My process is based on the principles of Six Sigma (i.e., Plan, Do, Check, Improve). I will take this systematic approach to help improve your life and in turn will snowball into your family’s teamwork, business processes, and everyone’s “people smarts.” I won’t be doing this in the conventional way, but one that will actually work for a farmer.

PERSONALIZED PODCASTS:

I will send you a personalized (specific to you and your situation) five-minute podcast daily. We have gone the podcast route because it is easier for you to listen in your time and schedule without being put in a vulnerable spot.

We will cover the topics of Stubborn Conversations (like the Masterclass you probably previously have done with me), Teamwork, Grit (i.e., self-responsibility and integrity), and Cognitive Distortions (how a person reacts in different situations and their biased thinking) on a monthly rotation. Each week, we’ll also delve deeper into getting more crystal clear on your life purpose and what your business goals are. As we work together over these months and I get to know you better, the podcasts I provide will become more and more fine-tuned to your unique needs.

WEEKLY ZOOM CALL:

Each week, we will sit down for a Zoom visit for roughly 30 minutes to discuss these personalized podcasts. Discussions will be made up of thought-provoking questions to make you think differently about your world view, your habit changes, and good ol’ down to earth advice. Each week, you make one resolution for something YOU want to change about your mindset or habits (e.g., be considerate of the value of other people’s time, not just your own). These habit changes have to be things YOU WANT to make, not me or anyone else within your family. They have to be your personal goals for habits or mindset shifts you want to tweak.

SIX SIGMA:

Using a business improvement process called Six Sigma, we’ll use a Plan, Do, Check, Improve process to make these weekly habit changes (i.e., your resolutions) a reality over 90 days. Using our Boot Journal APP, we’ll then have you track each resolution twice daily for <5 minutes, when you put your boots on to go to work in the morning and when you take them off at night.

Through a self-reflective process, you’ll become more self-aware and through our weekly discussions you’ll tweak your implementation of these goals, gradually changing habits until the resolutions become reality!

YOUR MONTH-LONG TRIAL:

If we’ve shared this link with you, you probably have already gone through our 1-week Stubborn Conversations Masterclass and are somewhat familiar with what this will look like but let me explain a bit further.

For the first month (or the next 4 weeks) each resolution you make will not be announced to the group (unless you are ok with that), allowing you a month grace period to work on that habit change on your own. In fact, we recommend you don’t mention our program to your partners until you’ve kicked our tires (month trial) and feel comfortable with our very unique process.

360-DEGREE PERFORMANCE REVIEW:

For the 60 days after that month’s trial, you will ask your partners to objectively score your progress on these habits through a weekly, 360-degree peer-review survey. Depending on how many family members/key partners you have, this peer evaluation process will take 10-20 minutes each week for each of them. This will be done anonymously so scoring will stay objective. You might think you’re doing great but find out different and this is ok… Or we may even find out that a certain family member has a qualm with you (only seen on our end). Whatever the peer evaluation reveals, it will help me to help you in actually making each sought-after habit stick.

GETTING YOUR FAMILY ONBOARD:

We find that if you demonstrate humility and ask for feedback on how you can take your performance from good to great and follow through with changes, then 95% of the time your family will jump on board to try the same process themselves after 90 days of working with you. If they don’t want to change themselves (wrong type of stubborn), then you can recognize that they might not be the ideal partners to work with over the next thirty years. If it comes to this, I will guide you through this tricky place so no matter what the outcome is, it’ll be done on good terms with a clear conscience.

TEAM DECISION MAKING AFTER 6 MONTHS:

After each family member has gone through our 90-day program same as you, we’ll start having joint family meetings whereby we brainstorm ways to improve how you work together as a team. Here enters our Stubborn Habits Program for Farm Family Teams. We’ll break down your farm’s goals and use SIX SIGMA to objectively set production goals for each business unit. We’ll then get good at problem solving as a team as to how we can improve business processes to achieve goals without blaming or shaming family. My ultimate goal is to turn your farm around 180 degrees in 180 days, day to day and strategically.

THE COST AND BENEFIT:

My standard rate is $300/hour. I will only invoice if your family is satisfied with results each month. If cashflow is tight, we can work out a payment schedule like John Deere credit. We do this because if you adapt to our process, we are confident you’ll be thriving (not just surviving) by 2030!

Our goal is to double your farm’s level of profitability. If we get everyone within your family to listen to each other’s ideas and be able to make (and execute) decisions together 10X better, business profitability and strategic growth will skyrocket. Farming with family becomes fun again!

THE NEXT STEP:

Just fill out this survey: