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Sieverkropp Consulting LLC. Contact: Elizabeth Sieverkropp esieverkropp@gmail.com ( 509) 398-6858 Website: www.sieverkroppconsulting.com Training Program Homepage: www.sieverkroppconsulting.com/fsa-borrower-training-program-homepage. Introductions. Name Where do you farm?
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Sieverkropp Consulting LLC. Contact: Elizabeth Sieverkropp esieverkropp@gmail.com (509) 398-6858 Website: www.sieverkroppconsulting.com Training Program Homepage: www.sieverkroppconsulting.com/fsa-borrower-training-program-homepage
Introductions • Name • Where do you farm? • What do you farm?
Strategic Farm Management Characteristics of Successful Farm Managers, Goals Setting, SWOT Analysis
Objectives • Understand the importance of strategic management on the farm. • Understand how to set effective goals • Understand how to develop a mission statement and tell your farm’s story • Understand how to survey the business environment
Characteristics of Admired Companies • Lean towards action • Learn the needs of their customers • Promote managerial autonomy and entrepreneurship • Achieve production by paying attention to needs of their employees • Driven by value-based company philosophy • Focus on what they know best • Simple organizational structure Source: Essentials of Management by Koontz & Weihrich, 8 edition
Traits of Successful Farm Managers • What is a manager? • “Someone who is in charge of a business, department, etc..” ~Merriam-Webster • What is a successful manager? • A successful manager continually adjusts decisions based on economic, technological, political, environmental conditions, and structural shifts. • Think of how differently you farm compared to prior generations.
What do successful farm managers do? • Set goals, research, and devise a detailed plan of action • Communicate and execute plan of action with employees • Record and analyze the results of implementation • Keep a journal • Adjust the plan for the future based on results
What do successful farm managers do? • Know exactly where the business is financially • Build connections and research input costs and technology improvements • Know how your farm can be more efficient • Effectively communicate and motivate employees
Purdue University Top Producers * 100 = Highly Adopted Source: http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/Library/Display.aspx?RecID=3953
What should you do? • Your time managing the farm should be split between: • Planning • Implementation • Control • Adjustment • Goal: find the balance that works for your farm.
Running your business is like… Planning a vacation
Strategic v. Tactical Management Strategic: Overall Strategy Tactical: Implementing Strategy Decision Making Identifying problem/opportunity Identify alternatives Collect data/information Analyze alternatives and make a decision Implement decision Monitor/evaluate results Accept responsibility • Define the mission of the business (Mission Statement) • Formulate the goals of the business (SMART Goals) • Access the resources of the business (SWOT analysis) • Survey the business environment (SWOT analysis) • Identify and select strategies that will reach the goals • Implement and refine strategies that will reach the goals
Mission Statement • What is it? • “Short description of why the farm or ranch business exists and its goals.” ~Kay, Edwards, and Duffy • Why do you need one? • Defines and clarifies your dreams for the future • Keeps your goals on target • Keeps you focused on your strengths
What makes a good mission statement? • Elements of a good mission statement: • States what the business might look like “when it grows up” • What • How • Why • Blends realism and optimism • Thinks long term
Writing a Mission Statement • Brainstorm. • List your farm’s skills and abilities • List your farm’s personality traits • List your farm’s values, dreams, passions • Summarize in 1-2 sentences • Evaluate it. • Does it agree with generic missions? • Does it use the farm’s skills, traits, and values? • Does it provide ongoing challenges? • Does it provide inspiration and direction? • Implement it, share it, display it.
Examples • Profitable growth through superior customer service, innovation, quality and commitment. ~AGCO • Our purpose is to create superior value for our customers, employees, communities and investors through the production, conversion, delivery and sale of energy and energy services. ~Duke Energy Company • We are a global family with a proud heritage passionately committed to providing personal mobility for people around the world. ~Ford Motor Company • We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments. ~Harley-Davidson
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Your Farm’s Story • Why do you need one? • You can’t determine where you are going unless you know where you have been • “Standing on shoulders of giants” • Marketing to consumers
The Power of Goal Setting • Running a business or life without goals is like starting a road trip only knowing you want to reach the east coast. It’slong, drawn out, stressful, expensive, and filled with road closed signs. • What goal setting can do in your business: • Unite your team • Streamline your hard work and create efficiency • Creates a reference point for decision making
SMART Goals • Specific: goals need to be straight forward (summarized in 1 sentence) • Ex. “To expand my beef herd” vs “To expand my beef herd by 50 mother cows” • Measurable: allows you to gauge your progress and develop a plan of action • Attainable: is your SMART goal realistic? • Relevant: needs to be related to your operation’s values, mission statement, and definition of success • Time Limit: creates motivation through deadlines
Making Goals Stick • Write goals down • Make your goals yours • Share your goals with those that need to know • Post your goals where you can see them everyday • Celebrate when you accomplish your goals • Keep setting new goals as you achieve old ones
SMART Goal Examples • To expand our beef operation by 50 mother cows by December 31, 2018. S M A R T • To fully repay our loan of $80,000 for the combine by September 15, 2016. S M A R T • To build a farm emergency fund of 6 months, equivalent to $100,000, by December 21, 2019. S M A R T
SWOT Analysis • SWOT is a simple brainstorming activity that identifies your farm’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. • Bird’s eye view of your business • You’re already doing a SWOT analysis, you just need to write it down.
Strengths • What is my farm’s advantage over a similar neighboring operation? • What is my strength as a manager compared to a similar, neighboring operation? • What are my employees’ strengths compared to a similar, neighboring operation? • What makes my farm unique compared to a similar, neighboring operation?
Weaknesses • What is my farm’s disadvantage compared to a similar, neighboring operation? • What is my weakness as a manager compared to a similar, neighboring operation? • What are my employees’ weaknesses compared to a similar, neighboring operation? • What am I most dissatisfied about in my business?
Opportunities • What is happening in my market that could benefit my farm? • What is happening in the government that could benefit my farm? • What is happening locally that could benefit my farm? • What technology could benefit my farm?
Threats • What is happening in my market that could harm my farm? • What is happening in the government that could harm my farm? • What is happening locally that could harm my farm? • What technology could harm my farm?
Tips for SWOT Success • Complete this activity with your management team or family. • Set aside several hours. • Only accept precise, verifiable statements. • i.e. instead of “changing market” try “decrease in cattle supply is expected to result in higher cattle prices” • Prioritize from most important/urgent to least important/urgent. • Use SWOT to adjust goals and make decisions. • Complete SWOT for each enterprise and possible business ventures.
Farm Story/Mission Statement • Goals • SWOT Analysis
Tactical Management • Daily decisions that help you move forward towards your SMART goals and mission statement. • Goal: To expand our beef operation by 50 mother cows by December 31, 2018. • Tactical Steps: choose feed rations to keep cows healthy, retain an additional 10 replacement heifers each year, acquire hay for the winter • What tactical decisions can you think of?
Strategic Planning Process Source: Northwest Farm Credit Services
Homework • Write a mission statement for your farm. • Write your farm’s story. • Develop SMART goals for your farm. • Complete a SWOT analysis for your farm.
One Minute Takeaway • Take a minute to write down one or two ideas or takeaways from this lesson.
Sieverkropp Consulting LLC. Contact: Elizabeth Sieverkropp esieverkropp@gmail.com (509) 398-6858 Website: www.sieverkroppconsulting.com Additional Resources: www.sieverkroppconsulting.com/additional-resources