able to do so when the in-laws engaged in being fully transparent and inclusive. In several enterprises, it was the daughter-in-law who championed the shift into knowledge-based decision-making. All the participants leaned on knowledge to move the business along and to defer boredom.

Knowledge-based decision making means embracing travel and conversation that takes on a broader perspective, creative marketing options, the incorporation of science and technology, the populating and analytics of data, a full appreciation of taxation and formal structure, the impact of society and social schemes, climate control, risk mitigation, home and farm safety, and time management.

All that is possible

Only 20 per cent of the trailblazers I spoke to for this series reported having been part of an inclusive culture that was fully supportive. Regardless, 100 per cent of the group are wildly successful, confident, and educated, and they shared that they know their worth, love their business and find great satisfaction in inspiring and empowering others. They understand that when they see themselves as valuable, it creates space for them to thrive.

Yes, there are challenges for these women and certainly we must continue to address lack of access to capital, wage parity, fairness and equality in farm succession, lack of tools and information for farm families specific to planning purposes, the overall shortage of financial, business and estate plans, geographical and gender isolation, the shortage of human resources, social stigmas, and assumed gender roles along with a host of day-to-day issues that are part of societal evolution. No worries — it will be done.

Let me say it again. These authentic, curious and creative lifelong learners bring more than a plate to the table; they exemplify all that is possible, all that is possible in you and in me, in our communities, homes, businesses and farms.

The post Defining the culture for a successful female in agriculture (Part 2) appeared first on Country Guide.

In this column I look at the challenges these trailblazing women faced in business, and how they navigated through them.

“Keep your day job!”

Their education varied but most of the women I interviewed had some sort of secondary education and had worked in a related field before coming back to the farm or building a new business.

Most had also encountered skeptics who told them, “Keep your day job.” Interpreted, this means the women were being told they wouldn’t make it on their own. They’d need a backstop.

That didn’t deter these entrepreneurs; it just made them more determined in executing their business plans. And while some did keep their day job, because they loved their job and were really good at it, this did not blind them to the necessary steps in building the farm or agri-business.

Show me the numbers!

In many farms and farm businesses, the new girl on the block was the first to insist on the importance of financials as part of the succession process. Although the financial capabilities of the families varied, this was a unifying theme. These women took the time to set goals so that the whole unit and all the partners could envision a step-by-step process. This also added a layer of transparency which kept harmony in the team. In families and teams where there was full transparency and an ongoing focus on the financials, the steps were focused on the growth potential both inside and outside of agriculture, including tackling the role and fair treatment of non-farming children.

It was always a step-by-step process, particularly when one was the daughter-in-law. Financial tracking and a strong business focus moved the team from being “in” business to working “on” business. Being in business means we’re busy, so it can feel like we’re making progress, but working on the business means we’re really digging deep into the possible.

This time of focus was critically important.

Give me time — and money — and help

Our trailblazing women asked for time for themselves and their business partners. This included time to work on the business, time to evaluate the goals, time for education and growth, for social engagement, to recalibrate and to put together the processes, time to parent, creative time and time to rest.

These women looked at business from a holistic perspective, knowing that business is so much a part of life. They sought to be around individuals who appreciated their business goals and applauded both their creativity and how they were juggling their unique selves in a traditional business world.

The traditional culture in agriculture was taxing for many of our women. They were told no one needs a business plan to farm, and they were cut out of social events because of gender.

There was also the idea that working hard was how the family had resolved its financial woes in the past and how it always would. Yet these women saw how often this only delayed the inevitable and wore out the farming family.

Access to capital remains an issue, plus the insulting question of “What is your daddy going to back you with.” We know this is starting to shift, but this took time and persistence and an exceptional business plan with measurable goals.

Legacy farms had another layer of complication, and parents struggled with letting go. It was a tough balance for those entering the business to be sensitive to the history as they incorporated what needed to be done.

Finding individuals who were authentically supportive was one path these women travelled. This was especially important to combat geographical isolation. However, when it came to finding staff, especially managerial staff who understood their vision and were willing to work toward measurable goals, the pool of talent was lacking.

Filling this gap was tough, exhausting and continuous.

Where do I fit in?

