Learning and growth opportunity. Choosing to look at changes in the ag operating environment as an opportunity to learn and grow – both as a farm operation and for yourself as a farm leader – can be a game-changer. Why? This mindset allows you to reframe the change and challenge in a way that can lead your farm business to ultimately become more competitive in the end. A change in the operating environment just might be the catalyst to learning something new that takes your business to the next level in terms of efficiency and success.

Chance for more creative problem-solving. Major challenges can also be the driver of the most creative solutions. Many in business – whether in a farm operation or other type of business – have found this to be the truth. Often, business leaders can become rather comfortable in terms of how they run their businesses, particularly when times are “easy” or good. But when presented with changes and challenges, often the level of creativity will rise when given the chance to do so. To help encourage more creative problem-solving in your operation, make sure employees and others understand that such solutions are highly valued by you and the operation – and reward people accordingly.

Become better as an operation. Many farm businesses have found that reasonable amounts of changes impacting them or even general “hard times” make for stronger operations in the end. As I noted earlier, much of this has to do with how the farm leader frames the whole idea of change and fosters that type of thought throughout their operation. When farm leaders and the people in the operation understand that change doesn’t have to be something fearful or “bad”, they can take a more open mindset and use the change itself to become a better, more competitive farm business.