When we tell our farmers their worth is measured by how much they contribute to the GDP we are setting ourselves up to fail
As I watched Landline last Sunday this image of David Burkus came to mind
Agriculture in this country seems to have lost its way. All the leadership books I have read and all the leadership courses I have attended tell me the importance of having a purpose and values we can all align with.
Those same books and leadership courses also tell me this is NOT a vision that will inspire Australian farmers to get out of bed everyday
Why are some people and teams more motivated, more innovative, and more successful than others?
Why do some teams of talented and seemingly compatible people fall short against lesser teams with less suitable members? Why do some leaders cast bold inspiring visions that fail to materialize, while other, seemingly inconsequential leaders rally their teams to victory? More often than not, it’s actually quite simple:
They picked a fight. David Burkus
Young Farming Champion Dione Howard took a deep dive into David Burkus work when she interviewed world renowned leadership coach Dave Stachowiak
I firmly believe one of the biggest threats to agriculture in this country is how undervalued farmers feel and Landline on 14th Nov was a strong reminder of that.
I look forward to the day agriculture in this country acknowledges people are its great resource and invest in their wellbeing and that starts with a purpose and shared values we can all align with
From battlefields to boardrooms and everywhere in between, leaders who frame their mission as a fight to be won against a threat that must be removed have been able to bring together even the most divided teams and push them to the highest levels of performance. They’ve tapped into something more inspiring—and more visceral—than casting a visionary strategy or struggling to get buy-in on a mission statement. They’re fighting to remove an injustice. They’re fighting to make their customer’s lives better. Sometimes, they’re even just fighting to survive. But, surprisingly, they’re rarely framing their fight as a battle for market share against the competition.
Those who pick the right fight don’t have to manipulate their people; they inspire them. And the people who follow don’t do it because they have to; they follow because they choose to fight alongside.
People don’t want to join a company; they want to join a crusade. Source
