Leading the Way
How leadership works on the ranch.
contributed article by B. Lynn Gordon Leader Consulting
REIMAGINE THE FUTURE 2020is here! It’s hard to
believe. We start the year with the same challenge we have every year, trying to remember to write the correct year on our checks. Usually, by mid-February, I begin to accomplish this regularly. With a new year comes other new challenges and possibilities. We have the opportunity to develop or refine our goals and vision for ourselves, our business, and our families. Listening to Terry Jones, founder and former CEO of Travelocity, recently at the National Angus Convention in Reno, Nev., opened my eyes and those of fellow cattle producers as he discussed his experiences developing startup companies, many of which were grounded in technology. Jones, who was also chairman of Kayak.com, a company that was later purchased by Priceline. com for $1.8 billion, has wit-
nessed the rise and fall of many startup businesses. Even his own. Experiencing failure in his most recent startup after five successful business ventures has reminded him to not dwell on the failures. “If you don’t fail, you’re not trying hard enough,” says Jones. To him, failure means you are constantly learning and exercising your discovery muscle. “It’s how you pick yourself back up and continue to experiment that will result in long-term success.” He explained, Steve Jobs was successful in his launch of the iPhone, because of his clear vision of the desired goal and unwavering focus on getting there. “Those who never settle, make the difference.” Jones’s career path began as a receptionist in a travel agency business almost 50-years ago. Today, at 70-years-old, he is called a digital disruptor, someone willing to take the chance to adopt new
technologies and think outside the box. “Change is inevitable ̶ but growth is up to you,” he says.
Innovation or Disruption “You know where you need to go, so adopt the technology to get you there.” He challenged agricultural producers to ask the tough questions, maybe the change needed on your ranch, your operation, or your business is a whole new model. It’s easy to put up the roadblocks to change and history demonstrates we often do that. The age-old reference of, ‘but we have always done it this way’ results in shutting down new ideas and harnessing the potential from those around you. Will family members or employees continue to offer up ideas, if they always get this same response? How can enthusiasm and a growth-mindset develop in this contained environment?
__________ __________
January 2020
“Change is inevitable - but growth is up to you.”
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- Terry Jones, Travelocity founder
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