Fundamentals of Transitions in Leadership Part 2 of 3

By Nels Lindberg, DVM, Production Animal Consultation

In this article, we are going to continue our discussion of the monumentally important topic of transitions in leadership. In the last issue, I concluded with two action items for you. The first was to communicate to your people that you are thinking about the future beyond yourself. The second was to reflect on and record the principles and values that created the bedrock foundation of success for your operation or team.

To accomplish these two action items and set forth your vision, mission and values, you must hold intentional meetings with the team, family, or owners. Set a consistent meeting cadence, such as the first Monday of each month. These meetings will transition into business meetings, accountability meetings, growth meetings, and more. Increase the frequency of meetings if needed.

As you work through a transition in leadership, you are likely not only working “on” the business but also working “in” the business day to day. There will be times of friction and tension, brought on by differing opinions about what you are going to do, how you are going to do it, or both. There may also be real or perceived differences in work ethic, dedication, honesty, and transparency. Lack of clear, concise communication, leaders that have trouble letting go of decisions, and lack of patience also play a role in tense situations.

Regardless of the underlying cause, I have found three clear areas of opportunity that will help immensely in clearing up some of these points of friction. They are Honor, Yield, and Respect. These three things go two ways, but I am going to talk about them primarily from the perspective of actions for the next generation to take.

1. Honor – Honor those who have come before you. They have incredible traits that have gotten you and the business to where it is. Honor them to their face and in groups. Respect the rank they have earned and what it took to get there. Ask them their story. It usually includes decades of blood, sweat, and tears you do not know about. They have a ton of wisdom they may not share unless you ask. Ask them these three questions:

• Tell me your story or your life journey. How did you get to this point?

• What are some things you would tell your younger self to do differently than you did?

• What have been two or three of your biggest mistakes in life and business?

Honor is due! And showing honor to them with drastically increase their respect for you.

2. Yield – Yield to them when needed. You may think you know how you should move forward in a certain situation, but ask your elders, “What do you think?” Dr. Ty Brunswig, my partner in the vet clinic, has mastered this. Even when he thinks he knows the path forward, he routinely asks me, “What do you think, Nels?” This does two things. First, he shows respect to me, the senior owner of the practice. Second, as he will tell you, many times my response gives him knowledge he did not have and perspective he had not considered. Could he have moved forward without yielding and asking, “What do you think?” Yes! Instead, by yielding, he arrived at what was best for the vet clinic. This can also go both ways. All generations and all people should be asking “What do you think?” for the greater good of the business, family, or organization. Many people do not like to do this though, because they think they lose control of the decision-making process. In essence, they do, but they lose control for the greater good of the business.

3. Respect – Respect must be infused and acted upon every single day in every single relationship we hold. For clarity, one definition of respect is “a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.” ¹ Another definition of respect is “due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others.” ¹ Regardless of abilities, qualities, or achievements, respect must be shown 100% of the time. It is in times of stress, conflict, and disagreement that we often disrespect others with our actions, words, and body language. The younger generation must be respectful of the hard work the older generation has put in, and the older generation must be respectful of the different ideas and thoughts the younger generation may hold. The older generation must accept the fact that they are not immortal and need to let go of some things. The younger generation must show respect to the older generation through extreme patience.

In parts one and two of this article series, we have discussed several action items for all parties to take. You can ask the questions posed in this article of each other in your next regularly scheduled business meeting or throughout the course of day-to-day business and life. Ask the questions, take notes, and embrace others’ perspectives so that you can preserve the bedrock foundational values and traditions of the incredible operation you have built!

We will wrap up this series in the next issue with a discussion of boundaries, defining roles, governance, and outside help. This series is all about transitions in leadership, ownership, decision making, control, and power. I hope to give you a basic understanding, some starting points, and a rough roadmap to do some crucial legacy planning. I want to help you dive in and make this happen, not just for you but also for the business or team you have poured your blood, sweat, and tears into. Plan the dive, dive the plan!

¹ Oxford English Dictionary

Dr. Nels Lindberg is a people coach, team coach, business coach, and keynote speaker, available virtually or in person. If you have any interest in these opportunities, please reach out to his office at 620-792-1265 and visit with his right-hand lady, Jill.