Sadly agriculture now has its own twitter fringe group, a very negative group that attacks anyone in agriculture who isn’t totally obsessed with Animals Australia and their demise.
Some of them have even gone to the trouble of setting up anonymous twitter accounts to become faceless trolls stalking those in the middle who have no interest in joining them in their vendetta.
The best way to handle these people is to do what agriculture should be doing with Animals Australia is not give them oxygen, don’t engage, let them wallow in their own self-absorbed world, let them play the victim and DON’T let them drain your energy. BLOCK THEM.
Like Animals Australia we won’t change these people, they are so self-absorbed they can’t see the damage they are doing to the agriculture brand, so don’t bother to try.
Instead we need to visibly support each other and show our urban consumer base the real agriculture. I salute all the people who, aren’t game to put their hands up for fear of being the butt of troll rage,yet take the time to DM support to the people who are. But it is imperative we are all visible and show these people that we, the current silent majority, want to be the change agriculture must have.
I also salute passionate people like Bess Gairns who writes from the heart Advocating for AGvocaters
Love this pix thanks for this one Krysteen @bkmcelroy22
I would like to share some thoughts on leadership which I have adapted from this great post Leading a culture shift that I think are relevant to agriculture
We see the evidence of leadership everywhere we go.
So what makes the difference?
People.
The way people see and engage with others. The way these leaders embrace and value people. For some leaders, people are an afterthought. For others, people are everything.
So How Do We Lead This Way?
Instead of telling people how to behave, they equip them how to think. It’s less about behaviour modification (which you can do for a pet), and more about “perspective transformation.” Team members gain a new perspective and can respond and act.
If we’re going to transform our teams, we must change the way we equip them. We must build a new DNA, a new culture on the team. This requires organic, not merely programmatic, changes.
Let me offer suggestions on some shifts leaders must make:
1. Teach team members how to think and perceive the world.
This sounds huge, but it can start small. Just begin to talk about how to look at people and goals. Talk about perspective. Illustrate how to think, not just what to think. If you can change the way people think, you can change the way they act.
2. Model the way and embody the values.
Organizational culture changes happen when leaders set examples for what they want from their teams and attach actions to their core values.
3. Surround yourself with other people that “get it.”
Seek out and find others that already embrace the kind of culture you wish to see in agriculture.
4. Cultivate small communities to tell stories.
Interaction and storytelling are contagious.
5. Align your values and objectives to reflect the new reality.
Celebrate these people. What gets rewarded gets repeated. Be sure that your core values and your objectives all reflect this new culture you’re putting in place. Alignment brings energy to people.
Finally in the words of Tom Peters
“Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders.”
BTW Great article from Colin Bettles here
and this wise advice from The Conversation – Personality differences: trolls and cyberstalkers aren’t the same