leadership education and leadership traits

A read through of the replies to e mail survey shows that the farm community is derivative of an authoritarian type of leadership probably not receptive tp the new ways of working. Farming is often small in business terms for leadership education activity.

Problems in the ruarl community and problems in farming are often described as intractable and condensed around communication problems. The development of leadership skills with new technologies would help, but HOW?

muckerty mapping

I came across this web tool, muckerty mapping. This sets out connections of people, place and networks. Here is a connection to a map of Norman Borlaug

http://www.muckety.com/8019CB55741E9F8CFF3AC2B64B53312F.map

While this tool is only available on license should you want to do your own, this particular individual's map (Borlaug) is intersting from the agricultural leadership point of view. How is Borlaug connected to Sachs? Well I didn't know they were, but they are through Earthscan.

To use the map open uip in full screen and double click on boxes, boxes can be moved by holding on box with mouse and move.

e mail 143 contacts for information on leadership

Yesterday I sent out 143 e mails to various folk i know to get their feelings about leadership training/courses in agriculture/farming.

I had 8 bounced back with 3 on maternity leave, which I found interesting, the others were on out of office reply.

To this moment I have had 23 comeback, which I think is very good. 3 or 4 have not understood my request which demonstrates my communication is not top notch.

put out e mail to collect data from Landex

Sent out via landex e mail to various colleges to find out what is happening in the landex syndicate. Have had three replies since the request was sent on 3rd september

grassland conference

this confence provided the opportunity to talk with 40 different folk associated with putting agricultural research out to farms.

The role of leadership is to influence, most of these people seek no influence. There is a desire to stay in the comfort zone.

Are we undertaking the correct thing when trying to put a leadership ciourse out to farmers?

Farming has a 'tradition' of inflexibility and conservatism, which has served them well as a survival mechanism for those who remain in the job. However it fails to support those who leave due to their failure to adapt tp a changed world. The reality is they do not leave the farmhouse, just the land, which in turn is turned over to someone else in a cmtract obligation. The farmer who leaves becomes a landloed of sorts.

I have recently embarked on a fellowship to investgate, and then produce a course on leadership for agricultural and farmers