Food For Thought

2/17/2023- Expressing Vulnerability

What does it mean to be vulnerable? 

I still ask myself this question all of the time, but here is what I have learned:

Leadership is something that we talk about an often lot on this website, and one of the most defining parts of leadership that people talk about is expressing the ability to be vulnerable. But what does that mean? 

In truth, vulnerability is not the ability to go out and cry out on stage (like I used to think) but rather is the ability to cultivate and create an environment that people feel safe and secure. When we encourage to be courageous despite adversity, then we become a part of something much larger: the success of others. Isn't that something? 

But how do we do this? Well, I think I found a 3 step process that helps us express vulnerability.

1. Recognize our strengths and see how we can act upon them to express potential of success for others
2. Just as much as we should recognize our strengths, let us also recognize our weaknesses. Use them to showcase that power throughout adversity is possible, and make yourself more relatable to the audience.
3. Tell a story where you felt like you weren't going to make it, and then pivot that story towards success. The comeback story is always my favorite way of expressing vulnerability because our stories are unique to us, but somehow they still manage to connect us all because we all struggle with problems, but encouragement to strive and succeed will ultimately help them emerge victorious. Them, not just us. 

Well, there we have it, we can express our vulnerability by using our strengths as strengths, and our weaknesses as strengths, and finally showcasing that we are living and grounded in humanity as well. There is no power that is greater than the mind of one person who is willing to sacrifice what they have for others. With that, let us as leaders start to live a more vulnerable life, not to remind us of our struggles, but remind ourselves of our purpose and showcase to ourselves that we are enough. Just as humble as it is to say that we are enough, we also need to recognize that others are as well. Vulnerability is the key to relatability in leadership. The best leaders don't see themselves as rulers or winners, but they see themselves as human.

Just Some Food For Thought

Kaden James

2/18/2023- What is Sustainability?

In agriculture, we often hear the term "sustainable". But what does that term actually mean? 

In short, sustainable means that when we use our agriculture practices, we are using environmental friendly practices that allow the ecological systems in the area to continue to live on, ensuring that future generations will be afforded the same opportunity and resources that we do. 

Sustainability is a broad term, but we can all learn more about it. At the grassroots level, creating an environment that will provide future generations the ability to live and thrive off the land and resources just as we have before them. We can dive into specific practices that are sustainable later on, but for now know that sustainability provides a greener future for agriculture, and in turn the world. 

3/4/2023-Existance

We Exist to Give Ourselves Away