Life moves forward, no matter what. I learned this when our son was accidentally shot and paralyzed in 2020.
My wife and I were removed from our work for 10 days right off the bat, and I missed a total of 17 days over the first several weeks.
Unannounced, unplanned, and unforeseen.
In the blink of an eye, I was removed from leading a veterinary practice and from consulting feedyards for a brief period.
The good news is, without missing a beat, the clinic marched forward successfully and my feedyard clients were taken care of by other PAC veterinarians.
This kind of continuity in business requires intentional planning and deliberate action.
At AMC, I had been slowly leading, growing, and pouring into my partner, Dr. Ty.
We had built trust step by step, little by little, as I handed things off to him and coached him through successes and failures as needed.
At PAC, we had worked to expand our team of veterinarians and team members over several years.
Whether you are a head cowboy, mill manager, feedyard manager, owner, or other team leader, I challenge you to continually think about the future of your team or company.
Have you planned for the day you are gone or done so that your successor will thank you?
This process may feel uncomfortable, or you may not be ready to begin the process because you just started in your current leadership position.
That is okay; I always coach leaders and teams not to rush the process.
It takes patience, intentionality, vulnerability, humility, and often some painful bumps in the road over many years.
Those involved with and affected by the transition often get nervous, wondering what is coming and what it means for them.
As you think about identifying and building up your successor, a great place to start is to look for those who get it, want it, and can do it (GWC) and also believe in and live out your vision, mission, and core values.
Depending on your role in the organization, this may take 1 year, or it may take 5 to 10 years.
Regardless of the position, the principles remain the same.
Answering the questions in the graphic below with humility, honesty, and the future success of the organization in mind is key.
Ask yourself these questions routinely, using them to stimulate positive change and growth in your organization.
These questions are incredibly simple; yet many businesses, teams, or organizations may not be able to answer them all favorably.
Every leader must act intentionally to create an environment where his or her successor will answer these questions with positive gusto and bring even more success to the organization.
As I have gotten older, I have come to understand that some businesses do not need to survive forever.
However, we are in the noble business of producing beef, and I believe it is our obligation to identify, build, and grow our successors so that our contribution to beef production continues long after we are done and gone.
Dr. Nels Lindberg is a people coach, team coach, business coach, and keynote speaker, available virtually or in person. If you have any interest in these opportunities, please reach out to his office at 620-792-1265 and visit with his righthand lady, Jill.
Get all Doc Talk episodes straight to your email inbox!
