Peer Advisory Groups for Agricultural Producers and Continuous Management Improvement Danny Klinefelter Professor, Extension Economist and Regents Fellow Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Texas A&M University

Peer Advisory Groups Strategic Management is about anticipating, adapting to, driving and capitalizing on change. Wayne Gretsky quote I recognized that I wasn’t bigger, stronger or faster than most of the people I played against. I believe that the biggest reason for my success was that most players were always going where the puck was, and I always tried to go where it was going to be. Jack Welch quote The only truly sustainable competitive advantage is the ability to learn and adapt faster than your competition. Tom Peters quote from Thriving on Chaos If it isn’t broke, you probably haven’t looked hard enough.

Peer Advisory Groups There are four states of knowledge:  What you know  What you know you don’t know  What you don’t know you don’t know  What you think you know, that just ain’t so Douglas Adams, quote from The Breakthrough Company Human beings, who are almost unique in the ability to learn from the experiences of others, are also remarkable for their disinclination to do so.

What makes a good peer group? Common PLACE – geography, demography, issues – What are you dealing with? Similar PURPOSE – mission, vision, goals – What are you trying to accomplish? Agreed-upon PROCESS – confidentiality, sharing, attendance, speakers, role of the facilitator, etc. – What are the ground rules for your group? PERSONALITY – participants of acceptable accomplishments/demeanor – Do you respect other members?

Vulnerability – The Key Ingredient Own your weakness Be transparent Admit you don’t have all the answers Ask for help Vulnerability shows you could benefit from another’s perspective People generally like to help others they feel could genuinely benefit. You can’t benefit from peer advisors if they don’t know what you really need to improve!

Peer Advisory Groups Purpose and objective Structure and composition Guidelines and requirements for success

Peer Advisory Groups (cont.) Advantages of peer advisory groups Multiple vantage points and different perspectives Sounding board for plans and ideas Honest and constructive feedback Identifying alternatives and exploring what if scenarios

Peer Advisory Groups (cont.) Advantages of peer advisory groups(cont.) Increased insight and objectivity Reducing or overcoming implementation issues Benchmarking Identifying opportunities for collaborative efforts

Peer Advisory Groups (cont.) Advantages of peer advisory groups (Cont.) Seeing the bigger picture Expanded information access Drawing on different strengths and experiences and compensating for weaknesses Education and needs based training

Peer Advisory Groups (cont.) Advantages of peer advisory groups (Cont.) Accountability Overcoming isolation Encouragement, support and understanding Pushing out of comfort zones