How to influence good people to help your farm business

Winning friends and influencing people is not just a job description for an individual who earns a living from persuading others to follow their lifestyle choices on social media.

Dairy farmers can also benefit from learning the skills of influence and persuasion.

See also: How to create a resilient dairy business

Developing these abilities can help them progress their farming business, retain good employees, or simply have those awkward conversations with their dad about changing some aspect of the farming system.

It is part of a whole “people-skills package” that includes managing relationships with those who have the power to help your business, says Irish independent management consultant Dr Nollaig Heffernan.

“Changing someone’s opinion is very hard. You can’t persuade them in one meeting to think like you or do what you want.

“But building relationships means you get listened to, and this is when influence comes into play,” she explains.

“Influencing gives you the opportunity to speak to someone again and go on a journey together. The ideal end goal is then to persuade that person to fully think your way. First, though, you need a track record.”

If this sounds like manipulation, Nollaig would agree. However, she points out there is a difference in the intent behind it.

She explains that manipulating is a negative act for your own gain, whereas influence and persuasion are positive behaviours used to build relationships.

Where there is no transaction of money in exchange for work, these softer social skills aim to get someone “who doesn’t have to” to help you.

Influencing stakeholders

Estimating there are 30 stakeholders involved in every dairy farm, Nollaig thinks influence and persuasion are vital skills for a modern business.

Anyone who impacts a decision (or is affected by one) made on the farm is a stakeholder, she explains.

Landlords, compliance inspectors, a farmer’s parents or staff, professionals such as the vet, and contractors – all have the potential to affect a farmer’s progress and profitability.

“For instance, you may have staff who have been with you for years, and you want to influence and persuade them to accept changes to your setup or management system.

“You could be asking your dad to consider a different breed or getting your mum to adopt a new bit of best practice after attending a local talk.

“Someone in the family could be doing a good job, but you want to push them that bit further without upsetting them.”

Nollaig says the target is to bring good people on board to grow and develop your business.

“This means being in a position to pick the best vet; getting a contractor at the time and date you want; or simply having a good relationship with your neighbour.

Although farmers often think that people management is something you can or cannot do – “a bit of a dark art” – Nollaig says it can be learned.

“Livestock farmers who are good at dealing with animals already have a lot of essential communication skills: “They just need to practise them on humans,” she says.

Making time

Another assumption often made by farmers is that anything to do with people management is additional work.

The key, she says, is to have plenty of time to think before interacting with people.

This can be done, for example, when driving between units or doing a routine job such as fertiliser spreading; both are great times to mull over conversations and potential outcomes, she says.

“Look for opportunities in the working day – otherwise it looks like an extra job – and use routine tasks to let your head wander and think about this. Then practise these skills.”

The starting point is to consider who you are speaking to and your relationship with them.

Understanding whose opinion needs changing means knowing who pulls the strings and has the power, says Nollaig.

Effective communication begins with a smile, but the most powerful results are obtained from active listening.

This involves finding out what is in it for the other party: how does helping you benefit them?

Once you know this, you can speak their language and establish where their interests lie to begin creating rapport.

For a shooting enthusiast, she says, it could be discussing gun dogs, whereas someone purely interested in financial dealing would respond to talk about money.

Right time, right place

Picking the right time and place to have a conversation with someone puts them in a good place mentally and prevents them from going into their “animal brain”, which focuses on survival.

As an example, Nollaig cites trying to speak to staff while they are milking – it does not work.

“Think about whether the person is hungry, or busy, and be sure of the right agenda: don’t talk about future events if they are dealing with stress right now.

“And be specific, to clarify what you mean and avoid misunderstandings.”

Influence and persuasion take time to have an effect, and establishing a working relationship with someone is a long game, says Nollaig.

“These are lifelong skills you are learning, and you have to work at it.

“Livestock farmers are better at people management than you think – with a bit of tweaking and some homework, you will improve.”