“Summertime: Time for Training”
by Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist
Summertime in agriculture often means time for cleanup after a wet spring and/or preparation for fall harvest. In the feedlot it often means a time of reduced headcount and preparation for the heavy run of fall calves. Along with spraying weeds and painting pipe, hopefully this is a time when we prioritize training and re-training on animal handling basics.
As managers, we’re proud of our long-term employees. When people stay around for more than a decade, either they don’t have any other opportunities (rarely the case for good people) or they’ve found a home. They feel supported, challenged, and productive. They’re also good at what they do and they’re good team members and team leaders.
The challenge mature employees can present for managers is confidence and complacency: confidence in their abilities and complacency in their need for ongoing training. The mature employee may be the most seasoned on the team and may provide excellent leadership in certain areas, but their animal handling skills or attitude may need improvement. To even suggest the need for improvement in this area may bring on conflict. But it is even more critical given the leadership role the person may hold in the eyes of the younger employees or those newer to the team.
I strongly encourage all feedlots to constantly evaluate animal handling practices, facilities, philosophies, and attitudes. Then, determine the appropriate steps to get better. We can always get better. Real leadership will be demonstrated by those who set ego aside and take a proactive approach to improving the organization—starting with the question “How can I get better today?”