The big challenge for these women was knowing where they fit in, especially if the family was uncertain of what the plan was. Knowing their role within the business was described several times as investment insurance.

For the daughter-in-law, it was important to know how she fit in as a business partner. For the creative entrepreneur, it included where she fit within the industry and the community. For the young mom, it was how she fit in as both a full business partner and a parent.

All these questions were even more difficult if all the siblings wanted back on the farm and there was simply not enough to go around, or if the family had little experience working interdependently.

In the end, though, these women remained enthusiastic and optimistic. They were happy to share their authentic stories. They loved their career in agriculture.

How did they hold their own space and stay inspired? Find out next issue.

Brenda Schoepp is completing her MA Global Leadership and is an international mentor, author and speaker. She may be contacted through her website brendaschoepp.com.

The post Defining the culture for a successful female in agriculture appeared first on Country Guide.

For the transformation, the caterpillar stops eating and hangs upside down from a branch, again at considerable risk. But it has no choice. It has to go inward in order to grow wings.

Soon it will be able to fly, to mate, to pollinate, to do everything. Except one thing, of course. It cannot turn back into a caterpillar.

How like a farm!

The fire within

The world is complex. Experiences differ. It is difficult to lead a team to places where we ourselves have not been. It takes great empathy and understanding of the people you are trying to lead.

There are many books on leadership that talk about what you should DO. Very few address who you should BE.

In speaking with global leaders in food, I have found leadership is not about a linear focus on training or performance. Leadership is about living experiences that transform the way we see ourselves in the world and how we walk beside those who journey with us. It is about our purpose.

These leaders talk of experiences that shifted their perspective so profoundly that the idea of a leader’s purpose became evident to them.

Interestingly, these people often didn’t set out to be at the top but were driven to follow the vision or create the change that derived from a transformative moment. It was a tough, sometimes heart-wrenching or inspiring experience that ignited a fire in these men and women and morphed them into amazing influencers.

No turning back

The butterfly can’t become a caterpillar again. Oliver Wendell Holmes said: “A mind that has been stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions.”

Tough and crazy times can be our best teachers, and although that is hard to appreciate in the moment, the global leaders I talked to had seen it too. You don’t forget the day when you saw your focus on your work had blinded you to the needs of your family, or that a mistake on your watch caused a financial collapse or damaged your reputation and the reputation of others.

These are transformational teachers.

Likely of Buddhist origin, there is a saying: When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. It means we have to drop the idea that progress is always incremental and linear. We have to accept the new, and it is this acceptance that will be challenging. The past was just part of the journey. The teacher had yet to appear.

Living the problem is part of the solution. It allows experienced leaders to repeatedly ask themselves critical questions such as: How do I help my community? How do I lead in this business? How do I fit in this world? Where am I making a difference? Do I deserve to be here?

There is not one solution, just as there is not one experience. Each day brings challenge and some bring crisis. Others bring pure joy. Any can be transformational.

Most important is the ability of the leader to create a culture where others can follow their curiosity and where they can experience the transformation themselves, allowing them to also fly away.

Fly away

Staying in the same place is like a caterpillar that does not cross the path, climb the tree or want to hang upside down. Stuck on the other side — that is the only world they will see.

Unless the caterpillar lives fully and with some risk, it will never live at its best.

So find ways to increase your experience. There is a reason many interesting and very effective leaders have a lot of air miles: they travel a lot and say this is important.

It isn’t being in a meeting that matters. Instead, it’s who is there, why they are there, and what is the challenge in that place and at that time. How are people building pathways that are reflective of need and respectful of the culture you are in.

It is finding ways to empower those around you to be creative, transformational leaders themselves.

Be that person. Be in the same space as those you lead. Listening, caring and taking action will encourage others to appreciate the value of their own experiences. The metamorphosis begins simply and by going within. It leaves one both vulnerable and transformed with a greater appreciation of the broader context of the world in which we live and our role within it.

The post Metamorphosis appeared first on Country Guide.

For newcomers into the family, though, it can be a bit much. That’s a lot of love in one room, and if they came from homes or a place where love and kindness are not expressed it can seem surreal.

