“Sometimes you just have to change your mindset.”
I had the privilege of listening to Iowa pig farmer Rob Brenneman again at a pork industry meeting this week. (That’s two times in just over two months for anyone who’s keeping track.)
One of the things I enjoy about listening to Rob speak is that he knows how to keep everyone’s attention and he speaks from the heart.
He shared some of the same key points he discussed during his keynote at the Annual Carthage Veterinary Services Swine Health and Production Conference, but this time, I couldn’t help but fixate on his point about realizing when it’s time to change your mindset.
After the majority of his employees quit back in the beginning of his pig farming venture, he came in and got a frank “talking-to” from his wife, Char. She told him it was time to change his mindset and that he was responsible for trying to get those employees back.
Only two stuck around. And he remembers that every single day, he said.
Isn’t it easy to look across the table and think about how someone else needs to change their mindset? It’s hard to realize that maybe just a slight adaptation of your own perspective could change things faster.
When I think about some of the key issues impacting the pork industry today, it’s easy to make a list of all the things we want our government to change, the naysayers to take back, the consumers to do differently. But pushing our weight around to get our way won’t allow us to win for very long.
Brenneman said, “Seek out different perspectives and never stop learning.”
I think this is wise advice, especially for our industry right now. The people who don’t see things like we do are some of the most important people we need to listen to. When we learn how others think and where they are coming from, we are better able to address their questions and concerns. Information allows us to get out ahead when we understand what we are up against.
Sitting back and crossing our arms in defiance never wins – professionally or personally.
As Brenneman said, “Maybe we need to broaden our horizon on issues like Proposition 12. Maybe we need to make pork taste better. We have to change our mindset and put it around our product more.”
What holds you back from listening to those who think differently than you do? How can you make strides in changing your mindset just a little to help our industry make even greater progress in the year ahead?
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