About
This Issue...
We've
talked many times in the past about the importance of making good
decisions in The Animal Science Monitor. And because we
can't underscore that importance enough, we're doing so again in
this issue. We present the second article in our "Making Good
Decisions" series, which focuses on choosing the right type of
organization. In addition, we also address the topic of how
you can become a legendary leader within your current
organization. As always, we hope you enjoy this issue of
The ASM, and we thank you for making the decision to be a
loyal reader.
-Dan
and Don
Become
a Legendary Leader . . .
It's Easier
to Recruit and Retain Your Team
(By Dan
Simmons)
Dream
along with me for a moment. Pretend you're a Design Engineer
working for GM or Ford, and you're passionate about creating great
automobiles. It's the early 1980s and you're at your
desk. The phone rings, and Lee Iacocca is on the other end of
the line. He wants to take you to lunch and talk with you
about working on a new prototype for Chrysler. (For those of
you too young to remember, Lee Iacocca was part of the team that
designed the original Ford Mustang and was the charismatic CEO of
Chrysler who led the company out of trouble in the 80s). Would
you go to lunch?
Flip
channels. Suppose it's the mid-1990s, and you're a computer
programmer who gets a call from Bill Gates wanting to talk with you
about helping him develop the next version of Windows. Flip
one more time. The phone call is from Steve Jobs of Apple, and
he wants you to help design the next generation of the I-pod, a
gadget that will allow you to browse the Web, access e-mail, listen
to music, and make phone calls.
Would
you take the meeting? Would you take the job? Sure you
would! By the time these calls were made, these men were
already legends and working on cutting-edge projects. Think
I'm nuts? Look at what people will do to work for Donald
Trump!
The
lessons here are simple:
- If
you are a leader in your field, build your legend by writing for
publications, speaking at the right events, and creating a high
profile. Then leverage this status to attract the finest
team possible.
- If
you work for a legend, make certain he/she gets involved in the
interview process when you're recruiting a top performer and
leverage their star power to attract your potential
hire.
- If
you are a top performer, become a legend by building your
reputation and branding yourself.
- If
none of these fit you yet, work hard, promote your
accomplishments, become involved in your business community,
network with the leaders in your field, and become a
near-legend.
- If
you are a legend, thanks for reading my article! Please pass
it along.
If
you have any questions about this article, or about how I can help
you to meet your hiring needs, you can contact me at dan@consearch.com.
Choosing
the Right Type of Organization
 (By Don
Hunter)
(Editor's
Note: This is the second article in Don's "Making Good Choices"
series. The final article in the series will appear next month
in The
ASM.)
The
company or organization you work for is as important as your
job. Your choice will make a big difference in your personal
happiness, job satisfaction, and career
advancement.
There
are a vast range of employers in the agriculture industry, including
co-ops, family-owned businesses, large corporations, non-profits,
associations, the government, academic, and
self-employment.
There's
a huge difference between working for a large company and a family
business. In smaller companies and family-owned businesses,
revenues and profits are less, which will impact your pay and
benefits. Also, these types of businesses might micro-manage
their operations and be reluctant to delegate authority and
responsibility. However, you'll have a more extensive range of
tasks than you would at a larger company, along with potentially
quick promotions. Conversely, working for a large company will
usually give you more job security, along with better benefits and
overall opportunity.
A
government position usually starts at a lower salary, but the job
security is greater, as layoffs are rare. They oftentimes have
solid and generous benefit packages, along with regular salary
increases. However, these increases are standardized and could
be smaller than what you could receive in the private sector.
In addition, beware of lots of regulations and rules, which can
stifle flexibility or creativity.
These
are just some of the examples to consider when choosing the right
company or organization to work for. Make sure you have a plan
that includes the following:
1.
Know
what you want to do. Make
a list of your priorities as it applies to your career goals.
This includes working environment (corporate culture or ethos),
opportunities for development in your chosen field, work hours,
access to training to stay current and advance, pay, benefits,
travel, and location, to name a few.
2.
Research
the industry. This
simply means finding the companies that match the needs and goals
you have identified. Find those companies that match up and
offer the roles, opportunities, and work environment that
you’re seeking. This type of information is readily
available through the Internet, industrial journals, forums,
etc.
Choosing
the right company is a very personal and critical decision, so you
need to be crystal clear about your goals, priorities, and
expectations as they relate to the company you choose to work
for.
