I’ve always hated when people say “it’s just a game”.  It’s not.  The truth is you can say that about almost everything in life.  When you compare a heart-breaking loss of a football “game” to some of life’s biggest tragedies like cancer and car wrecks, it’s true that most of what we experience every day is pretty trivial.

Last night’s football game between the Seahawks and Packers has most of the country talking about the “injustice” of terrible officiating.  And as Packer fan, I couldn’t agree more.  But this time, the frustration and disappointment of a Packers loss isn’t just limited to a bunch of Cheeseheads who live and die for their home team.

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Think back to all the stuff your parents tried teaching you when you were a kid. How did they get all those “lessons” to eventually sink in?

Here’s how it probably went… your parents had chores that they expected you to do. So, they told you WHAT to do. If you were smart, you did it. When they saw that you didn’t do it correctly, they probably told you or showed you HOW to do it… and then that’s when you had to make a choice. Did you trust their method, or did you have a better way?

I was an “independent thinker” (ok, maybe the word is obstinate). I almost always knew a better way than “the old man”. So, that’s how I’d do things. But, as usual, things would go wrong and I’d learn my lesson the hard way.

You see, it’s not that my parents didn’t tell me WHAT to do or HOW to do it, it’s that they often neglected to explain the reason WHY. Truth be told, they shouldn’t have needed to. I was the kid, they were the adults. I should have listened to them and obeyed, right? But, that’s not how most of us work. If that were the case, working with people would be a lot easier.

So… you probably guess where I’m going with this, right? When it comes to teaching and training your employees, it’s important you explain the reason “why”. Ultimately, this extra step helps people discover and understand the outcomes and consequences of what they do before they attempt doing it.

But… you probably already knew that. So, let’s take a different approach when it comes to “why”.

Why do you do what you do?

When you meet someone for the first time, the conversation almost always starts the same… “So, what do you do?” And if you’re like me, you probably answer by telling them WHAT you do. Here’s the thing… that answer is boring. And nobody likes boring. But that’s your answer.

And then, when someone criticizes your industry or profession, chances are you try to get people to understand WHAT you do by telling them HOW you do it. You describe each process clearly, thinking that confusion was the problem and clarity would help them understand and accept WHAT you do. But… unfortunately a lot of people still aren’t convinced. Tough crowd, huh?!

So, what about taking a different approach? Instead of telling people WHAT you do and HOW you do it, explain WHY you do it. Share your passion by telling people WHY you’re inspired to do it every day.

Last week, one of my customers told me about his “Why”. Although he’s growing his dairy business in order to provide for his family’s financial well-being, his real reason for wanting to grow his dairy is so that he and his wife can teach their kids about raising animals and producing healthy food.

Unfortunately, you’re not going to convince everyone to join your side and support your cause. And yes, you’ll probably always have to tell people what you do and how you do it. But what truly matters to most people is that you sincerely believe in and operate from your “why”.

In the end, your why brings meaning to what you do and conveys your passion for how you do it. That’s what most people care about. Show them why they should.

In Tom Peter’s book, The Little BIG Things, Peters shares a story about 19th Century financier J.P. Morgan.  He wrote…

 

One day, a man approached J.P. Morgan, held up an envelope, and said, “Sir, in my hand I hold a guaranteed formula for success, which I will gladly sell to you for $25,000.”

“Sir,” JP Morgan replied, “I do not know what is in the envelope. However, if you show me and I like it, I give you my word as a gentleman that I will pay you what you ask.”

The man agreed to the terms and handed over the envelope. J.P. Morgan opened it, and extracted a single sheet of paper. He gave it one look and handed the piece of paper back to the gent, pulled out his checkbook, and paid the man the agreed-upon $25,000.

The paper read:

1.  Every morning, write a list of the things that need to be done that day.

2.  Do them.

 

Now, I’m not 100% sure this is a true story. But if it is, there are definitely a couple things that are pretty clear about J.P. Morgan. One, he knew that becoming successful was as simple as doing the work that needs to be done every day. And two, he was a man of his word.

No, achieving success isn’t easy. But, it’s a lot simpler than most of us make it out to be.

So, what’s on your to-do list today? Are you going to get it all done?

Or maybe the question should be… What’s on your to-do list that you keep avoiding? Today, do that.

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve liked politics, campaigns, and elections. There was something magical about heading down to the old Town of Franklin voting “shack” that was heated by a wood-burning, potbelly stove. I couldn’t wait to go with my parents and stand in line with all the other people who were waiting to cast their ballot.

Although I’m still fascinated by the political process, as a tax-paying adult who “works too much”, it seems that the reality of it isn’t as charming as I once thought it was. The truth is… I’m afraid my cynicism and sense of logic has replaced my naivete and sense of emotion.

Nonetheless, here are a couple of things I’ve noticed recently about the path of a campaigning politician and the road of the real world…

1. Leadership roles are extremely valuable.

According to campaign finance reports that were released yesterday, Obama’s campaign spent approximately $59 million in the month of July while Romney’s campaign spent nearly $33 million in the same month. You don’t have to be good at math to know that’s a crazy amount of money!

