Dan Kelley
GROWMARK Annual Meeting
September 5, 2008
“Teachable Moments ”
Dan approaches podium on mic…humming and lip syncing to
pre-recorded music, or singing, on his way.
“Mem'ries . . Light the corners of my mind . . Misty
water-colored memories . .”
Off-stage voice (kind, fatherly, instructive) interrupts . .
. Uhmmm Dan . . . we’re not talking about memories . . .
we’re focusing on moments – everyday moments of excellence,
teachable moments . . . remember?
Dan: Right. I don’t know why, but every time I start to
think about moments of excellence . . . that song goes
through my head. Okay, moments . . . teachable moments . . .
Got it.
Did I just experience a teachable moment? I think I did.
Teachable moments -- those situations that offer on-the-spot
lessons; the opportunity to share a bit of wisdom or
knowledge; to recognize the potential of someone; to infuse
confidence; to take a chance on someone; to provide an
opportunity or open a door. Teachable moments are so varied
that you can easily find yourself on the receiving end . . .
or on the teaching end.
Teachable moments are part of history – our System’s and our
society’s. Teachable Moments are memorable – to us and to
others; they are ingrained in our memories.
Ah . . . that’s where I came up with memories! Thinking
about my own teachable moments triggered memories, which led
to . . . you get the idea.
Millions of people have experienced teachable moments. In
fact, history is full of them!
Think about Isaac Newton, for example. Newton was an
“unpromising student” who left school to return home to work
on the farm. Unfortunately, his farming ability wasn't much
better, yet, today, he is considered one of the most
intelligent people in history.
There is also Watkins Company salesman Bill Porter. This
successful salesman was born with cerebral palsy and had
difficulty speaking and walking, yet he ignored the
specialists’ advice to “accept his limitations . . . and
apply for Social Security.”
And consider the best of the best athletes who just
completed the 29th Olympiad . . . all, I’m sure, had
teachable moments that helped them reach that milestone.
I’m sure you can relate. Maybe not in the exact same way as
the Olympians, but you can likely identify at least one
teachable moment . . . something or someone who made a
difference in your life; something or someone who helped you
clarify a path, change a course, or think differently about
yourself.
Teachable moments move us forward -- as people, and as an
organization. In fact, we have a solid foundation-- as an
organization-- in a very specific teachable moment. More
than 80 years ago, a group of Farm Bureau members seeking a
reliable source of petroleum products at a reasonable price
decided that by working together they could accomplish more
than they could alone. That teachable moment resulted in the
GROWMARK System of local member cooperatives.
Drawing upon our foundation, it is easy to see that in the
GROWMARK System – the best agricultural cooperative system
in North America – teachable moments are a way of life.
During the past weeks as I thought about teachable moments –
those recorded for this meeting, and those in my own
lifetime -- I realized something I hadn’t much before
considered: teachable moments don’t just happen.
Teachable moments are planned . . . prepared for . . .
created.
My high school business teacher planned for a specific
moment in which she would recommend me for Rotary Club
Student of the Year. I thought I was just a student in her
class, but her recognition and support made a positive
impact in my life. She planned for that moment.
When I was on the Illinois State University dairy judging
team, our coach, Dr. Clarence Moore, taught me how to
verbally justify the placement of a specific animal. He
prepared for those moments in which he could convey his
knowledge to me and help me learn the skills I still use
today.
And one of my farming neighbors, who served as a reference
for a landlord to help me earn the opportunity to farm a
piece of land. Mind you, it wasn’t his land, but he created
a teachable moment, a situation of learning that ultimately
resulted in a relationship with him and an opportunity to
farm his ground.
With the help of the GROWMARK System Broadcasting Network,
we have witnessed examples of teachable moments from the
perspective of both students and teachers. Teachable moments
have something in common; teachable moments embody
reliability, trust, expertise, and commitment.
Reliability
People expect outcomes. A key outcome for the GROWMARK
System is that we are reliable.
If you’re like me, you’ve had plenty of experience with
unreliable businesses . . . the lip service to making an
appointment or saying a product will be delivered at a
certain time, and it isn’t; the ongoing promise of a
follow-through that never happens.
However, that’s not what occurs throughout the GROWMARK
System. We do what we say we will do. Our customers and
patrons can rest assured that we will be there, keeping them
up and running…helping improve their long-term
profitability. We are dependable . . .
Reliability is a characteristic we see throughout the
System.
