There is always a tipping point in our Ranching for Profit Schools where we can see light bulbs and aha ideas start to show up. We use a teach-to-learn technique several times throughout the week to help accelerate that process. It helps solidify new concepts into the participant’s memory, and the practice of teaching these new concepts prepares them to share with others when they get back to the ranch. For a lot of participants, this may include presenting to a parent, the ranch manager, or the wealthy absentee landowner. Sounds terrifying right? Or does it sound liberating?
During our teach-to-learn session at a Ranching for Profit School I taught this past winter, I asked the class how many of their supervisors had previously attended one of our schools. Most had. I knew that because I recognized business names on the registrations, but I was trying to help the class see a point.
I asked the class “how terrifying do you think it is to send your employee or kid or business partner, etc to our school?” One student spoke softly and said “they are creating monsters.” That is exactly correct, in a good way of course! The Ranching for Profit School is built to challenge paradigms, or influence people to confront the way they see the world. This could be work, money, relationships/communication, cows, grass, you name it. So I am always curious how those first conversations go when an employee, kid, or business partner gets back to the ranch.
I’m optimistic in life, so I like to think they have a healthy conversation about how to move the business forward … however being realistic, I doubt they are all that peachy. I am guessing there are a few different ways those first conversations could go. Maybe the recent graduate wants to:
- Not change a thing: status quo is good enough for me.
- Completely rewrite the book: sell everything and move to a different climate.
- Take more responsibility with budgeting or grazing planning: now they understand why things are being done the way they are.
- Find another career: the school challenged them to self-reflect about what they really want in life.
- Search for other continuing education events: learning and networking are intriguing lifelong events to better themselves and the business.
Regardless of where you are at on the family tree or on the company’s organizational chart, there are always opportunities to lead and facilitate conversations to help the team. One way is to use the teach-to-learn technique above. Rather than just spewing out ideas at your next ranch meeting, bring a thought out proposal that includes the who, what, why, and how. Make sure to include a visual, our favorite is to grab a flipchart, markers, and start drawing! Ask questions to the members of your team that stimulate thought provoking discussion, and don’t be afraid to let those ideas simmer. Some ideas that come out of a meeting need to be implemented immediately, while other ideas need time to develop.
I will be in Oklahoma City next month teaching our only spring 2026 Ranching for Profit School. If you are interested in challenging your own paradigms and want to work on increasing your own leadership skills, I hope you can join me. In the meantime, listen to the Albrecht’s talk about the importance of going with their ranch manager to a Ranching for Profit School as a team.
