Leading Your Farm to Success

Leadership is an area within agriculture which often lacks attention. Despite being natural leaders and innovators, due to the nature of their work many farmers don’t fully understand the value that good leadership can have on their business. External pressures continue to mount on rural businesses. Farms are becoming increasingly reliant on a web of other people to create a sustainable and prosperous agricultural sector. This report explores what forms leadership can take in farming businesses around the world and examines case studies where farmers have influenced a wide group of stakeholders towards a common aim.

Definitions of leadership were created by speaking to senior members of the UK armed forces. The military places people at the centre of leadership, with a high regard for meeting the needs of soldiers and their families. Referencing the importance of the mission, leaders ensure everyone understands how they can contribute towards collective goals. 

There are a number of different ways that people can become leaders within the field of agriculture. In the USA there is a well-developed network of formal agricultural leadership programmes across the different states. In the Netherlands farmers have responded to advancing environmental legislation and created their own political movement for change. ‘Grass-roots’ leadership is possible within agriculture, where everyone involved in food production can make a contribution. By working with others and exchanging ideas, small ideas can turn into lasting innovations.

Leaders can work with employees to produce farms which become great places to work, like Grupo Morena in Brazil. Looking after all the needs of the people who work for you will result in employees who are committed to, and take pride in, the business they work for.

The importance of expressing leadership within the community was highlighted in Kenya and Rwanda. Farms in these countries had a wide range of initiatives to support the local community and they relied on maximising this soft power to achieve success in the face of wider business uncertainty.

Successful leaders take care of themselves and those around them to create a strong team. Farmers must prioritise their own physical and mental health in order to build resilience. Leaders must be role models for a caring attitude and cultivate a strong support network for themselves and those they work with. Good leadership is characterised by developing self-knowledge, knowing your employees and knowing your community. Profiling of personality traits may be helpful in some of these examples.

Farmers need to create and action a stakeholder risk management plan that identifies key people or organisations that impact their business. Farms must aspire to be a great place to work to significantly improve their reputation, employee retention and recruitment prospects. There is a collective responsibility for everyone in the supply chain to take a lead; whether on farm, in a food business or an allied organisation, in order to work together in a mutually beneficial way.