Many have heard me reference paradigms, either during presentations or in this column. Paradigms are the beliefs, values, assumptions and ways in which we view the world. Trying to challenge our own assumptions and thinking is one way to expand our personal growth. One of my beliefs is as human beings, we are meant to […] Read more
Understanding our own paradigms
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
VIDEO: David Irvine on clarity, character and connection
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
While preparing for a recent holistic management conference which featured David Irvine as the keynote speaker, I came across a video that we had done at an earlier conference. Much earlier — 1990, in fact. Irvine is referred to as the leadership navigator. He has worked extensively with organizations, teams and families as a speaker […] Read more
VIDEO: It’s all about the people
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
In the last few weeks, I have had the pleasure of touring around all three of our westernmost provinces for grazing plan workshops, holistic management courses and sessions related to the On-Farm Climate Action Fund. It still strikes me that we really are in the best industry in the best country and it is all […] Read more
VIDEO: Systems learning
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
In the early ’90s, leadership expert Peter Senge wrote a book called the The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. At the time, the ideas were a helpful guide to navigating the pace of change we were encountering. Now, over 30 years later, I think it is still relevant as it […] Read more
Sell-buy cattle marketing with Doug Ferguson
Learn how one producer applies sell-buy marketing to his own operation
When Doug Ferguson was a teenager, he had three things on his to-do list — have a family, ride bulls and raise cattle. Even back then he knew he had to make money doing the latter to support the other two aims. The cattle marketer grew up on a mixed farming operation in southeast Nebraska […] Read more
VIDEO: On memory and the art of remembering
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
There is a good chance the topic of memory is more of a concern to those of us in the over-forty category than the younger set. Forgetting things is completely normal, according to neuroscientist and author Dr. Lisa Genova. Genova’s book, Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, explains that forgetting where […] Read more
VIDEO: Letting go and shifting gears
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
Sometimes we need a nudge, push or out-and-out shove to get unstuck. Consider this column a shove. Sell the cows or get rid of an enterprise. When we significantly reduced our cow herd several years ago, it was mostly a financial decision. Markets, drought, BSE and, of course, some of our own choices, resulted in […] Read more
Direct marketing in the COVID age
Two Alberta businesswomen talk shop about how the pandemic has shaped the direct marketing landscape for beef producers
It is a changed world. The time spent in pandemic lockdowns has completely altered consumer behaviour. Perhaps it has sped up trends that were already in place, such as concerns about how food was grown or raised, convenience and ease of online purchasing. According to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review on Marketing […] Read more
VIDEO: Finding the weak links in your farm operation
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
As another growing season has come to an end and we start looking towards next year it is valuable to reflect on what worked this year and what did not. Think of it as part of the “where we are at” piece of strategic planning. A year that started dry, then had ample or sufficient […] Read more
VIDEO: Kaizen and continuous improvement
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
Kaizen is the Japanese concept of continuous improvement. Kai means change and zen means for the better. It applies to all areas of life and can be part of a strategic planning initiative. Kaizen is based on the idea that small, ongoing, positive changes can reap significant improvements. It’s typically founded on co-operation and commitment […] Read more
Canadian Cattlemen Presents: Depth of Field
