Wise, Kind and Strong

A few years ago, a friend shared his philosophy on raising his three young boys. His mantra, of which he reminded them daily, was a simple question that could apply to almost every situation in life. “Are you being wise, kind, and strong?” I loved it! When you think about it, it encapsulates so many of the attributes we strive for. You want your kids to make smart choices, you want them to be kind, and you want them to be capable and stick up for themselves.

Does this also apply to our business lives?  Obviously, you want to make wise decisions for your business. That’s your job—to weigh the pros and cons, run the spreadsheets, consider the financials, build long-term strategy, maximize the yield—all to make smart and wise business moves.

You may not often think of being kind as a top business priority. But most of the business-owning families we work with have core values guided by strong morals and faith. Every day we see you being kind to your family, your employees, and your community. You often recognize kindness as a factor in –and obligation of – your success.

And strong? It applies to many aspects of your business. You aim for a strong financial footing to weather the difficult years. You want strong team members capable of problem-solving and leading others. And of course it takes mental strength to weather the stresses of agricultural business and physical strength to complete the long seasons.

So yes, there are lots of books full of helpful business advice out there. But every once in a while, remember that it all boils down to some basic lessons we teach our kids.