United workforce key to success

How dairy farms today unite their workers could be a key to their success, he says, sharing advice on how his company unites its workers.

"If a fertiliser company can unite people, surely farmers can do it in their businesses," he says.

"We all live in a very hungry world: there are about six billion people globally and growing every day and they have to be fed every day."

If there was no fertiliser in the world right now, 50% of the population would starve to death. That provides a 'higher purpose' for a fertiliser business.

"Our dusty pile of fertiliser which eventually comes onto your farm actually plays a key role in uniting our people," Wynne told the Dairy Womens Network conference, which had the theme 'Unite to Succeed'. Ballance Agri-Nutrients is a sponsoring partner of the network.

"The one thing we have in common with all our shareholders and customers is that 15% of Earth is topsoil, plus the little bit that grows on top. When we look after that, you are successful in your businesses," he says.

"We have worked this up with our team to ask 'how do we make this our purpose, what is our purpose?

"It comes down to a sustainable future: our purpose is creating the best soil and feed on Earth together. This is for farmers' productivity and also for the next generation and the generation after."

High performing teams in sport have the same drivers as high performing teams in business, says Wynne.

"Does everyone in your team know where you are going? You will know where you are going yourself, but do your team or workers know where they are going?" he asks.

"The next thing is, what is my role? Job titles mean nothing: people need to know what their role is. Can your workers answer the questions, what is my role, what are the expectations?

"You [answer] that by writing down objectives that are crystal clear about what is expected [of people] in their role."

This happens in successful businesses and sports teams. "Every one of the All Blacks knows his role in set play – let alone how [he is to] play in free flow." And they spend days, months and years practising and they understand exactly their role.

The third part is, 'how am I performing'? Every worker, every sports players needs to know how they are performing.

"Positive feedback – we are all into that one," Wynne says.

"What about destructive behaviour: are you nipping it in the bud? High performing teams address good and bad performance in real-time; not at the end of the year at a performance review, but in real-time.

"These are the three things on the success side: uniting your team then driving to success. [Ask] where are we going, what is my role and how are we performing?

"If your team can ask those three questions there will be a very high chance they will be a high performing team.

"It is not all just about hard work; you need to celebrate successes... and best practice. Spread those stories across rural New Zealand and hopefully into urban NZ as well; celebrate success internally and externally. [Then]... when you have bad days, those celebration moments will carry you through.

"So unite your team, your company with a higher purpose. Drive your team for success through those three things: where are we going, what is my role, and how am I performing?"

Last but not least, have fun, says Wynne.