More than 20 years have passed since the publication of Stephen Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In it, Covey described seven habits that improve personal effectiveness – especially with respect to leadership. It isn’t much of a stretch, however, to take Covey’s Seven Habits and apply them to pig production at both the personal and organizational levels. In this and future columns, we will explore the seven habits of highly effective pig producers.
The first habit: Be proactive.
Covey describes proactivity as the power, freedom and ability to choose a response to circumstances and events based on the values held at the individual, farm or system level. Ever-changing circumstances lend to dynamic environments, however, values are fixed. Proactive decisions based on values allow individuals and organizations to affect outcomes. The opposite of proactivity is reactivity, where individuals, farms and systems are controlled by circumstances. While proaction leads to results, reaction generates excuses and explanations. If I have even a very limited degree of input in the course of my future, then I can have some affect on the outcome. If, however, I have no ability for input, I become a victim of circumstance. I have no control to affect the outcome and become a product of determinism.
There was an old adage among pig farmers stating that if my neighbor’s herd had a disease, mine would get it, too – it was just a matter of time. Obviously, this would not be a proactive perspective. My herd would be the victim of circumstances beyond its control and any disease introduction would have a ready explanation. Alternatively, a proactive approach would seek miens to prevent new disease introduction—such as biosecurity.
Proactivity isn’t aggression. It isn’t about being pushy or requiring competition to prove something. Rather, it is an internal strength that, when applied, pursues the betterment of the individual and organization. Returning to the neighboring herd example, proactivity isn’t a contest to see who will require the longest biosecurity downtime between farms. Rather, being proactive means “I will seek to implement the biosecurity program that is in the best interest of my herd.”
Over time, proactivity leads to growth. In a reactive world, a given stimulus generates a seemingly automatic – or predetermined – response. Responses may have genetic explanations, psychic explanations and environmental explanations. Although the roles of the genetic, psychic and environmental components cannot be excluded in outcomes and responses, proactivity recognizes the choice to influence or affect the response, replacing determinism with freedom.
Being proactive includes changes in language; language changes from cause-effect implications to choice. Word choice serves as reminder to those around us of our potential to affect circumstances and outcomes. Consider the sow breeding pool: Are the late weaners and recycles “hardheads” or are they “opportunity”?
The final aspect of the be-proactive habit deals with what Covey calls the “circle of influence.” In this world, all events and circumstances fall into a circle of concern. A subset of these can be affected, either directly or indirectly, by our choices. These events and circumstances are regarded as falling into a circle of influence. Focusing energy on the circle of concern is futile, since we are unable to affect those events and circumstances. A reactive perspective focuses on the circle of concern, as that circle provides excuses for why results are not achievable. Energy focused on the circle of influence, however, will yield results.
Consider this final example.
A sow farm that uses internal replacements has been struggling with first-parity sows, and there is high incidence of retained pigs among these animals. The farrowing manager has expressed concern that many of the sows’ pelvises are too small to adequately sleeve. The breeding manager has expressed concern that the gilts are too young at breeding. The veterinarian and owners are highly concerned about the number of pigs the farm weans weekly, and with the high rate of parity one fall-out, gilt supply is tight. The genetic supplier has expressed concern about the induction protocol, but otherwise offered little input about the problem.
If this herd is managed reactively, the farm personnel would have ample excuses and explanations for their struggles with first-parity sows. However, their struggles with wean numbers and high demand for replacement females will continue. Additionally, a reactive approach tends to foster frustration and resentment among the people dealing with the issue(s) on a regular basis.
Proactivity does not imply immediate results. In the case of this farm, the manager’s hands may indeed be tied in the short-term. However, there is nothing to prevent this herd from collecting data that would allow all parties to make an informed decision about how best to select and breed gilts into the herd, including whether or not a short-term sacrifice in wean numbers would be of long-term financial benefit to the herd and its owners.
Being proactive in one’s personal life is challenging; being proactive in business can be even more so, especially when operating in the constraints of volatile market and commodity prices. Yet, effective pig producers continue to find ways to affect their circumstances.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Stephanie Rutten-Ramos is an independent consultant. To visit with her, send her an e-mail at: rutt0011@umn.edu
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