Managing rural business, during turbulent times, is both an art and a science, writes Kerry Swan*.
As a leader, you will need to find your balance between the typically ‘soft’ skills like empathy, innovation and creativity mixed with the ‘hard’ skills of logic, accountability and planning.
1. Get clear about what you want
Back in the 1990s, when I was but a baby in the workplace, I honestly bought the story that I could have it all – careers plus babies plus life. Fast forward 20 years, I now know that you can have it all. At a cost. For me, that cost was my first marriage and my health at the time. At the age of 38, I found myself a single mum with a business to run and what I call a large STD – sexually transmitted debt.
I was a slow learner, but I found that getting clear about what I want has helped me create the relationship I want, the business I want and my chosen lifestyle. It took me about ten years, but I’m on track to living a life of my own choice these days.
2. Work backwards
Back in my admin days, I organised an office move well before I started in project management. Like lots of projects do, it began as a conversation in the tea room. My boss said to me, “All right, Kerry. You’re our organiser. Would you organise the office move?” I said, “Yeah, sure. I’d love to do that.”
This, in my experience as a project manager, is how most projects start. They start at the water cooler, finish at the water cooler, or end at the pub down the road where somebody is traumatised because they’ve had such a bad journey.
But the trick in all things is to work backwards. That is, work backwards by using a good project plan. Project planning is like oxygen for us as leaders. The better we can get at project planning, the better chance we have of leading our people and our projects efficiently so that we all enjoy life and work a little more.
3. Have a plan. But expect chaos
My friend Sandy has been my leadership inspiration. Sandy and I worked together for many years, and then she set up her own consulting business. Her approach to business was freeform and wild – go with the flow and see what happens. Policies, procedures and systems were not her natural state. I was the project manager with control, logic, systems and management processes in place.
Sandy set her business up in the year before she died. It was a complete mess and thriving – it shouldn’t have worked, but it did because she was relationship-oriented. Sandy introduced me to the notion that chaos can be good for change because it helps us respond rather than focusing on what we want to happen.
4. Use your words. Ask better questions
Shift your ‘whys’ to ‘hows’ and see what changes.
This is a powerful leadership habit that I’m going to encourage you to practise for 21 days. You can even try this with a partner or a friend.
When ‘they’ come to you with a problem, ask them, “How can we make this happen?” Or “How do you want to handle this?” Feel the difference in the energy. When you ask “how?” notice how the energy bounces back to them to be part of the solution.
Whereas, when you ask, “Why did this happen?” the energy will land at your feet. And notice that this issue then becomes your problem, not theirs. Always start your conversations with “how?”
5. Iterate
Leadership development is truly the opportunity to iterate. Your challenge, as a leader during turbulent times, is to keep learning, keep testing and to iterate your leadership style to suit your team, your stage and your life.
There is no one fixed solution to leadership problems. So, iterate, and iterate some more, to bring people on the journey with you in a shared vision to suit the needs of the day.
*Kerry Swan, author of Heartfelt Leadership (Publish Central $29.95), is a born-and-bred project manager. With more than 20 years’ experience as a self-employed consultant, coach and teacher, Kerry has worked with hundreds of leaders. These days Kerry works with her husband Craig across their diverse range of family businesses. With interests in real estate, earthmoving and agribusiness and a team of 35 people, Kerry loves leadership.