We have often been asked: How do so many people get along?

There is a lot of work that goes into building deep respect. Family leadership does not happen by default; there needs to be a full recognition and acceptance of the diversity within the unit to make it all work. My joyous grandmother had set the tone, and as a family we do our best to follow her example.

This has become our culture.

Your baggage has arrived

Every family is a culture unto itself. It forms a community of different persons. From birth, children express their unique characters and we marvel or worry about their behaviour. Parents have to really work at leaving their past experiences behind so they can savour living in the moment with these unique children.

Sometimes, we know, it can all just go crashing down. It’s like a bell ringing and someone shouting; “Your baggage has arrived!”

As we grow, we create a past. In that history are events and experiences that shaped our view of the world. The journey may have been rocky. As individuals, we are affected differently. One person who witnesses violence develops a lifetime commitment to kindness while another carries on with the same violent behaviour to cope. Both can have baggage arrive at any time when they are triggered.

When our baggage arrives it is all right to go into a place of deep caring — for oneself. This is part of transformation and the diversity within ourselves.

Leadership is the ability to deal with those feelings honestly without taking down the rest of the family.

And, when others are acting in a way that is worrisome for us, we must accept that they are busy packing up their own baggage.

Intensive listening

In my research, the acceptance of diversity shines as one of the top five values of top leaders. So is intensive listening.

Intensive listening is more than hearing what is said; it is also the art of hearing what is not being said. An intensive listener does not preclude the next sentence nor do they let their bias stand in the way. Bias is a result of our experiences and it is part of the baggage we carry into a conversation.

Saying: “We have never done it that way before” is a bias laced with fear of the unknown or of change. Responding with: “I have never looked at this from that perspective before, tell me more” is an invitational approach.

Even when we are overrun with emotion or truly want to help, we must tune in with intensive listening. I recall just once being very angry with my children because their safety was in jeopardy and I was terrified. My first response was to admonish them for their choice. When I calmed down and listened to the whole story and fully appreciated the layers of the situation, I recognized that the children actually made a reasonable decision given the danger they were in. I could retract, apologize and invite further dialogue.

This conversation was the basis of collaborating with them on the development of protocols for their safety. Had I not listened intensely, even after expressing my own fear inappropriately, the opportunity for a rich, complex and valuable conversation would have been lost.

The courage is in the asking; the leadership is in the acceptance of the answer and of the person from whom it came.

It might be momentarily uncomfortable but certainly rewarding to know just what is happening with someone so important to you. It took great courage to address being a full-time working and travelling mom with my adult children. It took leadership to accept their answers about how that affected them. It takes courage to ask a detached child about the drug needle in their room. It takes leadership to dig in and listen deeply without judgment.

Inclusion is critical for it is only in being together and appreciating each other that the relationship can grow. If your child or spouse shouts out “You never ask me,” that is a great opportunity to consider that they do not feel heard. Intensively and respectfully listening is part of the invitation to be included in family life.

Leadership defined

Leadership defined is the acceptance of all people in all places at all times — and the ability to lead by walking beside others while leaving their dignity intact. When we are unsure of where someone is coming from, we can ask with the intent of listening to the answer or at the very least — simply be kind.

Leading in families is not about power or decision-making, and it most certainly is not about fear. Family leadership is exemplifying acceptance, deep caring, intensive listening and the preservation of dignity, even when the baggage arrives.

The post Trailblazing (Part 3): Family leadership — all together now! appeared first on Country Guide.

The value of curiosity also came up repeatedly when I spoke to global leaders in food for my independent research. These leaders described curiosity as the foundation for continual growth in their leadership capability.

Throw the book out!

In looking at leadership in the past, Canadians have relied on American publications that saw success as a measurable thing. They defined an accomplished leader as one who meets concrete targets or who has a large following.

In my leadership studies and in my own business life, I never really fit into those definitions. You may not either. It’s why I set about exploring leadership by interviewing well-regarded men and women about their experience.

One of the attributes they honoured was curiosity, by which they meant both being curious themselves, and leading curious teams.

Get in on a great conversation

I think of great conversationalists I have met in my time. These were folks who knew how to visit, how to interact and ask questions, how to make you feel important through the conversation.

