Good succession planning applies to more than just passing the family farm from one generation to the next. Workplaces and other institutions — take your county Farm Bureau, for example — all benefit from smooth leadership transitions.
If only life was always so neat and tidy, right?
“Our board has changed dynamics a lot in the last couple years,” said Ashleigh Bryant — and she said it diplomatically, choosing her words carefully like a seasoned veteran, even though she’s plotting her way through her first year as president of the Isabella County Farm Bureau.
Circumstances beyond anyone’s control saw her step into the role earlier than expected, and into shoes unprepared for a ground-up rebuild.
“We had an older board that was very tradition-based — did a lot of the same things over and over again, which is great, and we still do most of them,” she said.
But then Isabella lost its long-term, experienced administrative manager (CAM). Then their the newly elected president had to step away unexpectedly.
“We were very active, and now we’re kind of in this ‘refresh’ cycle,” Bryant said. “I’m the longest-serving member on our board right now.
“We just kind of need to find that comfort spot again,” Bryant said, alluding the inherent unsteadiness that comes with any county-office vacancy. “I don’t think necessarily we want people that have been on the board for 30 years,” she said — unless they’re open to moving some of the furniture around.
“We could have been floundering more than we are — trying to keep our head above water, because we didn’t know really what’s going on,” but the reality’s been more manageable than she expected. “There’s still a little bit of uncertainty because we have so many young members.
“I didn’t really know what my position was going to look like,” but when uncertainty tried grabbing the wheel, she maintained assertive control. “I was like, you’re doing this,” describing the directness that took hold. “Come do this. This is what you’re doing. I already signed you up for it.”
Her directness was a refreshing change, but at the same time she wasn’t indiscriminately barking out orders.
“I was like, hey: You’re going in and I’m gonna help you through it — we’re gonna do this together.”
What she describes as a “sink-or-swim situation” led directly to the usual outcome: Instinctively, she began swimming.
“I’m such a joiner; I genuinely don’t know how to tell people no. I’m getting better at it, though: If someone’s like, ‘Hey, I need help,’ I will wake up at one o’clock in the morning to be there to help you.”
Isabella’s ongoing makeover is a textbook example of Farm Bureau’s grassroots dynamic in action: With new leaders comes new priorities and new activities.
“Coming on, we were very P&E-focused county, but our younger members are more farm-focused — next-generation focused — that’s just where a lot of our board members are.
“We did a deer drive this year and that went really well. It was awesome to see some of the newer board members wanting to take it on,” she said, adding that the whitetail harvest led directly to another new addition: a seasonal chili cook-off.
“That’s been a really, really great event for us. I really like how that worked.”
‘Worked’ is one thing, but there’s always room for improvement.
“Next year we’ll do a longer deer drive so maybe we won’t cram them so tightly together — maybe we’ll do them separate,” Bryant said. “We’re already talking about how to make it better.
“That conversation isn’t unique to Isabella, of course; it’s the same in every county Farm Bureau.
“That’s something me and the new chair for our Young Farmer program. He’s excited, too, because he’s that next generation of a big operation. These are conversations everyone should be having.”
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