March 13, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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A Different Age of Managing Ranch Employees

In this video, Jason Gerstberger, yard manager at Pioneer Feedyard in Oakley, Kansas, shares why managers need to better understand employees. Learn more at GrowPeopleFirst.com.

In this video, Jason Gerstberger, yard manager at Pioneer Feedyard in Oakley, Kansas, shares why managers need to better understand employees. Learn more at GrowPeopleFirst.com.

Every employee has a different way of working, thinking and communicating, especially when it comes to different generations. It’s easy to see those differences and challenges, but it’s not as simple to manage.

Rather than just trying to change the team or individuals, it’s important that managers learn how to recognize generational differences and adapt. For Pioneer Feedyard near Oakley, Kansas, this required a different way to manage.

“There’s always challenges with age, race, even males and females in the industry,” said Jason Gerstberger, yard manager at Pioneer Feedyard. “The biggest one was learning to deal with different generational gaps and how to get one generation to understand another generation without causing too many problems or issues. In the older generation, they didn’t ask why, they just went ahead and did the work. But with the younger generation, they want to know why before they go do it.”

Gerstberger understands that to overcome this challenge and get the most out of each employee, managers and supervisors need to take the time to understand each person — and what keeps him or her motivated. It means taking time to understand how to best communicate with people as individuals.

To better learn how to do this, Pioneer Feedyard sent managers through the PeopleFirst™ Supervisory Certificate Program from Zoetis.

“PeopleFirst — we invested in it to get the benefits that we could, to get the most potential out of our employees that we could, not only by work, but by understanding what they’re doing,” Gerstberger said. “And in doing those things, get more out of our people.”

“What it allowed us to do is push our foremen a little bit more,” he continued.

“It helps to tell the older generation, ‘explain to these guys why you’re doing it, and they’ll be able to get it done a lot better and be able to do it with you,’” Gerstberger said. “The foremen are probably more engaged with the individuals they are working with. They can understand how we’re doing it and why we’re doing it. They understand what they’re seeing, what the problems are and help them to fix and increase their profitability on their issues.”

Gerstberger knows that adapting your management style can go a long way.

“Individuals, if they can learn to react a little different to certain situations, they’ll get more respect from the people working under them and, therefore, we’ll get more benefit out of it here at this yard,” Gerstberger said. “You’re going to get more profitability, which they can put back into the cattle.”

In this video, hear more from Gerstberger about what you can do to help your team understand the value of their role to the company’s success. For help identifying ways to invest in and strengthen your employees, contact your local Zoetis representative or visit GrowPeopleFirst.com.

This is part of a series on rancher continuing education articles and provided by Zoetis. To see more rancher education posts, click here.

January 2, 2015 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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MSGA’s Commitment to Communication and Engagement

Tucker Hughes, PresidentBy Tucker Hughes, Outgoing MSGA President

At our ranch the calves are shipped, the cows are tested, the replacement heifers are bangs vaccinated and I am finishing up visits with MSGA members for what I call “The Fall Drive”.

Your board of directors, officers and staff are committed to attending local affiliate meetings not only to inform members on topics of importance, but also to listen to our members. The issues across the state are complex and vary a great deal. This is one of the reasons the Affiliate Mentorship Program was developed so affiliates members can sit down with the leadership to have those vital discussions on topics that affect the ranchers in Montana. The 2015 AMP Program is scheduled for February 12 & 13. Local Affiliate groups should contact the MSGA office to learn more about being involved in the meeting.

As I cross the state there is lots of optimism and the youth are returning to our rural communities. The young folks are attending meetings and are engaged so let’s keep the welcome mat out for them. MSGA hosts both Student and Young Stockgrowers memberships, and remains involved in programs for these age groups, including three Collegiate Stockgrowers programs, Young Ag Leadership Conference, Young Ag Couples Conference, Young Cattlemen’s College and the Educational Heritage Scholarship from REEF. If you know a young man or women who would like to attend a convention or these conferences, contact myself, one of the officers, directors or staff. We are committed to the younger generation of ranchers!

The 2014 elections are over and there is enthusiasm for what agriculture might accomplish in the coming years. I first met both Steve Daines and Ryan Zinke at Montana Stockgrowers events and I first met Jon Tester at the Judith Basin Courthouse in Stanford. I feel as we move forward these men will represent our interests well in D.C., but we need to stay actively engaged. The Montana Stockgrowers will remain the premier ranching institution in the state of Montana by engaging both national, state and local policy makers by providing accurate, credible information. We all can make a big difference, both as individuals and collectively.

The last 24 months have been rewarding and educational as your President of the Montana Stockgrowers. The staff, officers, past & present, directors, past & present, have made the position gratifying. It has been a real pleasure serving you. Thank you very much for the opportunity.
I hope your holiday season was filled with joy, hope, prosperity and good health.

November 7, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
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Communication Key For Association Policies

Bryan MussardMSGA has taken the lead on several issues this year and has done a lot of promotion for the beef industry in Montana. Our directors are well informed on current issues at hand. Please feel free to contact any of them in your area, if you have any concerns or if there is something going on in your area that needs to be brought to their attention.

With that said, communication is the key to the livestock industry’s success in the future. We started AMP (Affiliate Mentorship Program) this year to communicate more often and to stay better informed as Montana’s premier beef cattle association.

If you have resolutions you are considering presenting at the annual convention, it is imperative that you share it now with as many folks as possible. This will do several things. First, you will find out if MSGA already has policy on the issue you are concerned with. Second, it can be considered among fellow members to test the merit of it and possibly change some of the wording, if needed. The last and best thing this accomplishes is that by the time it is presented at convention, more people are aware of it and understand the issue. The resolution then has a better chance of becoming MSGA policy and the board can take action on it.

This is the type of communication that makes a better organization. When we communicate effectively, fewer assumptions are made, better outcomes are achieved and we become a stronger voice to promote our product and preserve our heritage.

One issue to think about is the possibility of the USDA stepping into the Beef Check-off as business partners. This is a result of the lack of congruency among the industry organizations. Secretary Vilsack feels compelled to write his own check off program to run alongside of our current one. It is a classic example of how governments will control people who can’t seem to get along and find their own solutions. It is time to set aside our minor differences about the check off and stand together as an industry or we are going to be paying a much higher rate in the future with less results than we had prior to the check off’s beginning in 1985.

I am adamantly opposed to the USDA having more control over our check off program and I am adamantly committed to meeting with key industry leaders to help stifle this move. MSGA’s leadership is already at work on this issue. Please take time to discuss this issue at your local affiliate meeting and we will have a good discussion about it at convention. We need to know where our membership stands on this issue, now.

Remember, the world is run by those who show up, but it is ultimately shaped by those who speak up.

Enjoy the rest of this historical fall in the Beef business and have a Gorgeous day!

–Bryan Mussard, Dillon, MSGA 2nd Vice President