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…
One of the great things about leading professional development as a leader is that the lens through which you view and coach others also serves as a mirror upon which to self-reflect. Thus, I find that the more I dig into ways to help my team get better, the more introspection and room for improvement…
Over the past few weeks, I have traveled to various locations across the 10-state footprint our organization serves. I’ve also spoken to several executives at various companies about the state of the agriculture industry and overall economy. All have the same great need – people. Apart from the tech industry dealing with the post-pandemic hangover,…
In the agricultural world, we’re starting a new year. Thus it is time to discuss annual goals and objectives. There is always a fair amount of handwringing about the exercise, so I thought I would provide my views on the subject, as they have evolved over my career. First, I believe in goals. As a…
I’ve been thinking about constraints lately. After several years of strong economics, our industry fundamentals are changing rapidly. When faced with a difficult challenge, I can easily get stuck in a binary way of thinking – either/or, black/white, win/lose. But to successfully navigate the challenges ahead, we need to broaden our approach to problem-solving and…
I remember getting my first performance review. I was 23 years old and had been an Airborne Rife Platoon Leader for about six months. I thought things were going great. Our platoon was performing well and had earned a reputation as being one of the better units. I was learning a ton and felt like…
A few weeks ago, I met with several of our wholesale customers. It was a phenomenal meeting which allowed for a lot of discussion. One of the topics of conversation was around communication and the disconnect between what information and market intelligence we’re providing them and what they want more of. As they explained, I recalled a sales…
Brene’ Brown, tells us, “Joy is the most vulnerable emotion.” I had heard her mention it a while ago, but I never fully understood it from a business perspective until recently. Our company has a funny year-end, which allows us to plan for crop years from an agricultural input perspective. As a result, our fiscal…
In the late 1990s, I served as an airborne rifle platoon leader with the US’s Southern European Task Force, the US’s quick reaction force for Europe and Africa. At the time, Africa was in a tough spot, with any number of African countries either actively engaged in civil wars or on the verge of…
Where is the line between professional and personal? Between work and politics? If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that trying to completely separate our work life from our home life often doesn’t work. When one is not working well, the other tends to struggle. In many ways, this is a good thing,…
