It is often said in leadership circles that strong leaders never use the term “I.” Leadership is a team sport and any leader worth their salt knows that whatever is accomplished results from the efforts of a whole lot of other people. “We” signals team, togetherness, shared success and an outward focus. A 2015 Journal of Language…
“I got this.” Three little words. The first time I heard them as a leader, they filled me with fear and dread. Now when I hear them, they mostly fill me with pride and excitement. “I got this” are the three most powerful words you can say to your boss. And as a leader, having…
My thoughts this week are about transparency. Everyone wants transparency with them. It is a far different game when asked to share information with others. My thesis this week is that the game has changed. Information is power has been replaced with Information is power if shared. Please allow me to explain. The benefits of…
An important concept in the world of continuous improvement and operational excellence is the Japanese term “gemba.” Roughly translated, gemba means “the place where actual work is done” or “the place where value is added.” In manufacturing plants where continuous improvement was honed, going on a daily gemba walk is often required of all managers. …
During an evening event at an internal conference this past November, I was enjoying a beer while looking ridiculous in a green and white running outfit, mullet, and Hulk Hogan mustache after completing a skit at our opening session and ice breaker. I was feeling pretty good about things, mainly because I had made it…
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. My very first post on this blog occurred a year ago and was about Martin Luther King Jr. and my thoughts about him and the holiday. Given that few were reading my blog then, I thought I’d recycle much of it, as my thoughts very much remain the same. …
Of the many things I love about the farming industry, one of them is the fact that not much happens between Christmas and New Year. Thus, the gap provides a great opportunity to truly unplug. This year, our family was fortunate to be able to head to Mexico. We found a great house on VRBO and planned…
I was asked a few weeks ago to give a short talk about how I see the agricultural markets in 2023. A short talk is normally no sweat, but publicly predicting the next few months sent me into a cold sweat. The ag supply chain is crazy right now. How was I going to explain the craziness…
It has been a few weeks since our last update. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I was fortunate enough to get to spend the holiday with extended family which in our case, is spread all over the country. It was a blast, all but for Saturday afternoon as 11 of us watched our beloved Ohio State…
All, Warning: My note this week is longer than usual, which many already tell me are too long. It is about the changing nature of the US natural gas market. Natural gas is a key driver in the US economy and as the primary feedstock for nitrogen fertilizers – and thus relevant to what we do…
