If you start something, finish it. I learned this early, since there are many jobs to do on the farm daily. Sometimes those jobs get interrupted, but still need to be completed. Think about where we would be if a farmer got distracted when planting a cornfield, and it was never completed. There would be a lot less corn produced. So always finish something you start, even if it’s the next day or week.

Keep your word. If you say you are going to do something, do it, especially when someone is relying on you to do so. This could also be thought of as having integrity and doing the right thing, even when someone isn’t looking. These are lessons we all should learn.

Create a routine. If you have a routine, you will complete the task the same every time. I recall teaching my children to shoot a free throw at our basketball hoop. The thought is if you do it the same way every time — three dribbles, spin the ball, place it correctly in your hand and shoot — then you are more likely to have the right result.

Prioritize your tasks. Every day I sit at my desk and look at what needs to be completed for the day. I’m a list-maker, and I will even number my list to get everything completed in order. If I didn’t do this, I’d likely forget something, and then someone who relied on me to be somewhere or turn something in would be let down. By prioritizing, the job gets completed.

Communicate well. I’ve been in the communication business most of my career, but even when you aren’t a journalist, communication is important. We can especially see this on the football field when the quarterback calls a play, and the rest of the offense is expected to do their job to have success. If the line doesn’t block, then the quarterback might get sacked; if the wide receiver doesn’t run the right route, then the ball won’t get caught; and if the quarterback doesn’t communicate to his team what play needs to be run, then the game will be lost.

Do your best. This may seem easy, but it doesn’t always happen. If a leader isn’t held accountable for their actions, everyone is affected. This is often seen in organizations, schools, athletic teams and work teams. Accountability is the act of being responsible. If you always do your best and what is best for your group, school or team, then no one can ask for more. In agriculture, farmers and livestock producers are always striving to do their best and have better yields, higher weaning weights or produce more animals.