So… what’s a leadership position worth at your business? No, you’re not trying to run an organization or manage a budget the size of the Federal government. But let’s face it, everything is relative. And even if your company isn’t the biggest in your area, it still plays a huge role in the well-being of your family and the families of everyone who works with you.

The bottom line is this… Leadership IS a big deal. Before you entrust someone with a leadership position at your dairy, think about why you’re willing to “hand someone the keys” to everything you and your family has worked so hard to build (and yes, you DID build that!).

Be honest with yourself and ask why you’re thinking about “making someone a leader”. You see, leadership roles should be earned by demonstrating solid character and achieving short- and long-term results. The truth is… if they fail to prove themselves on the first one, I wouldn’t give them the authority to attempt achieving the second!

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who seek a leadership role simply because they desire the power that comes with it. But being a genuine leader is a lot more than having power and trading influence. True leaders recognize the enormous responsibility that comes with their position and know that they have a duty to serve their people’s interests, not just their own.

2. Politicians need most people to believe in them on just one day…. You need all of your people to believe in you every day.

On the surface, getting a little more than half the people to believe in you just one day every few years doesn’t seem all that tough… but, it’s that “one day” thing that makes winning an election so painfully tough. So, how do they do it? Day after day, politicians spend other people’s money and go around pandering from group to group, telling each one just enough of what they want to hear to get them to cast a ballot in their favor… getting all the stars to line up precisely at the right time is a lot of work!

But do you want to know what’s even more work than that?

Being sincere and straightforward without pandering. Telling people the truth, even when they might not want to hear it. Spending your own money to make things happen because you passionately believe in your cause. And then… doing this consistently, day after day, in order to earn and keep your people’s trust.

In both cases, the stakes are high. But for politicians, they’re more concerned about their own job security, while you’re more worried about the security of everyone else’s.

As it turns out, business leaders can learn a lot from campaigns and politicians. Hopefully, politicians will start learning something from us.

Whether you’re a world-class athlete, parent, dairy manager, or musician, almost all success comes from being “consistent”. But what does that really mean? Being consistent means… having the discipline to do something the same way over and over, and over again.

It starts with just one person who does the same thing (correctly) until it becomes a habit. Eventually, it’s an action that seems to happen automatically and looks effortless… but it’s not. It requires practice, time, patience, and a ton of discipline. And in order for it to truly to be called consistency in an organization, everyone needs to be doing their job the same way, every day.

So who is this one person who gets consistency started? The person that gets consistency started is you.

Basically, consistency is a chain reaction. If you expect your cows to receive consistency, your employees must do their work consistently. And if you expect your employees to work correctly and consistently, their managers and leaders need to be managing and leading consistently. And that only happens when you demonstrate self-discipline and create good habits for yourself… day after day.

So… what are your daily habits? Good or bad, your habits have put you in the exact place you are today. And no, that’s not supposed to be some sort of inspirational quote you see on Facebook. It’s just reality.

You see, the equation of life is actually simple math… what you do + what you do + what you do = your life. Everything you do, whether positive or negative, adds up every day. So when it comes to your role as a leader, do you follow through with what you say and follow up to see what your employees are doing? If not, don’t be surprised that your cows aren’t performing. They’re only as good as the people taking care of them. And the people taking care of them are only as good as you.

Do you want to be a better dairy manager? A better parent? A better you? You can… change your habits.

Being a manager doesn’t have to be complicated.  In fact, effective employee management is actually pretty simple.  Here are three simple steps to help you get better results from your team:

1. Make your expectations & policies clear.

2. Hold everyone accountable for doing their job (it starts with you).

3. Repeat… every day.

If you’re struggling with your team, you’re probably neglecting one or more of these three things.  Does that sound right?

OK, so if you’re not sure where to start, here’s what you do… walk around more and check out how people are doing their work.

Just like you tap your breaks when you see a cop in the distance, your team will start being more accountable simply because they see that you’re paying more attention to the work they’re doing (and not doing).

After you gain a little momentum, start with #1 and continue down to #2 and #3.  Before you know it, your team will be a source of less headaches and hassles… and instead, they’ll  provide you with better peace of mind and better profitability.

Think about your favorite sports team… what makes them so good? What makes them a winning team?  (Alright, if you’re a Vikings fan… feel free to think of the Packers instead.)

Seriously though, what makes one football team, Nascar team or dairy judging team better than another? Is it their Facilities? Equipment?  Strategy? Nope… none of the above. Every team has those things, and not every team is successful.

Dairy farms (including yours) aren’t much different. They all depend on equipment and machinery… but buying “new stuff” doesn’t guarantee that it will be used properly.  Great genetics help… but cows get sick when they’re not cared for properly. Having the best written protocols puts you on the right track… but a lot of what gets implemented isn’t the same as what’s on paper.

The main difference between your dairy and the one down the road is people. You and your people need to know what to do, how to do it, and why it matters. A winning team requires everyone to do their job and work together… every day.

