What Makes a Great Culture?

Every home, workplace, organization and community has a culture, and we all yearn to be part of "a great culture." But just what makes up a great culture? And what can we each do to impact in a positive way the cultures we are a part of?

A culture, whether great or not so good, is made up of people. Think about the type of people you really like to be around. Who are they? What do you like about them that makes them special? If we were to ask and compile answers from a large spectrum of people, we would likely see a common thread. There are certain types of people most of us just like to be connected with. The attractive characteristics those people typically exhibit often come from the fruits of the Spirit as defined in the verse at the top of our newsletter. People who are living in a manner that we enjoy being around are real-life examples of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; they are a breath of fresh air to be around.

We each have a choice. We can be known as grump-buckets by those around us, or we can choose to make a positive difference. There is some wise counsel, also found in Galatians, to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” That can help us see the choice, and how it impacts others, is pretty clear. Will we be that breath of fresh air and exude the fruits of the Spirit, or will we be known as Mr. or Mrs. Grumpy and cultivate the desires of the flesh, which are described in the same book as strife, jealously, fits of anger, dissension, envy, drunkenness and more. These often lead to troubled relationships, whether at home or at work, and less attractive cultures to be a part of.

Indeed, the choice is ours…every day! For additional insight, see "Curating an Exceptional Culture" elsewhere in this newsletter.

5767 Grain Merchandiser - Central Illinois

Multi-location and highly successful central Illinois grain company is seeking a Grain Merchandiser who desires to work in a country elevator. You will be a key part of the Grain division leadership team with an opportunity to grow into Grain Division Manager!

4111 CFO - Fractional Agriculture - United States

A leading Financial Services firm specializing in the Agribusiness Industry is seeking a full-time Fractional Agricultural Chief Financial Officer. Salary is based on your experience, marketable skill set, and certifications and will likely range between $150,000 and $180,000. In addition, a generous bonus and a retirement program round out a complete benefits package.

7665 Seed Plant Operations - Eastern Iowa

An Assistant Field Manager is needed to oversee outside activities at a seed production plant in the heart of Iowa. This job is focused on growing and processing quality seed and has a wide variety of responsibilities. You will be working directly with the farmer growers to secure acreage, sign contracts, deliver parent seed, scout fields, and oversee harvest activities. The ideal candidate will have a farm background with experiences in a seed or fertilizer plant and be able to solve problems and have a focus on quality and details.

6238 Account Executive - Illinois

Highly successful Midwest-based agricultural hedging and consulting firm, which is an industry leading and rapidly growing commodity futures brokerage and hedge advisory group, is seeking an Account Executive to work in the firm’s Chicago office within the Cattle Team.

5756 Merchandiser - Midwest

Agricultural industry leader is seeking a Merchandiser with 3 to 7+ years of experience who is ready and willing to grow as the company continues to expand. You will learn the entire business as you work with a variety of customers and other professionals, including accounting, logistics, quality control and finance.

4110 VP of Agriculture Asset Management - United States

An industry-leading institutional investment managing company is seeking an entrepreneurial-minded VP of Agriculture Asset Management. This is an excellent opportunity to join a financially solid company with an exceptional track record for success. This position will be a part of the management team with its offices located in one of the most desirable cities to live within the United States. Salary is based on experience and will likely range between $150,000 and $180,000+ with a generous bonus and retirement program as part of a full benefits package.

3882 Agronomy Department Sales Manager - Northeast Indiana

Large agronomy cooperative in northeast Indiana is seeking a Sales Manager for their Agronomy Division. This is a unique role without any direct reports associated with the job. The primary responsibilities are more behind the scenes developing and implementing sales plans for front line salespeople and sales programs for farmer customers. You will also be responsible for representing the company at functions, create promotional materials, corporate communications, and mailings, and working very closely with staff. The preferred candidate will be someone who can understand financial reports and provide analysis.

8923 Environmental Managers - Eastern United States

Respected and established grain and grain processing company is seeking several associates to join their Environmental Services & Sustainability team at multiple locations for their Eastern US operations.

5769 Diversely Talented Grain Team Member - Northern Illinois

Thriving northern Illinois grain company is seeking a valued team member who wants to learn all aspects of the grain business (inside 80% / outside 20%) and be a part of a very family-oriented atmosphere. New grads and experienced candidates welcome.

"Were you a cheerleader in school?" is a question I have been asked many times in my career. The answer is no, but maybe I missed my calling!

The reason I get asked this question is because I am forever cheering for the underdog, for the team to win, for our candidates to get the right job or for our clients to hire the best candidate. I want other people to be happy and successful (whatever that might mean to each individual)!

Trust me, this mindset isn’t always easy, it can leave you emotionally and mentally exhausted especially if you are in a negative culture. I’ve worked with teammates, managers, and even in offices that seemed to want nothing more than to drain the fun or cheerfulness from those around them. In situations like this I would team up with people that also wanted to bring light to a situation, and we would work to shift the environment. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.

My husband is what he calls a “realist”, and he doesn’t live in this dreamer world that I do, but that is ok because if we were alike our household wouldn’t function. His ideal weekend would be to work the entire weekend away on projects around our house and property. My ideal weekend would be to pack up the family and go somewhere fun without thinking about one thing on our never ending “to do” list. Instead, we compromise.

An office is very similar; you need to have balance in fun and work. No one wants to work for a doom and gloom company. On the flip side, it wouldn’t be overly productive to work for a company that is all fun and games; neither scenario ends in success. We all want to be on the winning team, and we all want to enjoy the place we work. At the end of the week, you will have spent more time with your coworkers than with your own family. So make it a place that you enjoy, and do your part to bring light to those around you.

Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish American businessman and philanthropist. He led the expansion of the steel industry in the United States and became one of the richest men in the world. During the last 18 years of his life (which ended in 1919), he gave away the 2022 equivalent of roughly $10 billion to charities, foundations, and universities. Carnegie-Mellon University? United States Steel Corporation? Carnegie Hall? That’s him.

Always chatty and eager to share his wisdom, Carnegie once said, “You must capture and keep the heart of the supremely able man before his brain can do its best.”

It’s a savvy assessment of the vital connection between heart, mind, results, and retention. How do we capture and keep the hearts of those we lead so they perform at their fullest potential year after year? A good place to start is curating an exceptional organizational culture.

Do you have the grit to not give up and stay true to the course, no matter how difficult it may be? Are you competitive and possess a strong sales mentality where every “no” is just one step closer to a “yes”?

If so, and you have a passion for connecting with and helping people, plus a strong agricultural industry background in agronomy, grain, or other areas, please contact Dave Allen. We would enjoy having a discussion with you about how a recruiting career may be a great fit for you.

Founded in 1995, AGRI-SEARCH is a professional recruiting firm providing clients with customized recruiting solutions in various niches within the agricultural industry. Our success results from our industry focus, our specialized approach to recruiting, and our staff's lifelong roots in, dedication to, and vast understanding and knowledge of the agricultural industry.

At AGRI-SEARCH, our mission states that we “are committed to serving the agricultural industry with integrity, passion and excellence by assisting our candidates to reach their career goals and helping our client companies build successful teams.”