Their faces were contorted with fear as I spoke about the importance of a well-crafted will. At the lunch break the farm woman confessed that her husband was being sued by five greedy siblings, under the guise of taking care of a demented dad’s interests. I asked quietly if they had a good agricultural lawyer, […] Read more
Crippled By Fear Of Court
Love, Respect And Acceptance
A new daughter-in-law asked… “How long do you have to be married before you get to be family?” This powerful question is part of Jolene Brown’s new book Sometimes you need more than an 2 x 4!… how to tips to successfully grow a family business. Jolene Brown and I are friends and colleagues. We […] Read more
Spirit, Mind And Body Factors Affecting Decisions
Way back in Dr. Berry’s manage-me nt class we were drilled with the mechanics of decision-making “101.” 1.Identify the problem or issue. What decisions need to be made? 2.Research the options available to deal with the problem. Gather information. 3.Choose the best option considering the pros and cons of each option. 4.Act on the decision […] Read more
I’d Just Like To Know…
Early last month in Peace River country I encouraged the farmers to drop judgmental comments and use the words… “I was just curious… could you explain to me why you…” Curiosity is an effective tool for conflict resolution because you avoid hitting conflict trigger buttons when you stop using judgmental or defensive language. One of […] Read more
The Silver Lining SLAP™ For Your Business
It’s my joy in travelling to meet energetic young entrepreneurs who have been grounded by their farm experiences. Last December in Montreal I met the passionate founder of Silver Lining Limited, Carissa Reiniger, who is now 28. Carissa’s common-sense approach and SLAP system is giving a workable template to small business owners who want better […] Read more
Who Is The Ultimate Decision Maker?
The International Farm Transfers study wanted to look at the process of the transfer of skills and knowledge to the next generation. When I work with younger farmers, they are keenly aware that some decisions Dad is not letting go of very easily. So I offer this worksheet from Dr. John Baker’s work at the […] Read more
Avoid The Mistakes Farmers Typically Make
I smile knowingly as I read the farmer’s checklist; he wants to “avoid the mistakes farmers typically make” in succession planning. I don’t pretend to have the exhaustive list, but in eight years of coaching I have seen many scenarios that you don’t want to repeat. What mistakes? Poor self-care. Your body is not a […] Read more
Pacing Through The Overwhelm
Some of you who took the last column to heart may have attacked your farm offices to tidy them up, get organized, and now have a beautiful space to work in. January is typically the month when we are encouraged to pick new goals, write them down and be transformed with new habits. For 2011 […] Read more
Farmers With Beautiful Offices Make More Money
Winter is a great time to get rid of those piles in your farm office. My business consulting friend, Stuart Morley of Ontario, wrote me a story from his observations in Africa, that may be an encouragement to you. My new office is making me more money with better systems in place. Beauty does create […] Read more
Gifts Your Farm Team Needs
Beekeepers are a very friendly and warm bunch of folks as I experienced them at their annual convention in Edmonton last month. They are dealing with issues that threaten their livelihood and like grain farmers, the weather really does a number on their business, too. As I was flying over Saskatchewan I was really saddened […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