The foundation for the curious leader is threefold:

• The curious leader asks questions with the intent of actually listening to the answers and acting on that information.
• The curious leader is open to a wide diversity of thought.
• The curious leader accepts and welcomes those on their teams and in their families who challenge the status quo and have a different way of looking at things.

You are not curious if you do not welcome diversity, if you are not ready for difficult conversations, and if you are not willing to let people try new things.

Damage is done when you do not listen deeply, or when you do not provide a timely response. Respect from team and family members can be lost. As a leader, you must be ready to respond.

Learn from real experience

In conversation with truly astounding leaders I have not once heard them refer to training or books as the foundation for their skill. Instead, their leadership ability came mainly from being in the trenches, from making mistakes, and from being accountable for the team’s actions.

It also came from being able to find creative and collaborative solutions, from facing extraordinary challenges, and from listening to multiple stakeholders.

These leaders could come up with a plan and still be vulnerable enough to keep asking questions.

Many experiences that leaders have are transformational in nature. They may come through volunteering with those less fortunate, perhaps, or during a crisis at work that is costly in terms of profit, lives or reputation. Or maybe an incident at home opens the doors for a new look at life. Those are just some of the examples of where transformation can occur.

While it used to be experience in the boardroom that counted, now it is experience in life that is valued. When combined with authentic empathy, you have the bones of a curious leader.

Walk this way

Empathy is that ability to step into the shoes of someone else. More importantly, my research revealed that these great leaders were concerned about walking not in front or in the back of their family or teams, but in step beside them.

This is a new look at leading and throws all reference to tribes and drivers of performance out of the window.

Thinking about it, how can you be curious if you aren’t asking questions that your team is close enough to hear? How can those you lead feel validated if your approach is to herd them from behind?

Getting a team or family member to “meet performance targets” or “finish that field before you eat” does not inspire or empower them as stakeholders in the process.

Walking beside is saying: What are your thoughts on meeting the performance targets that we share the responsibility for meeting?

Listening to the answer and coming to a solution through this collaborative approach keeps the team inspired and helps them feel part of the goal. In the field, you can walk beside your team member and ask: How can I help you finish this field?

Know yourself

Inspiration works both ways. A curious leader will feel inspired when their team or family presents new avenues of thinking and doing.

My leaders shared that it is important to know and understand yourself and your leadership style well enough to lead authentically.

To truly be curious you must be real, you must have humility and you need a keen understanding of the cohesive nature of learning and performance.

There is a term for this. It is called intellectual humility.

There is always room for curiosity. Regardless of the goal in your family or team, there is space. In walking beside and in learning with your family and team, the curious leader builds resilience and invites growth. It takes courage, humility and acceptance to be curious in leadership.

The curious leader is willing to invite diverse thought with the intent of listening and acting upon those ideas in a collaborative way, inspiring and empowering families and teams.

The post Trailblazing (Part 2) appeared first on Country Guide.

In this first part of a three-part series, I went across Canada and asked trailblazers — highly successful women in farming, agriculture and agri-business — about their journeys starting from the time they were girls.

They pursued their dreams despite having very diverse back stories. Still, we need to recognize that the on-farm cultures they grew up in were extraordinarily different, and those differences helped determine the pathways they chose to get to where they are today.

The weight of our words

I asked women to reflect on the culture that they grew up in. Those environments that ranged from absolute restriction to complete freedom and operational transparency. The family setting was important, and the activity within it meant that living space could be anything from utter isolation through to a liberal incubator of creativity.

In some farm families the girls were not allowed to explore their potential, let alone work or play outside, while in other families all the children were given free rein to try anything they wished.

In families that looked at the children through the eye of equality, often the girls and boys were given cash, cows, crop or other commodities (including the invaluable commodity of patience) to experiment with, and there was no criticism if things went sideways.

When a family could not afford to do this, there were many instances where a friend or neighbour played a role in getting the children started in business. This built a sense of self-esteem and courage and also introduced the boys and girls to the financial side of agriculture. The more invested the children were without restraint, the quicker they progressed as individuals. These children felt secure.