If
you have any questions about this topic, please send me an email at
don@bayresourcegroup.com. And if
you're currently engaged in a job search or are interested in
advancing the scope of your career, be sure to send me your
resume. I'd be happy to discuss your career goals and
ambitions, including ways in which I can help you to achieve
them. Any exchange of information, including resumes, will be
kept in total confidence and handled in a discreet
fashion.
Your
ASM Calendar of Upcoming Industry Events
At
The Animal Science Monitor, we're advocates of continuous
education and the promotion of industry events such as conferences
and conventions. The training and networking opportunities that
exist at these events are extremely valuable and can pay dividends
in a number of different ways.
That's
why we run a regular column devoted to upcoming events in the animal
science and animal nutrition industries. And as always, we value
your input. If there's an industry event that you believe we
should promote through our newsletter, please email your information
to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.
The
ASM
is pleased to highlight these upcoming industry
events:
July
"The
JAM" - The Joint Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association,
the Canadian Society of Animal Science, and the American Society of
Animal Science
Dates:
Sunday, July 12, through Thursday, July 16
Location:
Montreal Convention Center in Montreal, Canada
Description:
This is a symposium addressing current issues facing animal
agriculture. It will include oral and poster presentations of
results from basic and applied dairy and animal science research
from around the world, as well as networking opportunities with
research, extension, government, and industry leaders.
Registration:
To
access registration and additional meeting information, click
here.
Dairy
Innovations . . . What's on the Way?
Make
plans to attend the 2009 Joint Annual Meeting (JAM) of the
American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), the American Society of
Animal Science (ASAS) and the Canadian Society of Animal Science
(CSAS) but don't wait!! The JAM will be held July 12
- 16 in Montreal, Canada. It provides a great opportunity to
learn about the latest dairy research from around the world while
you network with research, extension, government and industry
leaders from around the world. Registration, housing and other
meeting information, including abstracts for all presentations, is
now available at http://adsa.asas.org/meetings/2009/.
A
wide range of sessions will be held during the meeting, but here are
a few that appear likely to be of special interest for producers and
others working in the field:
- Monday
- “ Symposium on "Dairy Replacement Health Challenges in
Southeastern U.S."
- Monday
- “ Symposium on Breeding and Genetics: Whole Genome Selection
- The New Frontier?"
- Tuesday
- “ Symposium on "Emerging Foreign and Zoonotic
Diseases."
- Tuesday
- “ Symposium on "Forage Management Strategies to Offset
High Input Costs"
- Tuesday
- “ Symposium on "Animal Well Being: Tackling the Issue of
Cow Longevity."
- Wednesday
- “ Symposium on “Driving Forces in the Dairy Industry
That Will Change Dairy Farm Management"
- Wednesday
- “ Symposium on "Science-Based Approaches to Address
Consumer Concerns with the Processing and Marketing of Animal
Products. "
- Wednesday
- “ Symposium on "Models for Dairy Production Decision
Making."
In
addition to these special presentations, oral and poster
presentation sections are included each day that cover a broad range
of dairy management topics. A pdf version of the full JAM Meeting
Program is available on the meeting website as well as abstracts for
each of the presentations. Try out the "My Program" tool
that allows you to plan your own meeting schedule. You will
find this tool at: http://www.fass-abstracts.org/newmyprogram/meeting.asp?meetingcode=148
As
a special bonus, everyone who attends this year's meeting will be
invited to subscribe to S-PAC (Searchable Proceeding of Animal
Conferences) http://www.spac.adsa.org/, at ADSA member rates.
S-PAC, a great information resource, is a searchable database
currently housing 276 proceeding and presentations from 34 of the
top animal conferences in North America like the Western Dairy
Management Conference, AABP Annual Meeting and the Four-State Dairy
Nutrition and Management Conference. Check it out. S-PAC is a
great way to access the wealth of information that is available from
these conferences even if you are unable to attend them. The
invitation to subscribe will be sent following the
meeting.
If
the ADSA meeting doesn't fit your schedule, please be sure that the
other professionals you work with are aware of the meeting and
encourage them to attend. If you have additional questions,
please check the meeting website http://adsa.asas.org/meetings/2009/ or contact Dr.
Ken Olson - keolson@prodigy.net . See you in
Montreal! |
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