Steps Forward to Succession Planning

Page 6

W#4 WORK This is where we kick off family meetings. Remember the family meetings don’t have to always be about the big ticket items, you might just discuss operational matters, but it’s good to get in the habit of meeting, and invite non-farm children home to meetings when they can. Set ground rules for the meetings and always have an agreed agenda and purpose, and a time frame. Good communication is vital. If you don’t communicate clearly, people will start making assumptions. And assumptions can sometimes be wrong! It’s so important to listen without judgement, and ask questions before you jump down someone’s throat! Get curious before you get furious. There are two things we do with families to help with communication. Firstly – we help you understand different communication styles. We encourage our farming families to do a DISC profiling session. This is a universally recognised tool that helps people understand their different communication styles and how that impacts the way they work together. For example, Dad might be someone who is an assertive decision maker. The son might be someone who needs more time to think through a decision or course of action. This can cause all kinds of challenges. The DISC session allows family members to talk about how they can address these differences to work better. Secondly, we make sure that families acknowledge generational differences. Longer lifespans mean that we have more and more generations working together. Australians are retiring later, so chances are that you are interacting with at least three different generations. Understanding generational characteristics can really help improve empathy and understanding in your family group.


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Steps Forward to Succession Planning by BMO Business Centre - Issuu