Monday, 10 April 2017 15:00

Good people develop better people

Written by 
Manawatu farmer Stuart Taylor. Manawatu farmer Stuart Taylor.

A People Expo event in Taranaki this week will give dairy farmers direction on how to look after their farm staff.

The DairyNZ People Expo, in Stratford on Wednesday, April 11, will present ways dairy farmers can build positive team culture, and will discuss ideal working hours and farm safety practices.

Manawatu dairy farmer Stuart Taylor is one of three speakers at Taranaki’s People Expo and will share his experience of turning his business into one which grows careers and lifestyle for his employees. 

Taylor has seven staff managing 1000 cows, but similar principles apply to family farms and teams of two or more.

“Ninety percent of success in leading people is what the leader does, not the capability of the people,” says Taylor.

“Good people develop better people, the good make great, and from good people you get solutions to everything else that is important in farming. We are 100% reliant on the people who run the farm, so people are our priority.” 

On Taylor’s farm, rosters are adapted to suit each team member’s lifestyle, farm roles factor in goals and aspirations, a rotation system improves skills and work variety, and overall farm goals are shared to help give a sense of direction for the business. 

Other speakers at the Taranaki People Expo include Fonterra manager of social responsibility Matt Trent on international trends in working hours, and Rural Safe founder and managing director Debbie Robertson on belief-based safety and how a person’s actions keep people safe.

Other People Expo events are in Waikato (April 10), Rotorua (May 1) and Invercargill (May 9).

Each region’s People Expo provides farmers with an opportunity to ask the experts questions and share their own ideas with other farmers on what works and what doesn’t, along with novel ideas and practical tips.

To register for the expo and for more details visit dairynz.co.nz/peopleexpo

More like this

Less hot air

OPINION: Farmers won't get any credit for this from the daily media, so Milking It is giving the bouquets where they’re due.

Featured

NZ growers lead freshwater compliance

Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) says that commercial fruit and vegetable growers are getting ahead of freshwater farm plan regulations through its Growing Change project.

Case IH partners with Meet the Need

Tractor manufacturer and distributor Case IH has announced a new partnership with Meet the Need, the grassroots, farmer-led charity working to tackle food insecurity across New Zealand one meal at a time.

25 years on - where are they now?

To celebrate 25 years of the Hugh Williams Memorial Scholarship, Ravensdown caught up with past recipients to see where their careers have taken them, and what the future holds for the industry.

National

Top ag scientist to advise PM

A highly experienced agricultural scientist with specialist knowledge of the dairy sector is the Prime Minister's new Chief Science Advisor.

Machinery & Products

Hose runner saves time and effort

Rakaia-based equipment manufacturer Pluck’s Engineering will soon start production of a new machine designed to simplify the deployment and retrieval…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Science fiction

OPINION: Last week's announcement of Prime Minister’s new Science and Technology Advisory Council hasn’t gone down too well in the…

Bye bye Paris?

OPINION: At its recent annual general meeting, Federated Farmers’ Auckland province called for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter