The 2021 KPMG Agri-Business Agenda hit hard in its honesty. Our primary sector leaders are overloaded and struggling under the pressure of accelerating change.
They are not the only ones. Many in the rural sector are struggling with the pace of change and additional requirements around data and compliance.
That fatigue risks our ability to act decisively and seize the opportunities that change offers. But in the same report, there is a glimpse of the way forward.
When asked to rank their top priority for the agri-food and fibre sector, female contributors to the agenda identified “equipping leaders with critical skills” as number one. For men, it was priority number 21.
That’s a big difference. For the first time in the agenda’s 11-year history, a contributor demographic has considered an issue to be more pressing than biosecurity. But there is a deeper meaning here.
This 20-point differential signals that a new kind of leader – spanning ages, backgrounds, genders and characterised by purpose-driven women – is emerging in New Zealand’s primary sector.
Inspired by the thousands of women in the Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) community, I see three common characteristics that help us define this new sense of leadership.
The first is a tendency to prioritise personal development and support for others. Looking broadly at our female leaders, we see journeys that often started with conscious investment in building the confidence and skills to lead. This creates a ripple effect as they step up to leadership in their local communities and onto national and regional boards and organisations. We see it in AWDT Escalator alumni who remain tightly connected years after their leadership and governance programme ends, and in the women who work through the pipeline of our programmes.
Is it any wonder then that when these women arrive in positions of influence and are confronted by big, strategic issues their go-to response is to invest in people? As demonstrated by the agenda differential, their priority is to make the skills, development and support that got them there, accessible to others. When confronted with a challenging problem, these emerging leaders focus on mindset, skills and support, before reaching for strategy.
The second characteristic of these emerging leaders is purpose-led leadership. They don’t wait for authority or position to do something for the people and places they care about. They are characterised by their roll-up-their-sleeves, boots and all approach, which often inspires others to follow. They are collaborative, authentic and care deeply about the issues they engage in and are determined to succeed. They are not told. They just choose to take responsibility for the issues they care about.
Finally, these women lead with skills that engage, relate and connect to others. As a sector, we are moving past the farm gate and towards a future of values-led, collaborative projects driven by the needs of diverse stakeholders. Catchment groups are a great example. Driving this future is the ability to genuinely connect with others, to see life from their perspectives and hear their needs, hopes and fears.
Let’s use an analogy from the farm.
On leaving an AWDT programme, women realise that they can add a tremendous amount of value to their farming business as a critical farming partner. We see women taking the lead on finance, HR, strategic planning, succession planning, farm planning, and health, safety and wellbeing.
As overseas markets look for assurance in animal welfare and environmental standards, women are leading the way in finding tools and ways to satisfy this requirement. Farming businesses who are using the skills and strengths of both men and women are destined to succeed. How can they not?
None of this is to say that men aren’t capable of purpose-driven or empathetic leadership, of course they are. But when we consider the nature of primary sector leadership today – that 88% of chief executives are male and our boards are small, similar and overworked – we begin to see the 20-point Agri-Business Agenda differential for what it is. A diversity gap that our emerging leaders intend to fill with leadership that prioritises investment in people, purpose-driven impact and that seeks to understand and collaborate.
KPMG are right when they say that “organisations cannot afford to ignore the message in the survey”. They must utilise all their available talent – male and female. They must appreciate that solving complex problems requires diversity of thought and leaders with empathy and people skills.
Because this call-to-action comes at a time of strain and fatigue, we have a simple message for NZ’s primary sector leaders. You aren’t on this journey alone.
Speaking from our pan-sector perspective and experience in developing almost 5000 people (including some men) – the diversity of thought you need is already in your organisation. Encourage them to grow into the future leaders you need.
Use the AWDT. Either via our existing programmes, like Escalator and Next Level that accelerate women’s leadership and governance pathways, or the upcoming ‘Know Your Mindset. Grow your Influence’ series – a shorter programme supporting rural people to manage change.
To close, I want to share one final story from the farm. It’s about navigating a crisis. When we ask our farmer graduates what really matters amongst the compounding pressures of regulation, climate and markets, they generally say the same thing: it’s the next generation. Prioritising the needs of those who will take our place, is the way forward.