By contrast, women who were ridiculed, held back, told to lower their expectations or were simply ignored as girls, shared how deeply it cut into their self-esteem and how painful the journey was.

They repeatedly spoke of frustration and grief, and there were remnants of anger for being treated as less of a person. For women with these experiences, it was common to struggle with a lack of confidence, and several reported having been in therapy to deal with grief and to learn how to set boundaries for the future.

• Setting personal boundaries

Women who were strongly supported as girls reported it was sometimes a challenge to set boundaries because their spirited capability meant they believed they could do anything. Those who were not supported as girls were focused on setting boundaries so they felt they had control of their choices and felt safe.

• The role of the authentic parent

A foundational factor in the rapid success of women in agriculture and business was the authentic parent who modelled what they said and who lived their lives with full investment in the success of their children. The most common word used in the transcripts of this set of interviews was “Dad.”

The way that fathers acted and executed in life had a profound effect on the self-esteem of their daughters.

Dads who fully believed in the capabilities of their children and remained curious in their own lives created a space for confident individualism which is really critical in agriculture. In families without a dad, the mother had the same influence. Most daughters were very forgiving, noting that as long as the families were trying, the women felt they were heard.

• Transparent transactions

While being heard was great for confidence, it was never a substitute for authentic action and more specifically for planning. Parents who talked the talk and walked the walk by having specific and transparent insurance, wills, personal directives, business and investment planning, and who shared that consistently with their children, laid the groundwork for successful male and female heirs and independent business persons from the family unit.

Potential conflicts between siblings were deeply mitigated, even in the event of crisis, when transparent planning was in place.

Transparency and truth were the main ingredients in successful family meetings, but the authentic parent took it to the end goal by ensuring they did what they said they would do. When women did not have this experience, they sought and received support from other reliable people in their lives including friends, in-laws, neighbours, mentors, advisors, partners or supportive social groups.

• Culture undefined

The process of interviewing brought to light the wide variation in the emotional journey women travelled to become successful in agriculture and related businesses.

Allowing for girls (and boys) to make production and financial decisions early had a deep impact on their confidence and contributed to their own financial independence.

The words and actions of parents, particularly the father, were incredibly impactful. Curious parents and those who were willing to back the child despite their own inexperience were invaluable.

Although these women were all determined and visionaries as little girls, the tools and support systems they employed later in life differed in relation to that early childhood experience. The lack of nurture for some did set them back — for a while — but they found a way to set boundaries, fit in and they nurtured the authentic relationships they needed to progress.

What’s next?

I acknowledge that every family unit is different and families have different levels of access to tools and information. There is no judgment on these pages.

It is inspiring that regardless of the life of the girl, all the women I interviewed found a pathway to success and overcame the obstacles they encountered and are today happy, healthy and significant contributors to our agricultural community.

Their journeys have been both challenging and exhilarating. Read more in Part 2 in the May/June issue of Country Guide.

The post Trailblazing appeared first on Country Guide.

Finding a mentor can come through predictable channels such as having a mentor assigned through a mentorship program, asking someone you know or know of, hearing them speak or reading their work, following them on social media or having them recommended to you.

Many times, however, the art of discovery is quite random. You’re just in the right space at the right time and somehow recognizing deep inside you that you want this person on your team.

Country Guide asked me: Then what? After you have identified a potential mentor, how do you approach them? How do you make a pitch? What behaviours do you model? And more importantly, when you do find your mentor, how do you get family or teams on board?

They are all good questions.

The first sign that the person might be the right mentor for you is that they resonate with you — often in a deep and emotional way. It helps if they understand the business you are in but it is not a deal breaker. The journey with a mentor is personal and focused on your growth with the outcomes as secondary.

Mentoring is in a different category than coaching or managing. Mentoring is about your inner self and your values and beliefs, while coaching, training and managing focus on solutions or your behaviour.

In saying this, it is important to know what you are asking for. Truthfully, first encounters are often business questions.

Here’s the question I often ask potential mentees: “Are you ready for this?” A good mentor will recognize your needs — a great mentor will take you on the ride of your life. Looking back on mentorship, many mentees comment on how quickly they progressed while profiting personally and professionally.

