Money talk is good talk

Financial literacy and intelligence are crucial life skills for personal and business success. If you believe ‘talking money’ in public is bad manners, you will hinder development of these skills, says Peter Hughes.

Time to say goodbye to bad habits

To truly excel at what we do, we need to achieve excellence over and over again. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is thus not an act, but a habit, and it’s one that every manager needs to cultivate, says Peter Hughes.

If you have a brain, you’re biased

Despite what we might think, all of us have biases. Some are hard-wired into our brains; others are the result of our life experience. Know the difference, and do something about them, says Peter Hughes.

Eschew obsfucation and ‘keep it simple, stupid!

‘Complexity’ results from success and growth. ‘Complication’ is the way we choose to deal with it. Peter Hughes explains how managers and staff can streamline and work smarter.

Make 2023 your own ‘good to great’ year

There’s no management problem that hasn’t been faced before. Lessons from these issues are at your fingertips on the Internet and in many publications; use them and have your best year yet, says Peter Hughes.

Kill your pessimism before it kills your business

No matter how good a situation is, pessimists are unable to escape their negative outlook on life and will only see the pitfalls ahead. They have no place in a growing business. Keep them out, says Peter Hughes.

Tech is taking over. Are you embracing the changes?

Incredible new technologies emerge almost daily, providing great opportunities for those who have the courage to exploit them. In contrast, those who ignore these advances face great risk, says Peter Hughes.

Great managers can work miracles

The secret to success in any organisation is almost invariably quality management. Finding the right people and developing these skills in yourself and your staff is priority number one, says Peter Hughes.

Great agribusiness intelligence at your fingertips

If you want your agribusiness to thrive and expand, you need to know what the future holds for your industry. BFAP’s agricultural outlook reports give you the knowledge to plan your future, says Peter Hughes.

Dealing with strikes and violence: the toughest job of all

When facing labour unrest, you have to manage the situation carefully. This can be extremely difficult, which is why it’s so important to get professional help to manage the situation, says Peter Hughes.

Beware the Peter Principle

Don’t act without careful consideration when identifying employees for promotion. If you carry out your homework diligently, you should be able to avoid tears and recrimination, says Peter Hughes.

Used properly, ‘idle time’ isn’t wasted time

Creativity has had more impact on the world than any other human trait. We all have it, but some nurture it better than others. Creativity blossoms when we give ourselves ‘idle time’, says Peter Hughes.

You can’t wing it with staff succession and development!

A promotion based solely on ‘gut-feel’ can prove disastrous. I know; I made this mistake years ago. It damaged our organisation, my confidence, and the lives of a man and his family, says Peter Hughes.

Fire: the greatest threat to your farming operation

Firefighting is not complicated, but managing the process, which includes prevention, training, communication, maintaining equipment and more, is another story. It requires minute attention to detail, says Peter Hughes.

Image matters! Now’s the time for farmers to take action

The COVID-19 pandemic has handed farmers a golden opportunity and we dare not let it pass. Let’s work together to boost the public image of farmers and farming, says Peter Hughes.

Hail to SA’s farmers, but what now?

Our farmers have played a major part in carrying us though two pandemic-ravaged years, and they deserve praise. But there’s no room for complacency; now’s the time to brush up on the business.

The crucial characteristic missing in many managers

I thought I’d identified all the major personality traits needed for achieving great managerial success. However, I missed one important quality brought home to me by the COVID-19 pandemic, says Peter Hughes.

The unsung heroes of successful farms

It seems to be a flaw in human nature: everyone is keen to build, but no one wants to maintain. Yet the really important people are those who keep our assets running efficiently, says Peter Hughes.

Celebrate the wonderful people of this country

The unrest and looting that started on 9 July was appalling, but what a privilege it was to witness the fight-back by South Africans of all walks of life, including farmers, says Peter Hughes.

Learning from the orchestra

The conductor of an orchestra manages the musicians, hones their skills, and gets them to work in perfect harmony. There are many management lessons here for farmers, says Peter Hughes.

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