Hey Gang,
As a business owner—and farmers are business owners, by the way — it’s important to recognize the difference between working IN your business and working ON your business.
Working IN your business refers to daily tasks:
- Plant trees
- Fix sprayer boom
- Replace well tank (#myyesterday)
- Kill weeds in Fun Park
Working ON your business refers to daily tasks:
- Test new pie recipes for the season
- Plan marketing for your next event
- Start recruiting staff for the season (#myLastFriday)
- Shore up supply chains for food items
Balancing your time effectively and delegating tasks can help you create a successful business that is functional in the short term and poised for growth in the future.
Sounds great, right? But what about when reality strikes?
- It rains when you are ready to plant corn
- Your event food truck cancels
- Sudden warm weather pushes grass and weeds into the blueberries before you get there to prevent it
The IN vs. ON dilemma is slightly more complex than, “I do all my planning in the winter, then when spring arrives, I simply focus on doing my tasks.”
Yeah, riiiiiiiiiight. So what’s the mix?
“Yes, and” One of the greatest lessons I learned from improv theater and brainstorming is “Yes, and.” It’s the concept that if your group on stage works well together, when one member says a line and proposes a direction, instead of shooting the idea down, the next person says, “Yes, and…”
While managing a farm can feel like firefighting, like a constant state of reactions, it doesn’t need to be that way. Our local volunteer fire company recently had the most significant fire event in its history. A three-level, 250,000sq ft (total) old wooden factory building caught fire, endangering businesses and homes for blocks around it. It was a 6-alarm herculean effort to gain control and save adjacent structures, but they did without a single injury or ANY other buildings lost.
Crazy, right? It sounds like we are operating in the fall sometimes! In the first official information post from the fire chief, it turns out that they had been planning for this specific event at this building for over a decade! They had installed draw lines from a pond 1,000s of feet away from the site, specifically for this event.
That’s the balance. We have to work on the business, creating and updating plans throughout the year. We must take time from our busy weeks to plan for the next 90, 60, 30, and 7 days. Otherwise, when it all catches fire, rains on our parade, or a supplier fails to deliver, we’ll be out of luck. We’ll lose not only the primary building but also the adjacent one.
More in control than you think. Effectiveness starts at the top, and the good news is: You are in more control than you think.
- When you spend time planning—even just seven days in advance—for your team, you multiply their effectiveness.
- Ask THEM what’s on the list for their area of responsibility. It shows you trust them and are interested in helping them be more successful.
- SHARE your weekly goals. No one can read your mind! My favorite question is, “Where do we need to be by Friday, and what do you need to get there?” This pulls their focus to the end of the week, not just a task list for today, and shows that your role is to help them get to Friday successfully.
- Delay response. If you are interrupted while doing something important, such as planning, setting up event marketing, or placing supply orders, delay your response. You are in control of your time, and batching your own tasks saves time.
- Be clear about interruptions with your staff. If you have a list planned for them in advance, they don’t need you to drop everything or lose your flow to answer every question. Tell them to keep working down the list, and you’ll check in when you complete your critical work. YOU ARE IN CONTROL.
We have to work both IN and ON our businesses. Balancing both is crucial to achieving short-term wins and long-term growth. Effective planning, delegation, and communication with your team can make all the difference in responding to unexpected challenges and achieving your goals.
Remember, you are in control, so take control!
Have a great week,
Hugh
