Author: Kevin Kent

Podcast: 10 Best for Leaders in Selling Agricultural Products Online (Part 1)

Interested in selling agricultural products online? Check out the latest episode of the Wedgworth Leadership Institute Podcast featuring Dr. Lauri Baker.

Tools and Technology for Leading Remotely

Working remotely presents a number of challenges, especially if it’s something new for you and your organization. Technology can help us make the most of the situation by keeping our organization and stakeholders connected. There’s no “one perfect solution,” but rather a plethora of tools that can help with certain aspects as needed. 

Videoconferencing and Communication

How do I keep in touch with my team? Whether it’s an individual check-in or a weekly team meeting, technology can help facilitate the next best thing to an in-person meeting. Depending on the size of your organization and the level of communication you want to maintain, some of the options below may help you stay in touch with your team and stakeholders.

• ZOOM – You are probably already using ZOOM as it has become the industry standard in online/virtual meetings. Meetings are easy to create and invitations can be sent to individuals or groups via link. You have the ability to share your screen which allows you to make presentations and review documents. ZOOM is great for larger organizations where you might have a large group of people on one call.
• Microsoft Teams – If your organization has already invested in Microsoft Office, you likely have access to Microsoft’s newest office app, Teams. A mix between chat, file sharing, and virtual meetings is one of the best ways to describe Teams. Within the app, you can create multiple “teams” for different groups. This is useful when you are managing multiple groups or teams of people.
• Slack – If you’re looking for something to reduce email and remain in constant contact with your team, Slack is one of the best options out there. Its easy-to-use interface allows you to create different channels for chats, file sharing, video or voice calls and more. Slack has the most integrations with other app that you may already use.
• Google Hangouts – If you’re already using the Google suite of tools, this may be a great option for you. Similar to ZOOM, you can share links to meetings and integrate with you email and calendar.
• Spark Mail App – You’re probably overwhelmed with email at this point (if you weren’t already). The Spark Mail app is one of the best apps I’ve seen for handling email madness and preventing email fatigue. Exciting features include snoozing emails, reminders to follow-up, and a smart inbox to help you sort different types of messages. Sorry PC users, this is an Apple and Mac device app only.
• Mailchimp – You also are probably sending more email now than ever. Consider creating a digest or daily update and send it at a consistent time every day. Also consider using a tool like Mailchimp, where you can create a template and plug in your content. Add links, photos, GIFs, and organize your information more effectively using the email designer. You are also able to track who opens your email message when sent with Mailchimp.

Collaboration and Project Management

Okay…you’ve conducted your first virtual meeting and everyone is on the same page. How do I share files, task lists, and manage progress? Consider of the collaboration tools or project management apps below. It’s important to identify the best solution for you and your team in an effort not to introduce too much change/challenge at once.

• Basecamp – Basecamp is my absolute favorite project management system. It pulls together fire sharing, calendars, to-do lists, messaging, and so much more into one space. Create automatic check-ins with each of your team members. Also a great way to include clients or customers that are outside of your organization in projects and conversations.
• Trello – Don’t need a full project management system? Consider giving Trello a try. Create boards, lists, and cards to share with your team. Great for managing projects and what’s the status of each progress.
• Notion – This app combines documents, project management, spreadsheets, and databases in a very flexible environment. If your organization requires a lot of freedom, flexibility, and data – this would be a great solution for you.
• Mural – The most productive meetings for me are when I’m able to draw something out on a whiteboard. Mural is a digital whiteboard that has a lot of really neat features where you can invite your team to collaborate with you. Great for brainstorming or creative sessions!
• Things – Just need an app to make lists? Things is an award-winning app that lets you create powerful lists, assign deadlines, and organize by project or area. Today and This Evening lists are automatically populated so you know exactly what to start on next.
• Airtable – More of a spreadsheets type of person? Airtable is an awesome spreadsheets app with tons of features and integrations. Create different views, attach files to records, and format cells to include check boxes and more. A lot of really cool features that make spreadsheets even more useful. 

Live Video/Recording & Podcasting

You’ve got your team and organization all connected now. What about your customers and stakeholders? Maybe you have a conference or training planned that now has to be virtual. Consider one of the following tools to help keep your stakeholders informed about what’s happening with your organization.

