LEAD BY EXAMPLE FOR INCREASED IMPACT

BY DR. NIMROD

“Want to be a leader? Start by thinking about the change you wish to bring.“

Growing in a Kibbutz, part of the childhood was dedicated to working shoulder to shoulders with the adults, from as early as ten years old.

The working activity started with two hours, twice a week, after school, and at high school, it was already a full day, once a week.

You see, in the Kibbutz, work was not “a way of making a living”; work was sacred. This approach was not reserved for a particular job but all types of jobs. All jobs were sacred.

You should know that in a Kibbutz, every activity is treated as a separate business center, called a “branch.” A shortlist of the branches would include; dairy farm, poultry farm, orchards, fields (perennial open field crops), industry, education, catering, bookkeeping, art, etc.

Working was a natural part of our life. We were able to switch between different ’branches”, experience a large variety of jobs, and learn various skills. It helped us find where we excel and what we like to do later in our lives.

When we worked, it was always with the adults, performing similar jobs (when possible) as they were.

The Kibbutz members believed that “Work” is THE Value, and what better way there is to deliver values if not by practicing it, in this case, working? The more you worked, the more you practiced and absorbed that Value.

Note that I emphasize “Working” versus “Managing” workers. We were working, our parents were working, and being a manager was not what inspired us.

Managing was regarded as any other job; no benefits for the managers, but more responsibility and an unspoken expectation of investing more hours into work.

This way, the adults in the Kibbutz led the young generation, by example, to follow their steps and take their path.

But Work is not only a value or a way to run a successful business activity. Work enables the acquisition and specialization of essential skills, such as social skills, knowledge, professional and technological practices.

When working with adults, we benefited from getting professional support from more experienced workers and managers. Today this approach is termed “learning on the job,” or mentoring.

Thanks to this approach, by the time I graduated from high school, I was already a very experienced worker in various jobs related to orchards.

THE LEADER’S MISSION

There are many kinds of leaders and leadership types.

The leader’s role is to lead himself and his followers from their present state toward a different future state, hoping that it will be a better one. Hence, the purpose of leadership is to lead for a positive change.

Do people want or love to change? No.

Is changing is easy for the leader and his people? No.

Can we expect people to change when the leader is not changing?

Does it matter the pace of change if the leader is the first or the last to change?

Did Moses stand on top of a building in Egypt, pointing the Israelis in the direction of their land? Or was he the first to walk and lead the Exodus of his people?

Could Nelson Mandela lead South Africa’s change by telling others what to do, with zero personal sacrifices?

Did Mahatma Gandhi send others to the Salt March, or was he who led the march? Would the political results be the same if Gandhi was absent from that march?

The above short list of elite historic leaders presents that to be an “effective leader,” it is not enough to point on “the right thing to do.” An effective leader shows the way by practicing his words.

As a young man, I studied agriculture through example, and now I pass it on, once again, through example, which I give to others.

Leaders should strive to lead by example, not because it is easy for them, but because it is the best thing for their followers and them to achieve the desired change.

THE NEW AGE LEADERSHIP

Leading by Example is the fastest and most effective way of gaining trust and teaching others, which helps the leader lead toward the future he dreams of and wishes to see.

Parents lead by example.

Teachers and coaches lead by example.

Managers lead by example.

Army officers lead by example.

Prime Ministers and Presidents lead by example.

As we all know too well, not all real-life examples are setting positive models, and not all directions set by leaders are proper or successful.

Nevertheless, the power of Leading by Example is working both ways, which is why we should handle it in couscous and carefully chose our leaders.

In light of this, it seems that the agro-industry in the emerging economies will benefit tremendously when stakeholders, such as experts, managers, scientists, Professors, Doctors, local and national leaders, government officials, and other officials, will continuously practice what they are preaching.

This way, through example, leaders will set an example of WHAT to do and HOW.

WHERE YOU POSITION YOURSELF?

Please think of the three leaders, Moses, Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi. These three world-changers always positioned themselves at places where the difficulty was at its most.

Following the footsteps and taking the path of gigantic leaders, who grew up and acted in the most challenging times of their oppressed nations, is what emerging economies need now more than ever.