I consulted with governance expert Jane Halford, who explains it is “how you show up” that matters. This is a reflection on why you care and why it is important that others do too.

How should you show up?

Show up with a genuine interest in transition and do not expect your mentor to provide instant solutions. Be authentic; this has to be your priority when you approach a potential mentor, and it takes some courage. It is important, Halford says, to communicate why this is important to you.

You may feel uneasy, in which case simply ask for some time with the mentor. Respectfully ask what works for them and mentally prepare for that formal discussion.

If you have approached the potential mentor in a public setting then extend an invitation to have a meeting at a time that works for them later. If approaching them in a private setting where there is time for a conversation, be prepared for tough questions right out of the gate. You may get asked: Tell me about yourself. Why is this important to you? Who does this affect?

Be genuine in your responses. A good mentor will smell a fabricated answer immediately and lose interest just as fast. Behaviours such as sugar coating, exaggerations, making false claims or casting blame on other parties are indications that you are not ready for the conversation.

Our respect for ourselves is mirrored visually — the way we groom, move, sit, how we form our questions. The man with hands in pockets, covered in dirt and smelling like the barn who wanted help selling meat was not a candidate, but the young man who was groomed, who stretched out his hand to introduce himself and who respectfully asked for a meeting was. Similarly, the young woman who was telling the mentor the solutions for her life and wanted an outside party to validate them was not ready, but the woman who quietly said “I am having trouble navigating this complex world of agricultural management” was joyfully mentored.

Being mentored means being vulnerable. The best advice is to “start where you are” in your conversation with a potential mentor. Although history gets us to a point in life, it is not as relevant as where you are. A good mentor will pull in the past information they need while helping with vision, but the starting point is the moment you ask.

When introducing yourself, simply state who you are and a short invitation. For example: “My name is Taylor and what you said really resonated with me today. I am mid-career as a food producer with a large family at home and at a point in my life where I would appreciate a mentor. Would you have time to talk about this with me?”

A mentor will expose you to places that are profoundly reflective and that may result in changes in your behaviour or business goals, things folks around you will notice. As a mentee you are the steward of your vision but your mentor helps you define that reality.

Complex relationships are part of our human development. In most cases, but not all, it is critical that your family or team is aware you are being mentored and that they are asked to support you on this journey.

Nelson Mandela urged that our choices reflect our hopes, not our fears, and in this we remember that a mentor allows us to deeply experience all that is possible.

Take stock of where you are today and share that respectfully and authentically with a potential mentor. That is the first and hardest step. Be aware of how you show up by being visually and mentally prepared for your introduction.

Most importantly, be genuine. Let your mentor see your desire for learning and growth. That is the reason for the entire exercise.

The post Opinion: Find the right mentor appeared first on Country Guide.

1. Women need healthier tax attitudes

Women need farm families to think outside of tradition and embrace creative tax solutions.

“Why do we keep repeating the same things over and over again?” one woman asked. “Why are farmers stuck in their thoughts and actions?”

This was a repeated question and an area that mystified business women in agriculture. The fact that farms do things for “lifestyle” or because “that is the way we always did” or “to avoid tax” did not make sense to them.

A lengthy discussion on farm tax resulted in identifying a root problem of tax avoidance and the systems that support it. For many farms, tax avoidance increases debt load, particularly on depreciating assets.

There is no business in the world that supports this as a credible financial strategy when without cash reserve. Wisely used it can be amazing for established farms to put investment back into agriculture, but for small farms and those farms with little equity or cash, it is a minefield.

Women know this and urge that these traditional systems be challenged within agriculture and within the tax and accounting community. Creative solutions are required for agriculture to move forward.

2. Women need farm partners to recognize the business of farming

This has been an issue for the 40 years that I was farming but I had assumed, incorrectly, that today’s beginning farmers, who often have extensive education, would be more inclined to sit down for business meetings. Not so. This remains an area of frustration for women who are farming or with farming partners.

Where does that come from? Perhaps it was the “dumb farmer” or “dirty old farmer” image that many at one time had. I recall being at a formal event where an urbanite knew me as a farmer.

