Talkin’ ’bout my intergenerational business V

Leadership…..or Parenting 101?

The most Sustainable businesses and families have good leaders.

This article looks at leadership, a key factor in both managing and transitioning an Intergenerational Business.

As the leader of a small business, my intent is to portray how showing my own vulnerability leads to building trust amongst a small team running a highish performing business.

Ok…..so if you go farming on your own for life, you end up a disturbed hermit…..(actually that was Uncle Colin…..Uncle Ewan wasn’t much better), so will likely need to employ people at some point…..this makes you a leader…..and you may already have a tribe or be creating one…..

Personal Development is key to your own sustainability, is all the rage now, and for good reason, physically and mentally, with a real link to living longer healthier more productive lives. Sometimes this involves leadership or even parenting courses. I’d actually call it Primary Sustainability 101, you can’t help others if you don’t look after yourself.

I haven’t really attended a bad one both online or in-person, if you’re open to learning, you will let yourself be influenced by other’s opinions and use content to fill your own gaps. What I see is that the key attributes of a leader and parent are almost identical.

Now I don’t preach to be an expert…..my only credentials are I have 4 kids that still talk to me, generally seem employable and haven’t been in prison or rehab yet…..I run a 700-cow dairy farm in the bottom of NZ, from Melbourne, and have low staff turnover, an ex con 2IC who may need rehab and my banker has me on a 2% margin at 55% equity. I also see first hand what a good and not so good CEO looks like in large agriculture corporate businesses…..flip side…..I have 2 ex-wives that think I’m an idiot…..

So, here’s my “Idiots guide to being a parent, leader or CEO.”…..But maybe not a husband…..

1. Super calm – always unflappable under pressure with a ‘solutions’ focus.
2. Real life developed empathy – Has worked at the coalface, experienced life adversity and been on the bones of their ass.
3. Shares these stories as shared learnings to build trust.
4. Doesn’t pretend to know everything, asks for suggestions and/or solutions.

These 4 actually need to be practised first, so that you become a good communicator, this doesn’t mean a yapper, or ‘life of the party’ but just has ‘honest’ conversations, if you’ve done the first 4 for long enough, you are trusted, and brutal honesty will generally not be too inflammatory…..

I’ve had many experiences as an employer and driven HR people nuts by not following warning procedures when ‘firing’ employees, and I’ve had some real drugged up nutters to deal with….. (not just my ex-wives)…..I could always build some level of trust, usually merely by asking about their families and their lives…..and pretty quickly relating a drug/alcohol or ex-wife story of my own.

Honesty and Safety start at the top of any business…..My previous farm manager had a few incidents of other staff asking why I looked so angry/depressed all the time…..from then on part of inductions was explaining that I had a ‘resting bitch face’ and very little bothered me, followed by the fact that I had rolled more quads and f#@*ed more machinery than they ever would…..reiterating the point that s#!t goes wrong, never feel the need to hide it, and it is everyone’s priority that everyone goes home in one piece…..

With only a little trust, and super calmness, most people will take advice to ‘look for another job’….. if you have an honest conversation about why they are not working in the ‘team’ you have. Wee bit different with kids…..but similar principles work to avoid asking them to ‘look for another parent’…..

As far as CEO’s and business leaders or directors are concerned, once you have these qualities it’s easy to

1. Blame yourself first when things go wrong.
2. Always look for solutions.
3. Shield those below you from Blame games above you.

Your time as a parent or leader is what your kids and staff want…..Obviously for kids, especially under 10’s its simple, you are naturally their idol, but it is literally most of your spare time…..farmers actually have an advantage…..if they do it properly…..as farming with mum or dad makes you the envy of all your screen addicted towney mates.

Teenagers are a bit like staff, you need to call them regularly, but expect it to be a one-way street, as in you will be doing 99% of the calling…..and its especially effective if you don’t have a reason…..leaders have a thick skin.

I cannot stress enough the wonderful affects of adversity on the journey of life, this creates resilience, and it’s this resilience from adversity that gives a leader/parent the ability to use their vulnerability……to create the empathy….. to build the trust….. for good communication…..(and I know I can’t say it in nanny state…..cures suicide)…..S!#t goes wrong…..learn to expect it.