To lead by example, you need to set a personal example. Ask yourself, is it possible to set an example when sending an e-mail or making a phone call from a cozy office?

By default, especially in the agro-industry, you set an example while being with the people in the field, particularly with the ones who need and want to change.

As can be expected, those who need the change are the ones who currently suffer the most. Hence, being with them is something that some leaders try to avoid, hoping that things will miraculously change for the better by themselves.

Did anyone say that being a leader should be an easy or luxurious life?

Did anyone say that “true leadership” is a characteristic reserved only to those who change nations’ history in real life?

No!

Nowadays, you can find world-changing Leaders by Example, leading startups, NGOs, companies, and governmental offices. Can you think of such current leaders?

Do you need a title to set an example and lead? Do you need a nomination? Do you need your activity to have substantial global influence?

No, No, and No!

There is no need for a title or nomination. Be the leader in your organization, your company, your team, your office, your village, your country.

Lead yourself. Lead one other person.

Whatever you do, Lead by Example!

You got it, anyone can become A Leader by Example, and all it takes is your decision.

As I now work to intensify fresh produce export from Africa and emerging economies to premium markets, I meet, work and connect with many Leaders by Example. Many of them don’t view themselves as Leaders; they just do “the right thing,” as they view it. It gives me great pleasure.

Those people who are “leaders in practice” are the ones who think ahead; they are energized by a vision and full of motivation.

Thanks to those leaders, together, we will be able to change the faith of millions of farmers around the world. I salute you!

PERSONAL EXAMPLE

It is not a question but rather a fact; the agro-industry in most emerging economies is the most critical industry in those countries.

It is also a fact that the agro-industry in those countries is not doing well, which is why hunger and poverty prevail in those countries more than in others.

For that reason, I have decided that Biofeed and Green Valley should focus their efforts on improving the agro-industry and farmers’ situation in those countries.

This is in line with Biofeed’s Vision and Mission:

“To improve farmers’ livelihood byincreasing quality production, free of bio and chemical hazards, grown in a safe, eco-friendly environment, to enable the consumers to enjoy better and healthier food and life.”

Once I fully grasped the challenges and substantial change required in the emerging economies, I understood that the kind of change I am dreaming of could only occur if I set a personal example as to the WHAT and HOW.

In other words, I will need to be personally present in all the places where I wish to see the change.

Not in the EU, not in the USA, or other developed markets. No.

I should invest my time mainly in the fields and orchards with the farmers, experts, and stakeholders in the value chain of countries and people who are wishing to change and need the change.

I invest my time where my present and leadership can positively impact the most significant number of people.

This is why I travel so often to some emerging economies and why I have made it a habit to talk about them.

I write you this e-mail from Senegal, Africa, where we build the foundation of an outstanding Green Valley program, all by example.

Unfortunately, we tend to think that the problem of the emerging economies is the farmers.

It is breaking my heart every time I hear that, mainly because it is not true. Second, because it means that the focus is not on where it should be if we honestly wish to improve our future (see the previous article, which is discussing that issue >><<).

It seems that the number one problem of the agro-industry in emerging economies is the lack of proper business models to unleash the enormous unveiled potential.This is why I invested much of my time in the past four years to develop a proper conceptual business model. This “business model,” dedicated to the agro-industry of emerging economies, is called Green Valley.No substantial physical improvement will occur in people’s lives unless we change their mentality and rearrange or change the legal system in which they operate.Think again about Moses, Mandela, and Gandhi and the mental change they had to change their countries and the legal changes that followed.Green Valley program starts by making sure we work with those who have the mentality of winners and a marathon runner’s attitude.You see, economic success is the result of pre-planned mental changes, which are then translated into an action plan and activities, and not the other way around.Leading by Example causes a mental change to occur, which opens up a window for the belief that our future can be better if we change, to infiltrate our minds and lives.

TAKEAWAYS» Leading means changing and hence affecting people’s lives. » You can be the leader of one person, yourself. » Start by changing your own consciousness and mentality. » People believe what they see. Show them the what and the how.

Please, if you found value in this article, it would mean a lot to me if you send me a comment and share it with your friends.