How Do You “Bump” into Your People?

By: Dr. Nels Lindberg, Production Animal Consultation

The environment of the feed yard business can be very fast paced and stressful, as many important decisions need to be made on a daily basis. We all deal with moving targets, changes of plans, and many other variables with our cattle, people, and the weather.

We can get so busy that we often forget to think about the people we “bump” into each day. With each “bump,” we can create a positive, negative, or neutral interaction. As leaders, we want to work at blocking out stress, eliminating negativity from our minds, and avoiding jumping to conclusions. Our level of influence will climb as we achieve more and more positive interactions with our people.

How do we achieve this goal? Three key ways to do so are through transparency, candor, and humility. When we act upon these, we start to gain influence and begin to better connect with our people who are looking up to us as their leaders. It is our job to connect with our people and build relationships with each person on our team. This includes everyone, from the cowboy to the feedtruck driver to the tank washer. Without a connection and relationship to the people we work closely with, the team will not be as committed or as effective.

Transparent leaders communicate often and at high levels. It is important that we communicate our vision and the direction we are headed. We must talk to individuals and crews about their purpose and how that relates to the overall mission.

If we aren’t transparent in what we are trying to accomplish for that hour, day, or year, our people will feel as if we are “keeping them in the dark.” We begin to be what I call a “mushroom leader” someone who keeps people in the dark and feeds them manure! Keeping people in the dark or having hidden intentions is manipulation, which invites resistance and deception. This can cause people to drag their feet against the cause or purpose.

We must connect with our people by getting out of the truck, stepping out of the office, and climbing in the trenches with them. We can ask them things such as, “How can I help you?”, “What can we do to help you do your job better?”, “What could we do better?”, and “How can we help your crew?”. Even better, ask them, “What is your passion?”, “What drives you to do better?”, and “How can we help you and your family?” These types of questions allow a leader to connect on a deeper level that some aren’t comfortable with, but in the end, allows everyone to succeed at a much higher level. But remember, transparency requires great leaders to be accountable.

If you can’t be 100% accountable, it could backfire. But if you can’t be 100% transparent, you will likely be a poor leader.

Candid leaders are direct and honest, while at the same time being optimistic and acting as a cheerleader for their team. As mentioned before, there are many daily obstacles we need to overcome, which can be very draining. But we must be able to tell someone what we think, while letting them know we believe in them. Candidness is often best demonstrated through asking questions, especially before pointing fingers. If someone makes a mistake, first address the mistake and then reassure them that you continue to believe in them.

If you are disappointed in their actions, remind them that you expect greater things from them. Lack of candidness often condones bad decisions, habits, and behavior. Although candidness can be difficult at times, we aren’t doing anyone any favors without it.

Lastly, we must be the most humble servant leaders to our people at all times. Humble leaders admit their own mistakes, accept their faults, and have a level of vulnerability that makes them “real”. We must not be self-serving and never try to make ourselves look good at the expense of others. By serving our people, we gain influence and help them achieve what they want out of life.

I have strayed away from the “bumping” effects, but I challenge you to think about how you “bumped” into all of your people over the last month. How did you interact with them? Did you leave them with a positive experience or a negative one?

We must intentionally work extremely hard at creating magnificent effective impacts on our people every single day. Even on the days when the back-up feed truck breaks down or two crew members didn’t show up to work and the days when we are in the thick of taking in corn silage or something tragic takes place at home. Did your IMPACT spark a fire that was negative or create connections that led to solutions? Keep at it, and have #PassionForPeople!

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