Keys to Eff ective Leadership 1. Put people fi rst. People are the most important asset of any organization. 2. Encourage risk taking and innovation. Organizations that stick to the tried and true often stagnate. Progress comes through moving into uncharted territory and trying new things. Identify and reward risk takers and innovators. 3. Embrace change. Change is the only constant in life. To be an eff ective leader, you should not only embrace change, you should promote it. 4. Emphasize honesty and integrity. For an organization to prosper and endure, it must exude trust. The integrity of an organization is a function of the honesty and integrity of every member of that organization. 5. Establish open communications. Knowledge is the key to power and success. As a leader, it’s essential for you to have access to the knowledge of those around you. An atmosphere of open, candid communication gives you knowledge to make eff ective decisions. 6. Foster a learning environment. Learning should be a lifelong pursuit. Encourage others to constantly upgrade their own skills and knowledge. 7. Be a team builder. Except for certain works of art, nothing is created without the eff ort of a number of individuals working together. Leverage diversity and diff erent talents within your organization through creation of teams. Source: Charles Ray, author of Things I Learned from My Grandmother about Leadership and Life. 7 > operation, where they custom-feed hogs, farm 1,100 acres of corn and soybeans, run a 60-head cow-calf herd and custom-bale hay. Their children Lee, Mallary and Cole help out. “To be successful, you have to be willing to learn new things about technology, have a good track record with lenders and be able to navigate high input costs and manage farm employees,” says Todd, a new board member at StateLine Cooperative, Burt, Iowa. Todd and Mary Kay are part of the CHS New Leaders Forum, a training program that examines in-depth issues and challenges facing cooperatives, agriculture and rural America. The program explores ways producers can build leadership skills to benefi t their co-ops and communities. “Developing leaders at the farm and local cooperative level is critical,” says Michael Boehlje with the Purdue University Center for Food and Agricultural Business. “Farmers need to be aware of the prospects for change in government policy, rules and regulations, and changing consumer preferences. They also should have a handle on the global business climate, including income growth in China and production expansion there.” Last year, 147 million acres were brought into production around the world with some of the biggest growth coming from South America, Ukraine, China and India. Boehlje says, “Rising competition with increased uncertainty and volatility highlight a need to develop managerial skills.” CHS FUTURE FORTY HELPS GROW NEW LEADERS To help plan for transitions in leadership, cooperatives are already grooming potential candidates to step up. CHS Future Forty — a development program off ered by CHS and the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management — does just that. Aimed at identifying key individuals across the country who have leadership potential, the program features instructors from the University of Minnesota and CHS who provide aspiring young leaders with experiential learning exercises, case studies and cooperative modules. “The cooperative world has become a dynamic, global, competitive landscape,” says Michael Boland, University of Minnesota faculty leader for CHS Future Forty. “Jobs for these future leaders will involve balancing many issues. This program was designed to help propel participants into senior-level roles.” The three-part program culminates in an international experience to South America next January. Graduation for this year’s class was held at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn. Here’s a look at how a crop of smart and savvy CHS Future Forty leaders see their futures unfolding. Big Leadership Changes Ahead A transition is taking place in cooperatives across the country. In the next 11 years, 61 percent of co-op CEOs plan to retire. In cooperatives with sales of $250 million or more, 82 percent of CEOs are expected to retire. The next tier of leaders will need to step up to the plate and grow with the members they serve. With those new roles will come a unique set of challenges, such as navigating technology, combating global issues, sourcing talent and instilling safety as a priority. “In the next 10 years, the role of leadership in cooperatives will be diff erent from any time in our history,” says Boland. “Leaders of tomorrow will need to be able to make calculated decisions more quickly, have a deeper understanding of fi nancials, and have better knowledge of safety and human resources, all while motivating their team. It’s a big challenge.” The opportunity for cooperatives, says Boland, is to provide expertise for the next generations of producers. “When producers are searching for access to information about technology, they look for someone they trust, and that’s where the local cooperative comes in,” he says. “Local experts can act as a sounding board for producers and break complex topics into real solutions farmers can use.” LEARN MORE: Visit chsinc.com/c for videos on developing leaders. 14 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 CHSINC.COM