Do you want to start winning? Focus on your people… they’ll take care of the rest.

So… What are you doing to help your team work together and get better results?

For anyone who grows crops for a living or gardens as a hobby, this growing season will be really hard to forget. Sure, every summer we pray for rain. But for those of us in the Midwest, it’s been a long time since we’ve had a year this hot and dry. Usually, the challenges of growing anything are pretty straightforward… plant, pray, fertilize, control weeds, pray, wait, pray, harvest, pray. When the weather cooperates, farming and gardening is really enjoyable. But when it doesn’t, the hot sun and dry soil can really take its toll on all your hard work.

Unfortunately, growing crops and raising animals doesn’t happen overnight. Agriculture is all about the long, steady process. Each seed takes time to germinate, and each plant takes time to produce. And the same goes for cattle. From conception to production, it’s a process of years, not months. Yet, when hot weather and illness strike, everything you worked for can be lost in a matter of days or weeks.

Just like most things in life, the “good stuff” takes time to come together. World-class cheeses take months and years for their rich flavors to emerge. Grand Champion genetics are developed over numerous generations of careful selection. Well-built facilities require detailed planning and quality craftsmanship. Genuine, lasting relationships are developed over years of consistency and trust. And while you probably already know all of this, chances are you still get impatient and want what you want right now.

Sure, you don’t plant corn one week and then plan to harvest it the next. And you don’t breed cows today and expect them to deliver tomorrow. Of course, you’re well aware that it takes time and preparation for your fields and animals to produce. So, what about your people?

If you hire new employees today, what do you expect from them tomorrow? Hopefully, you have high expectations for everyone on your team and count on them to deliver. But how do you help make that happen? Sure, you hired them today because you needed them to work for you today. But if they just started, they probably don’t know what you want them to do unless you tell them… or better yet, show them.

I know, you’re busy doing your job, and so are all the other people on your team. But if someone doesn’t invest some time and energy into developing your people and their skills, how are they supposed to help you run your dairy? You see, while many of your long-term employees are simply “putting in their time”, few people are “investing their time” into training the new guys how to do their work correctly. And yet day after day, your dairy’s results are a product of the work your people do.

Unfortunately, when it comes to farming, there are a lot of things you don’t have a lot of control over. But developing your people isn’t one of them. This year, you might not be able to count on your crops. But you can still count on your people to take care of your cattle. Help your team help you, spend some time showing them how.

 

You’ve heard the saying “Life’s a Race”, right? So what do you think, is it?

Or, do you tend to think of life as more of a journey?  Depending on the day, you might even say that life’s a… well, a lot of other things. There sure are a lot of metaphors for what life is!

As for me, I’d have to argue that life IS a race. Now, I’m not suggesting that it’s a sprint, but rather, I think it’s more of a marathon. You see, sprinters are focused on burning everything they’ve got right away because it’s all about the short-term payoff. Marathoners on the other hand, need endurance so they can maintain a steady pace for the long-term.

Whether you see life as a sprint or a marathon, finishing strong remains the challenge.

Now by no means is my assessment of running “official”. But with that being said, there are “unofficially” three parts of a run… the beginning, the middle, and the end. I know… pretty profound, isn’t it? Like life, everything you do matters when you’re running. But, not all three ‘stages’ are created equal.

The Beginning

Starting anything is often pretty difficult. In fact, when it comes to running, I personally think the hardest two minutes of a run are the first two. Like jumping into a cold lake, you can’t think about it, you just have to get moving. And so it is with every task and project you start. Sure, you could sit there and think about it all day. But at some point you just have to do it.

So… what’s on your list right now that you’ve been thinking about starting for a long time? Stop analyzing, start doing!

The Middle

Of course, the middle is pretty tough too. This is where all the real work is. Once you’re here, it takes discipline to maintain what you’ve started. This is where you need to stay focused on your end goal and do what it takes to achieve it. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get distracted without realizing that you’re losing ground and veering off course.

So… what distractions are causing you to lose sight of your goals and stealing precious time? Stay focused and keep reminding yourself of what you’re working hard to achieve!

The End

Finally, you’re so close to reaching your goal, you can almost taste it. Although you’re happy that you can see your destination, chances are you’re running on empty and questioning whether you have what it takes to finish. Don’t listen to that voice. That’s the side of your brain that makes excuses and feeds on weakness. If you give in and give up now, all the effort and sacrifices you made to get to this point will be wasted… all because you quit too soon.

So… what are you close to achieving right now that you find yourself resisting? Finish strong and enjoy the satisfaction of reaching your goal.

Although I go running a couple times a week, I don’t consider myself to be a “runner”. In fact, I don’t even really like running. I run because I can.

And that sounds a lot like life, doesn’t it? There’s probably a lot of things you don’t like doing every day. But here’s the thing… you’re fortunate that you’re still able to do them. Enjoy the race… the beginning, middle, and the end.

You’re already paying them… you might as well show them how to do it right.