I met one farm woman at a conference. Looking at my black dress and pearls she said: “That really works for you. Aren’t you usually in coveralls standing in a field someplace?” Ouch. But it does speak to a cultural image that may or not be lurking in our own homes.

Parents must be sensitive to ensuring that agriculture is seen as a profession at home and at all times, and carve out space for this important topic. This nurtures an interest in business and the business plan and becomes a new culture within agriculture.

Money is a great motivator for behavioural change when it is respected. Respecting ourselves enough to appreciate that we are in the business of agriculture is critical. An outstanding question is: Should we seek accreditation, particularly in financial literacy, to farm?

3. Women need responsible lenders

While it is true that the past history of lending has neglected women in business and in farming, that is quickly fading. Research up to 2012 indicated that women with the same credible loan proposal were declined more than half the time based on gender.

I share that experience with many others. As a young woman who owned and farmed her own land, I was told by a bank manager I would never succeed because I was a woman, and another told me I would never succeed because I did not have an education. It was tough to get lending.

Women now are also asking for a different discipline from financial institutions, claiming money is too easy, particularly for their established and beginning male partners and specifically for depreciating assets. The pressure to “sign” is huge even if the loan simply does not make sense. They would rather see responsible lending that encourages cash reserves for the procurement of appreciating assets.

4. Women need more support in succession planning

One woman captured this need with her comments: “Our present situation stems from past generations not wanting to make hard decisions. We are repeating the same thing again.”

It is pretty hard to grow as a farm, as a family and as an individual when there is a lid on family succession discussion. Women want more access to tools and people to promote, navigate and successfully plan for their future.

In my travels I have found this to be the greatest area of “hurt” for farm men and women and yet it remains a silent elephant on the majority of Canadian farms.

5. Women need to be respected and heard

The pain was evident in her voice as one woman described to me how she managed the family farm with the assumption of being the one next in line — until she married.

With a new male on the place, the sole daughter suddenly became less capable and she watched in bewilderment as the men now made decisions without and around her.

This is a cultural default and it is a challenge for men to check. I encourage men to ensure that the culture they are creating is inclusive, equal and conducive for a successful female heir. Women also need to hold space for themselves, and they need to own it. Use your business voice.

It really is about changing behavioural patterns.

6. Women need lower energy costs and universal day care

Many women work off the farm either by choice or necessity. “This is Canada,” a young farming mother railed. “Why are we paying the highest price for gas and fuel in the world?” For moms who travel long distances on rural roads to get to work the price of fuel is a handicap. Why do we pay so much for fuel?

Perhaps it is time to challenge the heavy taxation of all Canadians so that working women and men can engage more freely in the economy.

Children growing up on the farm are often left in circumstances their parents are uncomfortable with but have to accept because of the lack of appropriate care. This is an age-old problem.

My grandmother often spoke of the anxiety of running between the barn and the house as she tried to milk cows and keep an eye on five children. I recall my anxiety, missing an early bus drop-off during a blizzard because I was working.

Farm children can be at risk because rural day care does not exist or is prohibitive in cost. An Alberta mom pays $950 to $1,200 per month per child for licensed day care. A mom in Quebec pays $175 under universal licensed care. It is simple math. Families need accessible and universal day care.

7. Women want more knowledge

The desire and curiosity for more knowledge came from all places and ages of women. Women who are new to the farm want more knowledge about areas such as agronomy or marketing, so they can fully participate in the discussion. Women already farming are not looking for a “you can do this” conversation. They are already doing it.

Nor do they support narrow women-only gateways for business. They want greater access to learning on subjects such as advanced financial literacy, advanced business strategy and marketing, strategic planning and employee management.

They need courses that are taught in an open collaborative manner and in a way that the learnings can be communicated back to the farm.

Bringing it all home

Communication remains a key for farm families to grow and for individuals within those family units to feel worthy. When the focus is on the tradition of farming without an appreciation for business, without a plan and without creative tax and lending solutions, the whole farm suffers.

For women there are the hurdles of distance, childcare and cost as well as the lack of learning events to take them to higher ground.

Thank you to the women who participated for this article and who clearly expressed that they see all of these challenges as opportunities for change, growth, prosperity and empowerment.

