Ensuring the base keeps generating sustainable results Part 2

“Getting in to the All Blacks is the easy part, staying there is the biggest challenge!”

While our top rugby players must deliver consistently at the highest level, we all have just as much challenge in making sure our farm businesses keep on generating the results we really want. How can we do this? Here are the main three areas we will examine under this topic:

1. Staying on track - Focus (April 2010) Read more.....

2. Using solid systems that deliver results (May 2010)

3. Basing it all on solid principles (June 2010) Read more.....

Using solid systems that deliver results

Keep your business as clear and simple as possible. Systems allow you to leverage your time and effort, whether you are there or not. When big things need to be achieved or the pressure comes on, systems are templates or procedures to follow without you having to devise each step as you go. Precious mental energy can be allocated to making the big effective decisions, not the process decisions. Someone once said “systemise the routines and humanise the exceptions to the routines.” Here are a few suggestions:

Always have up to date business measurements at hand to allow you to constantly measure, forecast and check your profitability and scenarios e.g. forecasted profit options for different stock classes, at different time of year.
Have methods (such as the GrowFARM OBA, and Season Plan tools) to aid in converting those scenarios into action on the farm.
Have well defined parameters including pasture covers at key times, feeding regimes, purchase & sale procedures, sorting of livestock into weight groups well before sale etc.
Keep doing the basics of running profitable animals at profitable times of year - see the article on the 6 Profit Principles
Reduce complications and improve manageability by running fewer stock classes and do them better.

Personal development is crucial to keep yourself learning and up to date with how best to make your business deliver results. What have you currently got in place for that? Could you allocate a couple of hours or more per week to some form of study (formal, informal, seminars)? What are you currently reading? What you put into your mind is what comes out, so ensure that you are regularly extending your “thinking comfort zone.”

How is your team environment? Is it helping or hindering you? Make sure it provides synergy and support by choosing associates who are in harmony with your vision and goals. Opinions on actions may differ but make sure your team members have like value systems and are aligned with your main parameters. These minds can help to create very effective Mastermind groups through which ideas can be explored, solutions can be offered and plans refined and honed. They also help you to keep accountable to your plan! You really need governance as well as operational type teams - personnel can include your partner/spouse, workers, business professionals, other farm business owners, or specialists. Meeting regularly is very important.

Take regular time out even if the time is short. Keeping fresh and happy allows for better focus and application when you really need it. A day, a weekend or even a week away regularly is often all it takes.

Document your systems. When the pressure comes on or you have temporary staff, basic things need to carry on in a systemised way and not be derailed just because you have a lot on your plate, or you are taking time out. These can be as detailed as you like but that is less important than actually having documented systems. Write down your immediate and longer term schedule, make major pointers available for staff, record the timing of tasks to help you and your team prepare for and deliver on deadlines. Just get started!

My next article (Part 3 of Ensuring the base keeps generating sustainable results) will focus on basing everything you do on solid principles.

This article appears in the GrowFARM Connector (May 2010) - our monthly e-Newsletter. Click here to subscribe to the e-Newsletter