Reading Time: 6 minutes Are the decisions you make based on solid information and knowledge, or are they based on bias and emotions? This is a critical question everyone needs to ask because the basis on which decisions are made ultimately determines the quality of the decisions. In the run up to New Year’s, I realized that 2019 marks […] Read more
My 11 steps to making better decisions
What does making a documentary in India have to do with farm management decision-making? As it turns out, a lot
The Goal Tree
Big corporations use this decision-making system. Should you too?
Reading Time: 7 minutes We all know what it’s like to sit at the kitchen table with the whole family and to ask yourself, “Should I bring it up now? We’re all together… is this the right time to talk about the next big step for the farm?” Agriculture prides itself on its family foundations. But sometimes, those family […] Read more
Hip, Hip, Hip Hooray for me!
Celebrating success when you’re a go-it-alone farmer
Reading Time: 6 minutes Front and centre in almost every “how to succeed in business” book is the recommendation to take time to celebrate success. As the authors point out, celebrating is a great way to mark progress, foster team spirit, build staff loyalty, push a business to greater heights — and ultimately trigger more success. But does that […] Read more
Intuition: When it’s the right time for change
A leader needs to be prepared to offer opportunities for the next generation
Reading Time: 4 minutes The best leaders today seem to have a keen sense of when to make changes. They know when to share an example of their own struggle and when to motivate the next generation. It’s their gut instinct — that feeling we all get during times of decision-making. It’s the best leaders who know when to […] Read more
Numbers drive dynamic decision-making
Jeannette Mongeon and Michel Dignard use spreadsheets to guide everyday decisions and to analyze and embrace change. It’s good for the farm, and it also keeps peace in the family
Reading Time: 6 minutes This past spring, Michel Dignard carefully walked his saturated soybean fields, counting the thin, yellowing plants while some were still fully submerged in water. It was emotionally exhausting work, but at least Dignard and his wife Jeannette Mongeon knew what they would do next. They crunched the numbers. They added up the costs and yield […] Read more
Create a farm advisory board
Advice is easy to come by. Most times, you don’t even have to ask for it. Good advice, though, is much scarcer, and thrives on planning and structure
Reading Time: 5 minutes Advisory boards are becoming trendy. Both Forbes Magazine and the Harvard Business Review published articles last fall advising small business owners not only on why they should use advisory boards, but also on how best to organize them. You might dismiss these articles as “advice about getting advice,” but the recommendations are serious business, including […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