On the East Coast, Chris Adkins and The Rookery golf course
know that Rick Lee will be on the course spreading nutrients
on fairways and tees, often before dawn, to stay ahead of
the first golfers of the day.
Dale Swan counts on Keith Oglesby at Southern FS year-in,
year-out to make the best recommendations for his farm,
which helps improve his efficiency. And that translates into
more dollars per acre.
Tim Jacobs in northern Wisconsin depends on Dan Wickersheim
at Servco FS to provide the motor oils, the bar and chain
oils, and the fuel for his logging operation.
And when it came time for New Century FS to convert to
Microsoft Dynamics software – a six-month process – the
employees relied on GROWMARK’s IMS department to convert the
data, provide training, and troubleshoot the issues
associated with conversion.
Staff on both sides of this process called it “stressful,”
but in the end, the reliable people of the System produced a
moment of excellence.
Trust
Reliability is essential in our business and it builds
trust.
Trust--it’s difficult to earn and easy to destroy. Author
David Armistead said “Trust each other again and again. When
the trust level gets high enough, people transcend apparent
limits, discovering new and awesome abilities for which they
were previously unaware.”
Trust is a cornerstone supporting our System. It’s the
knowledge that someone has your back. It’s a sense of
security, of confidence. Our customers trust us; they turn
to us to solve their problems and they count on us to
improve their bottom line.
Throughout the GROWMARK System, trust is described as trying
to do the right thing for the benefit of the customers, or
fostering personal relationships with patrons and treating
them like they want to be treated. Trust is also safeguarded
through continual communication and through years of working
together striving for the same goals – success and
excellence.
Trust like this is difficult to come by. Yet, we’re known
for trust that spans generations.
The neighbor I mentioned earlier created a situation of
learning that ultimately resulted in a relationship with him
and an opportunity to farm his land. He trusted . . .
perhaps in something not seen, but it was a trust,
nevertheless, that moved me forward in many ways.
Expertise
Reliability and trust are found when we work with experts.
People want to work with experts. That’s a fact. We seek
them out . . . we want to know who the best of the best are
. . . so we can learn from them and ultimately improve our
own game.
If you’re looking for experts in agriculture, you need look
no further than the GROWMARK System. It’s been said that “no
one trains people like we do.” In fact, our employees are
the envy of other companies because these companies know the
significant investment of time and resources that make our
people the best -- at whatever they do.
The people of the GROWMARK System are committed to bringing
the expertise required to meet the needs of their customers.
From certification programs and safety training to
supervisory skill building and Life Long Learning programs,
our people have access to a myriad of learning opportunities
to help them succeed. And it’s that type of training that
helps our employees prepare for teachable moments.
For example, Larry Lee, who works for GROWMARK FS in
Milford, Delaware, is proud of what he calls “the best of
the best” in the business--his team of custom applicators
that apply products to 130,000 acres of farmland. Training –
above and beyond what the state of Delaware requires --
keeps GFS on those acres year after year.
The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety – the
11,000 square foot state-of-the-art training center in
Peosta, Iowa, offers the people of the GROWMARK System
access to hands-on training covering a variety of areas –
anhydrous application; LP storage tank installation and
maintenance; and high-tech GPS/VRT programs.
This facility goes beyond traditional agricultural
boundaries to reach into communities to offer CPR, first aid
and safety training; provide educational programs for
business and industry; and to work with rural fire
protection districts and emergency services personnel to
keep their skills up to date. There’s no other facility like
it . . . not in the U.S. or the world, and the people of the
GROWMARK System -- the best of the best – have access to
this one-of-a-kind training center.
Recently, some GROWMARK experts were called to the scene of
a leaking propane bottle. It wasn’t one of ours, but we were
called to the scene to handle the situation. The incident
forced an evacuation, and as in many situations of this
nature, TV stations were on the scene.
The emergency was resolved with no harm to people or the
environment. So, you see, even those outside the System rely
on the people of GROWMARK, because we have the expertise and
training to remedy hazardous situations, and we are
committed to the good of the industry . . . and the general
public. They trust us – the best of the best -- to do the
right thing, even when it’s not our product.
Training and development occurs at the director level, as
well. Last year at this meeting we announced the Advanced
Director Certification Program, which gives GROWMARK
Certified Cooperative Directors an opportunity to broaden
business perspective, enhance leadership skills, increase
knowledge of strategic issues impacting the GROWMARK System,
and improve the understanding of the System’s strategic
direction. Sixteen (16) individuals are participating in the
inaugural group, and plans are underway for the 2009 class.
