How to Build Future Leaders with Mark Waschek

The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast

Mark Waschek is the President at Ag1 Source, a company that specializes in placing talent within agribusiness companies. With over 18 years of experience in the industry, Mark has helped numerous organizations find the right talent and develop effective succession plans.

Summary:

Mark Waschek emphasizes the importance of being intentional in leadership and shares insights on how to retain talent in agribusiness. He highlights the need for leaders to have a long-term perspective and focus on building systems that support the growth and development of their employees. Mark also discusses the misconception around work-life balance and explains that employees are more interested in having a sense of purpose and opportunities for growth within their roles. He suggests that leaders should have regular two-way conversations with their employees to understand their career goals and provide them with a clear career path. Additionally, Mark emphasizes the significance of recognizing and appreciating the efforts of employees, as it contributes to their engagement and loyalty to the organization.

Key Takeaways:

• Being intentional in leadership means having a long-term perspective and building systems that support the growth and development of employees.
• Employees are more interested in having a sense of purpose and opportunities for growth within their roles than just work-life balance or compensation.
• Regular two-way conversations with employees about their career goals and providing a clear career path can help retain talent.
• Recognizing and appreciating the efforts of employees contributes to their engagement and loyalty to the organization.

Quotes:

"Intentional to me ties into the way you go about your day, the way you go about leading people, the way you go about working with people." - Mark Waschek

"Ninety percent of people leave their jobs because of their manager." - Mark Waschek

"People are willing to move companies if they feel their manager doesn't care about them and there's no opportunity for growth." - Mark Waschek

"Career advancement is progression towards your goal. It doesn't only happen when you get a new title." - Mark Waschek