I don’t believe that leaders are born. I believe they are made.
I also believe that we are on the cusp of losing a significant amount of leadership in agriculture.
Canadian and U.S. farmer demographics indicate that approximately 65 per cent of the industry is in the exit strategy stage. We are about to lose a large leadership demographic, and I don’t believe that the next generation has taken full advantage of the wealth of knowledge these farmers possess.
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I have had many opportunities to be around some of the greatest thought leaders in agriculture, thanks in part to the people I surround myself with, but also because of the many individuals who have taken the time to teach and to lead.
A great example in the agriculture industry is Danny Klinefelter. The first time I met Danny I was picking him up from the airport. I had the privilege of his company for a few hours before his keynote speech at an event.
Back then, I didn’t know the history behind his position in agriculture, but while we sipped a few drinks in the hotel lounge, the impact of his influence was immediately apparent. I credit him for many of the thoughts and beliefs that I formed about the business side of agriculture. In fact, when I am public speaking, I still reference his greatness and leadership in numerous areas of business management.
We are losing leadership like Danny’s on both the academic and the industry side of agriculture. I was around in the 1980s and ‘90s when industry leaders and academics pulled agriculture out of the bad times. These leaders reconstructed the agriculture policies and financial standards we know today and created educational programs that still exist decades later. We still have some good agricultural programs around, but many of today’s instructors have seen only the good times, not the bad.
As a coach and consultant in the agriculture industry, one thing I have noticed is that nobody asks enough questions of those with dirt under their fingernails. For example, the previous generations were around for open cab production. They went through interest rate hikes in the 1980s and saw friends and neighbours exit the industry at an alarming rate. We could learn a few things from the way they led their businesses through those (and other) crises.
As a leader, you must share stories and experiences with incoming generations. Truly great leaders respect the past but undoubtedly want to change the future. That is the most interesting part about great leaders: they lead from the back, not the front.
Leadership can be taught, but great leadership will only come to certain individuals. To be successful, surround yourself with strong leaders and learn from them as much as you can. In agriculture, we often push ourselves to be “rugged individualists,” but make no mistake: it takes a team to move a mountain. Whether your farm operates with you and your kids, or with owners and a management team, remember that leadership is not just about the people who work around you.
It is about an industry and those who look up to you.
