FROM THE CHAIR

Keri Johnston Chair of IrrigationNZ

Leadership – tackling the hard stuff

Tēnā koutou, For my column in this issue I want to share with you an article that I wrote for LinkedIn. As we get through winter and head into spring, a season of growth and new life, it is an enjoyable time to look forward. I wish all our IrrigationNZ family well. Ngā mihi, Keri

I love politics. I have absolutely zero political ambition, but I have always been fascinated by how politics plays out, as well as the players themselves. And not just in New Zealand. I watched the recent Australian election with a particular focus on the rise of the teals. These are independent candidates with an eye on the economy and an eye on the environment – a true blue/green cross (hence the name teals).

A couple of weeks ago a group of amazing wāhine gathered in a pub in Christchurch. After having spent the day listening and learning about what a future food and fibre sector could look like at E Tipu (The Boma Agri Summit), we were feeling energised and excited, and most importantly, supported and connected. We discussed the recent He Waka Eke Noa agreement, the industry organisations, and other groups that have formed out of dissatisfaction with the industry organisations. We reflected upon what we were reading and hearing, and the behaviours that we were seeing – behaviours that are damaging not only to us as a sector, but to the hard-working, passionate individuals who get out of bed every day to do what they love. We were all concerned and worried about the fact that we have started to attack each other, and that is not ok. Our vision has been blurred, and we are caught up in a vicious cycle of misinformation, mistrust, scaremongering, and hurt. Name calling, personal attacks, and threats are the stuff of playgrounds – and we are better than that.

Every time I read about what a poor job the food and fibre sector leadership is doing at advocating for our farmers, seemingly signing us up to the end of farming as we know it, my gut wrenches. Leadership is not about doing what is easy or popular, but tackling the hard stuff, listening intently to all points of view, and always looking ahead. It means stepping away from our own farms and trying to find the best way for our entire sector. There are many who are happy to sit behind a keyboard and attack the integrity and capability of our sector leaders, but very few who are willing to take on these roles. We are losing talented, skilled, awesome people because of the toll that this often negative, derogatory feedback is taking. And this is happening at all levels of leadership – grass roots to national.

So, where am I going with all of this? I do what I do because I love everything about our sector, and where we can go. I want our sector to see change as not just necessary, but full of opportunities and optimism, and it absolutely can be – it is all about perspective.

I respect everyone’s right to have and share their opinion, provided it is expressed in a way that is respectful and mindful of the fact that there is a human being at the other end of it. We should all be ultimately interested in understanding the different points of view that exist. When we are discussing complex social, political, and institutional dynamics, we need to consider whether “I don’t agree” may actually mean “I don’t understand,” and consider that not opposing may not mean acceptance, but perhaps just getting on with it. We have all been guilty of putting effort into protecting our worldviews rather than expanding them, and this ultimately stifles our own personal growth.

The appeal of the teals is that they are walking the line between placing importance on economics (and the societal impacts associated with the state of the economy) and on the environment, and they have totally stirred up the Australian political landscape. They did not feel the need to align themselves to a political party, but were feeling the need to stand by and for their values, and what they care about. They do not see the people and the economy as being separate from the environment. This will resonate with many of us. Therefore, I am asking for our entire sector to re-imagine our vision in order to find a way forward. We must support our leadership and each other in a way that is kind, and call out the behaviours that are destructive to the people in our sector and the sector itself. We need to question with genuine curiosity, learn from each other, and stand by each other.

We are great farmers. We are innovative. But most importantly, we do what we do because, to quote the awesome wāhine leader Becks Smith, “we want to be the best FOR the world, not just the best IN the world”. We can always do better, and we should, because it is the right thing to do. It will be challenging, and it will be controversial. We may be judged, but the prize is worth it – healthy and thriving land, water and air, a prosperous society, and a secure future for our descendants. It is our intergenerational responsibility to make sure this happens. It has been pointed out to me that while there is fear out there, there is equally as much hope.

So, here is to the rise of the philosophy of the teals in Aotearoa. Let’s fuel the hope, allay the fears, and do what is right.

Who’s with me?