Thinking Like a Farm CEO

This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

Farming is a 24/7 job with lots of moving parts that require constant management and attention. That’s why for some farm owners, setting strategic goals can sometimes be placed on the backburner. Evan Shout says from his experience at Farmer Coach and Maverick Ag, farmers who can shift their priorities from operations to big picture thinking tend to realize success.

Shout… “I think what the biggest shift has been, guys are starting to act like CEOs. So, the CEO does not work on the manufacturing floor. He's not turning bolts, right? So, it's, that mentality is probably the hardest one to change in farms, because I think that's what they grew up with. You know, how much time I spend in the tractor, in the dirt, that was considered success. How many hours I can put in a week. And, and that mentality for a lot of the growing farms has been the biggest change, is that they see that as the CEO, or as the owner of that business. They had to shift that mindset away from operations and more into big picture.”

Shout says the goal isn’t always something related to the farm. For some, it’s freedom of time.

Shout… “The goal doesn't always have to be growth. The goal can be personal, you know, freedom of time. Are you actually stuck in the business or are you able to, you know, enjoy the lifestyle that we always say is so good with agriculture? In order to have it, you have to enjoy it, so maybe that's the goal. Maybe the goal in 10 years is to be able to spend 500 hours away from the farm with your family.”

Shout added that even setting goals quarterly is a good start.