• Switcher Studio – If you’re looking to stream a conference or product launch, Switcher Studio is a great option. Use mobile devices or computers as sources to capture, switch, and stream video to your Facebook, YouTube or other places. Upload and use your own photos, graphics, and video to be shown as well. 
• Vimeo – A favorite for hosting video, Vimeo also offers livestreaming and opportunities for paid content. If you want to embed a lot of videos into your current website, Vimeo is a great option. 
• Facebook Live – Let’s not forget one of the easiest tools available to us, Facebook Live. Go live from your mobile device anywhere you have a good internet connection. I’d recommend investing in a small tripod for your phone to avoid shaky video. Facebook Live is a great (and easy) way to keep your stakeholders informed.
• Adobe Premiere Rush – Need to put a video together but not at your main desktop? Download Adobe Premiere Rush to quickly edit and share quality videos right from your mobile device. If you’re a Premiere Pro veteran, the interface will look very familiar. New to video editing? Premiere Rush is super easy to learn. Shoot, edit, and share video all on the same device.
• Anchor – How about starting a podcast? Anchor makes it really easy to record, edit and share from your computer or mobile device. Invite others into the conversation connecting with them using the Anchor app. Anchor published your episode on all of the major podcasting platforms and is completely free.

As you can see, there are a lot of different tools and resources out there to assist in leading remotely. Don’t implement everything on this list into your remote leadership strategy. It’s important to determine your needs first – is it primarily communication or project management that technology can help with? Equally important is understanding who you are leading remotely – are you leading a small leadership team, your entire organization, or a group of stakeholders?  After determining each of these, introduce the technology to your team or group with patience and understanding. There’s a lot of change happening right now, so adapting to a new workflow or process may take some time. To help with the transition, make sure to highlight how this technology will help simplify or make tasks easier and provide time for exploring and training if needed.

How can we do it all?

We’re already a couple months in to 2020 – how many of us have given up on our New Year resolutions? Most people bail on their ambitious goals for the year by the middle of February. Life happens, right? We probably already have a lot on our plate and trying to squeeze another hour out of the day to go to the gym seems literally impossible. I know I could use a few more hours of daylight each day and maybe even an additional day to the weekend. Then MAYBE I can get it all done. 

Productivity and time management are crucial components of success, particularly in a leadership role. It can be overwhelming to think about “all of the things you need to think about” – the company you are responsible for, the projects you’re managing, the team you are leading, and the field that needs to be planted. Then there’s family time – dentist appointments, baseball games, dance lessons, and birthday parties (although I’m pretty good at making time for cake, though). Don’t forget the awesome two-year leadership development program we’re part of! Is work-life balance even possible? 

This past seminar, we reflected a lot on resiliency and met a lot of productive people. I found myself thinking a lot about how these people can do it all. How are they managing the process of overcoming challenges and moving forward? How are they managing rapid growth? How are they managing complexities of policy and politics? How are they managing all of this with their personal lives, hobbies, and families?

Over the past couple of years, I’ve tried to find my own work-life balance (and by balance, I really mean try to find time to do it all). There’s no “one system” that you can pay a monthly subscription for that works for everyone. There are, however, an insane number of books discussing productivity and time management techniques. Here’s the kicker though: “reading more” is one of those resolutions that usually gets abandoned early on.

Below are some of the most helpful pieces of information I’ve found in my quest for 24+ hour days and 7+ day weeks. From books and blogs, I’ve developed my own system of productivity. Like most other things, it’s been a lot of trial and error. It’s still not perfect, but it gives me a chance to dream, think, and do. Here are some of the guiding principles that help me get it all done.

• Take advantage of procrastination. Wait, what? Yeah – that’s what I said too. I am a huge procrastinator. It’s natural to procrastinate – the mind is expressing a desire for curiosity and novelty. Instead of fighting it, learn to use it. Acknowledging and validating the urge to procrastinate actually trains your brain to see it as something neutral rather than a threat. This helps with your confidence to get it all done.
• Little habits lead to big impacts. I’m also one to dream up some pretty big goals, which usually require big changes. Big changes all at one time can be overwhelming. Break the changes up into smaller, bite-sized habits. Not only are the smaller changes in routine more palatable, they can also be more sustainable.
• Implement the 4:55 rule. At the end of each day, take a few minutes to think through the next day. If you’re a list maker, this is your chance to prioritize what has to be done and jot it down in your planner on tomorrow’s page.
• Find a method of organizing your projects, to-do lists, etc. This could be a fancy planner, little black notebook, or the calendar app on your phone. I would encourage you to try a couple of different options. I’ve noticed that as my workload changes, my preference to organize my lists and notes changes too. Right now, I’m using an app called Things.
• Give meditation a try. This is a new one for me and I’ve still got a lot to learn. However, making this a small habit everyday helps me to think clearer. It’s a good workout for the brain. I use an app called Headspace to guide me through this process every day.

