{"id":3130,"date":"2021-03-18T14:04:44","date_gmt":"2021-03-18T18:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soilsatguelph.ca\/?p=3130"},"modified":"2023-05-02T19:53:33","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T23:53:33","slug":"when-more-isnt-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/soilsatguelph.ca\/when-more-isnt-better\/","title":{"rendered":"When More Isn\u2019t Better: Thoughts from the world\u2019s #1 management thinker on farm resilience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cI have a view worth hearing, but I might be missing something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the attitude of an innovator described by top business mind, Roger L. Martin, at the virtual Midwest Cover Crops Council Conference on February 24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Roger Martin is professor emeritus and former Dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. He grew up in Wallenstein, Ontario where his family was active with an agri-business in the feed industry, before going on to become the world\u2019s #1 management thinker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide w33 float-right\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large\"><p><em>There is a trade-off between efficient and effective&#8230;we\u2019ve been pushing efficiency so hard that it is now having counterproductive impacts on life, the economy, the environment.<\/em><\/p><cite>Roger L. Martin<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Following the theme of his latest book, <em><a aria-label=\"WHEN MORE IS NOT BETTER: Overcoming America\u2019s Obsession With Economic Efficiency (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/rogerlmartin.com\/lets-read\/when-more-is-not-better\" target=\"_blank\">WHEN MORE IS NOT BETTER: Overcoming America\u2019s Obsession With Economic Efficiency<\/a><\/em>, Martin participated in a keynote conversation with leaders in the agri-food industry to discuss the perils of obsessively pursing efficiency in agriculture, and how integrative thinking can help agriculture become more resilient. Over 600 people registered for the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere is a trade-off between efficient and effective&#8230;we\u2019ve been pushing efficiency so hard that it is now having counterproductive impacts on life, the economy, [the environment]. Pushing things to the extremes leads to extreme outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The solution Martin recommends is having multiple measures or \u201cproxies\u201d for success, and not letting those proxies become success itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\"  id=\"_ytid_16674\"  width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"  data-origwidth=\"1200\" data-origheight=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Q5H9oDmcEbY?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;modestbranding=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Creating new models for agriculture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In agriculture, our attention naturally goes to bushels per acre, feed conversion efficiency, and other efficiency measures. But other proxies \u2013 profit per acre, soil organic matter, annual soil loss \u2013 are necessary to develop a holistic picture of whether our farm enterprises are pursuing efficiency at the expense of resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen there is no great choice, don\u2019t make it!\u201d Martin said. \u201cIf you have a choice between A and B, and you love A and dislike B, then by all means choose A. But if you don\u2019t really love either option, ask, <em>What is it about A, and what is it about B that I love, [and how can I] combine those to make a novel, better C?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Martin refers to this process as integrative thinking \u2013 solving complex problems by creating new superior models that contain elements of multiple previous inferior models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Martin\u2019s point relates to managing what appear to be tradeoffs in agriculture, like saving the soil versus saving the farm. Martin challenged the audience to embrace \u201can endless quest for better answers, better models.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenging common practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Following Martin\u2019s conversation with freelance sociologist and writer Mel Luymes, a panel of agri-food industry leaders made further applications to agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to take on some friction,\u201d said chef-turned-farmer Dan Petker, referring to practices that build long-term resiliency at the expense of short-term efficiency. \u201cJust because something has worked for 5, 10 years, engage with others and take something out of those discussions. Stagnation ends a lot of farms, relationships&#8230;everything!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Martin and the panelists shared a common message encouraging those in the agri-food industry to think outside the box and challenge their traditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The event was made possible through support and funding from the <strong>Ontario Agricultural College Class of \u201959 Future Thinkers <\/strong>fund, which exists to encourage innovative thinking in agriculture.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI have a view worth hearing, but I might be missing something.\u201d This is the attitude of an innovator described by top business mind, Roger L. Martin, at the virtual 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