FREEDOM FARMER BLOG

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Why You Can’t Make Enterprise Decisions Based on Gross Margins leadership mindset productivity profitability top producers top producers program May 15, 2025

"It’s not the figures that matter, it’s what you do with them." – FOA Benchmark Analyst

If you’re running a farm business, there’s a good chance someone’s told you to use Gross Margins to decide which enterprises are most profitable.

It’s a common approach in farm consulting.

But here’s the proble...

Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way communication skills leadership team building Jan 09, 2025

Business leadership, especially in family-owned or multi-generational farming businesses, can often feel like a murky maze.

Who’s in charge?

Who’s making decisions?

Who’s taking responsibility?

These questions might linger unresolved, leading to frustration, stagnation, or worse, conflict.
...

Building Trust: 11 Key Behaviours communication skills human resources leadership recruitment team building workflow optimisation Apr 04, 2024

In Patrick Lencioni's "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," trust emerges as the cornerstone of a successful team dynamic.

Lencioni defines trust as the confidence team members have in each other's intentions, where there's no need for caution or defensiveness within the group.

Put simply, tr...

Unleashing the Hawthorne Effect: Harnessing Human Psychology for Business Success on Australian Farms communication skills human resources leadership recruitment team building Mar 14, 2024

In the realm of business, understanding human behaviour isn't just a nice-to-have skill—it's a strategic advantage. Among the many psychological phenomena that shape our interactions, the Hawthorne Effect stands out as a powerful force. Named after a series of studies conducted at the Western Electr...

Unlocking Business Success: Learn from the Rugby Field! human resources leadership strategic planning team building Dec 07, 2023

In Ray Dalio's book Principles, the billionaire hedge fund manager draws a compelling analogy between managing a business and steering a professional sports team.

Picture yourself gazing down at the field, assessing the players, and pondering, "What's our objective, and who do we need to secure t...

The Power of Decisive Action in Business decision-making leadership mindset strategic planning Nov 30, 2023

Imagine being a crew member on a yacht, setting sail from Sydney to Hobart during the bustling race day.

Now picture this: encountering a cyclone halfway across the Pacific Ocean, much like the dramatic events of the 1998 race.

What would you expect from the yacht's captain in such turbulent moments?

W...

Cultivating Unity: Strategies for Resolving Generational Differences in Farming Businesses communication skills leadership strategic planning succession planning Nov 10, 2023

Farming is more than a profession; it’s a way of life that often spans generations.

This continuity brings with it invaluable wisdom and experience, but it can also lead to generational differences in the way the farm is managed and the business is run.

These differences can pose significant chal...

How These Farmers Went from Working 7 Days Per Week to 5 Months Off goal setting leadership strategic planning team building Aug 25, 2023

I recently had the privilege of interviewing remarkable farmers, Tim and Cheryl Freak, for an upcoming masterclass titled “How to find, keep and grow a successful farm team.”

The conversation left me truly inspired as they shared their journey, and are now taking extended breaks from their f...

Are You Good at Delegation, or do You Abdicate? communication skills leadership organisation skills team building Aug 04, 2023

If you often find yourself overwhelmed and burdened by a seemingly endless list of tasks, it might be time to embrace the power of delegation.

Effective delegation is a skill that can transform your work life, leading to fewer mistakes, reduced stress, and increased team cohesion.

However, man...

Personal & Company Values communication skills culture leadership strategic planning Jul 21, 2023

I had a great 50-minute conversation recently with Ben Law from “The Financial Bloke.”

I highly recommend checking out his podcast – Click Here!

During our discussion, we delved into the topic of personal and company values, covering various aspects such as:

How values can create conflict i...

The Importance of Getting Your Team in Sync leadership organisation skills strategic planning team building Jun 30, 2023

I hope this message finds you well.

I wanted to share a recent experience where we took the time to align our Farm Owners Academy team with the company’s direction.

Here are some key highlights:

Our CEO, Sam Johnsson, organised a 2-day planning session for a portion of our leadership team in the ...

8 Traits of a High Performer communication skills leadership recruitment team building Jun 23, 2023

If you want to hire someone, the ultimate goal should be to hire the right person. Slowing down the hiring process to find the ideal candidate is perfectly acceptable.

One good employee beats three average (this is why it’s okay to pay one good one a little more).

Here are ei...

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