While there’s no secret recipe for superhero-levels of productivity, there is definitely a major ingredient found in all systems and strategies: the word “no.” It’s just a really hard word to say. Saying “yes” to our coworkers, friends, and family is a lot easier. Because it’s a lot easier to say, we say it a lot more. Then our lists are out of control and whatever system we’ve invested in to help with our productivity or time management becomes overwhelming or inadequate. Saying “no” to one thing is actually saying “yes” to a lot of other things, including the items already on your to-do list, projects you’ve already committed to, and the things you are most passionate about.

Don’t give up on your resolutions just yet. Make the most out of each day. 

Architects: Leaders for the next decade

It’s that time of year – we’re either excited that we’ve got all of our Christmas shopping done or we are frantic that we haven’t even started shopping yet. Regardless, it’s the end of the year, and well, the end of a decade. As we sip our holiday beverages or search for what can be delivered next day on Amazon, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the last 365 days and the past 10 years.

Looking back on this past year, a lot has happened, and it seemed to have all happened so fast. One of the most notable experiences from this past year includes my involvement with the Wedgworth Leadership Institute. This year, we welcomed our new director Christy Chiarelli, met some of Florida agriculture’s brightest while traveling to selection seminars, and kicked off a very impactful first seminar with Class XI. The first seminar was nothing short of awesome – inspiring speakers, thought-provoking conversations, and great fellowship. 

But as I reflect solely on Seminar I, several of our speakers used a term in their remarks that really stood out to me: architect. I wrote it down in my Wedgworth journal several times then underlined or circled it. It was a fascinating connection between leadership and what we do as leaders in the “real world.” We heard it in a couple of different contexts: be an architect… of culture for your organization, …and design a space for collaboration, … and create an environment for productivity. This one term answers a really big question that we face often as leaders – now what? We’ve stepped up to the plate as leaders. Now what? 

I’m a graphic designer by trade, and I really enjoy making things not only look good, but ensure they are useful and effective. I’ve developed a passion for designing experiences that inspire or engage people to do big things. Whether it’s a website, conference, or even an app (more on this later), it’s very similar to being an architect of sorts. A very important and common element in becoming this architect is intentionality.

If you’ve ever been part of a construction project, you understand the level of detail that must be considered all throughout the process. From the early stages of “let’s build something,” to determining the exterior wall color and which doors have locks, there’s so much that goes into designing and building a structure of any type. An architect must consider every single detail: fire and safety, accessibility, effective use of space, energy efficiency, and things I would never even think of when constructing a building. In addition to all of these details, they are also delivering a space that is inviting, serves a purpose, houses conversation, and creates a sense of structure.

What can we learn from architects? One crucial takeaway is intentionality. As a leader in your community or organization, have you intentionally considered how you lead others or create a culture with others? Like an architect, this means considering the details from start to finish, internal and external. And a good architect shows careful consideration to every detail, making an effective use of every square foot and creating appeal with every corner. 

As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown.

Norman Foster

It’s the end of the year and you may be asking yourself that bold question, “Now what?” My challenge to you would be to become an architect. Now, don’t put away your boots or sell off the land to head back to school for building and construction… I mean become an architect of culture, collaboration, and productivity. Consider what you can do intentionally to contribute to these important components of our industry. Our issues aren’t going to become less challenging anytime soon, so we have to be intentional with how we approach problem solving. And problem solving involves people. Lots of people. Different types of people. People with different perspectives. As an architect/leader, how can we intentionally bring these people together to resolve an issue? How can we intentionally schedule a meeting to encourage collaboration? How can we intentionally create a culture that drives innovation and moves agriculture forward?

It’s a pretty bold challenge and question to consider. But if I learned anything from my experience with construction, there’s a lot of people involved. The architect works with the contractor or builder to help ensure the project becomes a reality. As leaders, we can also work with our boards, managers, and others to ensure that our leadership plan comes together. This is another opportunity to be intentional.

At the first seminar, I was able to briefly share the answer to my own “now what?” for my role with Wedgworth. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been dreaming about what the future of leadership development looks like. We wanted something to keep our networks connected and provide an opportunity to continue growing as leaders. Now, there’s an app for that. Next year, we will be introducing the Wedgworth Leadership app. Class XI participants will be the first to use the app with plans to roll out the app to alumni members shortly after. The app will include Wedgworth’s own social network and “notebooks” of resources for continuous learning. 

We’re looking forward to sharing this with each of you. Just like an architect, we drew out the plans and sweated the details. This was our opportunity to build a new structure that could bring people together and make a difference. We hope the app engages agriculture’s own architects to grow as leaders in the next decade.

So, now what?