Brenda Schoepp is completing her MA Global Leadership and is an international mentor, author and speaker. She may be contacted through her website brendaschoepp.com.

The post What women in agriculture need and want appeared first on Country Guide.

I didn’t have the answers so I went to 25 individuals who have experienced mentorship through their industry, business or education.

The questions I asked were:

• How and why did you choose to contact a mentor?
• What made you consider going from your original questions to being part of a mentorship?
• What was the mentorship experience like for you?
• Were there benefits that you could not experience through research, observation or other forms of information? Please describe them.
• How has being part of a mentorship changed the way you look at your business and your future?

There was very little differentiation among the responses in terms of gender, age, industry or geographical location. The answers from men and women and from beginning versus established business were very similar.

Generally, people contact a potential mentor after they have seen or talked to them in person. Perhaps they met at a function, or the prospective mentor was speaking, teaching or visiting the farm, business or classroom.

There were a few “cold calls” where the mentor was contacted based on what the prospective mentee had heard from friends. One participant had read about mentoring and specific mentors, which spurred a contact.

Initially, the contact was always some sort of appeal or business question that the mentee wanted to ask of someone outside of the family. This approach was made because the participants saw the mentor as honest, open and knowledgeable, and they felt secure in approaching them.

Everyone I interviewed talked about an immediate feeling of comfort, safety and trust. The prospective mentor’s knowledge or reputation was always the impetus behind the first question, but it was HOW the mentor responded to the formative question that created the next step in the relationship.

The absolute honesty of the mentor was important, as was the direct eye contact and general body language.

In this participant group, it was obvious that their mentors were engaged and showed signs of “caring from the very beginning.” Even more striking was the mentor’s ability to “see right through” the question from the start. In other words, a good mentor was able to read more into the question and into the person’s needs right from the first moment of contact.

The transition from wanting to talk to the person to desiring a mentorship with them was ignited by how the mentor replied and in what manner they were able to shift the conversation from the problem to the person. Mentees saw this as a validation of their importance.

On the business side, mentees talked about the doors that were opened to them personally and professionally. This happened through exposure to events and information, and also via good advice.

The mentorship experience was also described as “dipping into practical experiences that you could not get in a book or through a webinar” and was supported by a constant feeling of “having someone in your corner.”

Being able to communicate with someone who knows your business and the businesses you are in but is at arm’s-length from the emotion was especially appreciated by the mentees. This calculated support allowed for independent thinking.

This meant that when the mentees wanted to make decisions, they felt they had clarity as to the issue, the solution and the potential outcomes. “A reasonable step for the right reasons” was a common theme raised by mentees, reflecting a nurtured discipline.

‘Made me money’

Did this help business? Participants shouted a resounding “yes” and said their mentors not only opened doors but “made them money.”

The experience taught mentees to “trust themselves,” “build skills” and “fully appreciate that they had many choices.” They were not only better equipped for business but found they were making better decisions.

The bottom line, however, was in personal growth as was summed up by this comment: “There are lots of ways to measure success but getting validation from someone in your industry that you respect was invaluable.”

Transformational change

What transformational changes did the mentees experience?

All participants indicated that being in a relationship of faith and trust was a huge confidence builder. More than just a professional sounding board, a great mentor was seen as one who invested in the mentee’s personal growth and gave “feedback that you just don’t get when you go it alone.”

Mentees themselves said they started to “see myself with respect” and they were also now aware of attitudes that may have held them back in the past such as “the unrealistic expectations we had put on ourselves.”

The transitional experience of moving from the fear of asking the initial question to a full understanding and appreciation of themselves and their business was described repeatedly as “profound.”

What does this have to do with leadership? The participants all expressed that they saw the mentor first and foremost as one “working in a leading role” who was deeply connected in the business or area that they were working or interested in. They found the vibe of the mentor to be warm and supportive and described them as someone who exercised strong interpersonal skills.

Those skills created an atmosphere that the participants described as “a space where I could be myself.”

Both great mentorship and effective leadership are empowering. They nurture people towards transformational choices and change without offering solutions, while preserving their dignity and respect.

Several of the participants are now industry leaders and mentors themselves — a result that they claim stemmed from the experience of when mentorship changed their business and their life.

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