Commitment
Reliability, trust and expertise have a powerful impact
where commitment exists. Whether you call it
stick-to-itiveness, dedication, or devotion, the people of
the GROWMARK System have it. They’re committed to their
customers. They have the discipline to awake early in the
morning, work late into the evening and do it all over again
the next day. Why? Because they have our customers’ best
interests in mind; they’re committed to improving the
long-term profitability of our member owners, and they are
dedicated to being the best agricultural cooperative system
in North America.
At Christian County Farmers Supply, the poker chip is a
visible commitment to “chip in” toward a common goal. The
chips, imprinted with the number 3 on the back, meant that
in 3 years, the cooperative would have $1 million of net
income. That goal initially looked like a huge challenge,
but as employees carried the chips, they began to act
differently – they became one company, began thinking in
terms of the broader team, which led to cross-selling
products – doing things differently to reach the goal. And,
not only will they make that goal -- they'll exceed it!
In Ontario, commitment means 100 percent involvement with
the local cooperative, using decades of experience to make
the right recommendations for one customer while scouting a
field to reassure another.
There are numerous accounts of commitment throughout the
System – the attitude of continuous improvement; the
dedication of being a value-added supplier; and working the
extra hours to implement a new accounting system – all
everyday moments of excellence.
There are also moments of excellence that surface in times
of disaster. This year, throughout Illinois, Iowa and
Wisconsin, the people of the GROWMARK System were on the
front lines of the flood relief efforts. It didn’t matter if
those affected were their customers; System employees joined
forces with others bagging sand to keep waters at bay,
helping clear debris from once-flooded fields, and helping
flood victims assess damage and discuss what the future
holds. These, too, are moments of excellence.
Now, I would like to take a moment to recognize the
commitment and achievement of one cooperative general
manager whose co-op has achieved outstanding results in our
competitive industry. GROWMARK formally honors member
cooperatives that excel in several areas:
- Return on Invested Capital,
- Percent or Dollar Sales Increase,
- Credit Administration, and
- Operating Expense Efficiency.
The cooperative earning the Chairman’s Award for
Excellence in Management is dedicated to combining teamwork,
an ongoing eye on improvement, customer service, and good
business decisions. Let’s hear about that commitment from
the general manager and some of his staff (video rolls).
As you can see, the Chairman’s Award winner is focused on
creating moments of excellence – teachable moments of
excellence -- every day.
Please help me welcome John Knobloch, general manager of
AGRILAND FS, based in Winterset, Iowa, to our stage.
Congratulations John. It’s great to see the growth at
AGRILAND. Best wishes for continued success.
Teachable moments are all around us, and opportunities to
create those moments occur every day. We can point to as
many moments in our System as we can in other areas of
society.
Let me tell you about John Barnes. John was a generous
individual, known for helping young people whenever he
could. He provided the funds for a specialized typewriter
for a young woman who wanted to become a court stenographer,
and helped other young people achieve their goals.
John Barnes was part of our System for 36 years serving as a
dry products dispatcher at the GROWMARK Kingston Mines
fertilizer terminal. He retired in 1982, but continued to
farm and was involved in the local community.
One of John’s key interests was the local school district,
Illini Bluffs, and the community’s young people and their
future endeavors.
The students at Illini Bluffs are only beginning to realize
just how generous John was. Today, thanks to John Barnes,
there’s a million-dollar trust that supports Illini Bluffs
students’ pursuit of higher education.
Scholarships in varying amounts are awarded annually to
students who meet academic requirements and who are involved
in extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership
and a commitment to community. This year, the first year of
the program, more than one-third of the graduating students
were eligible for and received a portion of the scholarship
amount.
Moments of excellence – teachable moments -- pay dividends
far beyond the initial conception. John Barnes’ moment of
excellence will make an impact in many lives for many years
to come.
Your moments of excellence can live on, as well. Teachable
moments are part of our everyday experience. They are our
everyday experience because we create them.
I encourage each of you to continue to plan your moments!
Do what you say you will do – be reliable!
Provide security for someone – build trust!
Enhance your knowledge by taking advantage of training –
become the expert!
Be disciplined – demonstrate your commitment!
As George Bernard Shaw said, “The people who get on in this
world are they who get up and look for the circumstances
they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”
Thank you.
