As a farm leader, you’re no stranger to uncertainty. You regularly encounter situations – both from within your operation and from outside that affect it – where you must deal with unknown factors and ambiguity.

It’s no question that the unknown is something you’ll come across as a farmer. But, more importantly, it’s about how you react and what you do when you must make decisions in the face of uncertainty.

Uncertainty reaction quiz

There are a few different reactions people might have when dealing with a decision involving some level of uncertainty. Which of these three responses do you typically use?

Do you recognize yourself in any of the three reactions I mentioned above? Maybe it’s a mix of a couple of them, or you might notice you respond in different ways depending on the situation. Some responses are more productive and helpful to your farm business than others. No matter your reaction, knowing how you respond is key.

Ready for action

Knowing our own tendency can help us move forward despite the uncertainty we face when we must make a tough decision for our operation. Then, the most important step to take next is creating a plan of action that’s tailored to our own farm business.

Action plans need to be as specific as possible – detailing what will be done, by when and by who. Who is responsible for making sure particular jobs or steps get done? The plan should describe who needs to be informed or consulted at certain points along the way, when problems or questions come up.

Before setting up your action plan, make sure you’ve done any needed research, consulted trusted advisors and taken a close look at how this decision fits with your farm’s larger goals, values and needs. You may want to work closely with an advisor for the farm to help set up your plan.

The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress.