The business of farming successfully is just a series of patterns, like most things in life. Learn to recognise the patterns and use them well, which means doing them effectively. This requires learning, applying, learning more, being flexible to new and better techniques, doing the patterns over again and so on. This process allows for continual refocusing and improvement. Here is a road map of main points for a successful farm business owner, as covered in the GrowFARM Connector thus far:
Focus first on the major principles and opportunities. To keep the business going well and to make the best results happen as often as possible, look for the big effects first. Set the big parameters that are most important and then look for the techniques and options that will deliver for you most of the time (the bread and butter of your business). What systems will give you a result more often and not? Once those are under control, you can look at the smaller or extra opportunities to help you tweak your results. Just don’t look for these first as they will not keep the base sustainable. As one GrowFARM client often says, “don’t major in the minors.”
Understand the Profit Equation. If you know this you will know which animal opportunities to look for and carry out. If you don’t, you will fly blind or by the seat of your pants. Most farmers want and need profit so learn what profit actually means. Read more about the Profit Equation.....
Learn and implement the Profit Principles. This is how you make the profit equation deliver for you time after time. It is the “doing” within the business. If you do these principles well you will make profit. If you don’t you won’t. The profit principles work 100% of the time. Read more about the 6 Profit Principles.....
Use the GrowFARM Season Plan. This is the method to visually translate the forecasts and scenarios from the GrowFARM OBA and Profit Principles into reality out in your paddocks. Know your desired profit periods, your profit animal types and your target pasture covers. This all helps in focusing your timing and deadlines.
Co-ordinate and use your team well. As a business owner you need to know a little about a lot of subjects. Often you will bring in team members who are specialists in certain areas such as farm managers, bankers, accountants, fertiliser advisors etc. As the business owner the ultimate call is yours so help them to be the best they can be to ensure that their input is the best possible so that the net result is a win for all involved.
Always have flexibility. Farm businesses always require flexibility due to the many influences on them. Focused and effective flexibility requires a solid plan that is being followed. Any variances will be measured against this and likely effects worked out pretty quickly. The plan can be altered or adjusted and progress can be gauged as you go. Flexibility in thinking while having clear and definite goals is the major point here.
Keep learning. As business owners there is always room to grow. There are new things to learn if only for the simple fact that you need to know a little about a lot of subjects (as mentioned above). Growth requires challenge so never shy away from it. It has been said that the more you learn, the luckier you get.
The next major topic for the Personal Leadership column will be “Strengthening the Business.” Reviewing progress and taking the lessons will be discussed in the August 2010 GrowFARM Connector.