“You cannot imagine what it’s like to live close to your parents-in-law.” I often hear this from clients. But I can. When I was young, my brother and his wife were neighbours of the family home. As a farmer’s spouse, I lived across from my parents-in-law for 30 years. Eventually, I became a mother-in-law myself. […] Read more
Levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout have never been so high across all industries, but we see it particularly in the farming business. Even though technology purports to simplify our lives, we’re experiencing more and more over-investment in work. Many farmers tell me they’re exhausted, with no time to catch up. Moreover, everyone wants it […] Read more
Innovation can be successfully harnessed on today’s farms. Here’s how
Some farmers seem to have a talent for developing new markets, new products, or new and better ways of getting things done. They innovate. Is that talent something they were born with? More to the point, can your enterprise promote innovation and creativity? Does environment contribute to innovation, and can you, as a leader, support […] Read more
These seven steps will help you thrive, not just survive
We face challenges and disappointments. What is it that determines whether you will overcome these and thrive, or merely survive? Some people have developed a thriver’s mindset. They are masters of challenge and change. They grow during difficulties by leaning into stress, and by relying on special resources. There is good news, however. Science is […] Read more
Good leaders seem special. It’s a talent you can grow
People with charisma stand out. It’s a trait that we associate with leadership — that something special that makes an individual seem exceptional. But it turns out that charisma has little to do with good looks, wealth, titles or authority, and although it can seem that individuals with charisma must have inherited it at their […] Read more
Be happier and more productive
Today, people have a lot more “stuff.” Houses are bigger, there is more storage space, and with new technology, online “clouds” store our virtual photos, videos, and documents. It seems as though there are an infinite number of spaces to accumulate “stuff.” Is it good to have so much stuff? Does all this stuff actually […] Read more
It is always about him. He doesn’t care about his children or spouse or employees’ needs. He treats me like I cannot think for myself and that I have no value. I’m going completely crazy.” Does this ring a bell? If so, you’re probably dealing with a manipulator. We all manipulate from time to time. […] Read more
Be watchful of what are seen as less-severe mood swings
If it sometimes feels like your roller-coaster never really stops, maybe you suffer from cyclothymia, a mild version of bipolar disorder. You wouldn’t be alone. I have met dozens of producers who have this disorder, and who come to see it as the source of their misfortunes. Obviously, they consult me when they’re “down” because, […] Read more
“My family is all a bit hot-headed. I am like my father and grandfather. We get angry quickly, but we cool down fast. The problem is that when I’m angry, I don’t really think about what I’m saying or doing.” Strong emotions, whether positive or negative, significantly affect our judgment. They impair our ability to […] Read more
We think we do more in this age of instant information, but the quantity and quality of our work actually suffers. We lose on every metric: health, productivity and relationships
Researchers recently surveyed 2,000 Canadians and also studied the brain activity of 112 individuals using electroencephalograms. What they found is quite intriguing. Canadians’ average attention span was 8.25 seconds in these studies in 2015. In 2000, it had been 12 seconds. The average attention span of a goldfish is… nine seconds. How did this happen? […] Read more
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