A good future may depend – not on minimising consumer capitalism – but on radically extending its reach and depth. This was an undercurrent at Bayer’s Future of Farming Dialogue held in Cologne in October. (I attended representing Nuffield International*.)
To add texture to business valuations – it’s important to think about customer value. Customer value can be defined as the total lifetime value of a company’s customer base. Companies can increase this value by acquiring more customers, retaining them for longer, making their experience simpler (and often less expensive to deliver) through digital improvements and so on.
To value a business through this lens – here are some metrics to consider:
Leaders with high levels of personal mastery are continually expanding their ability to create the results in life they truly seek. From their quest for continual learning comes the spirit of the learning organisation.
I sense an air of defensiveness in the food animal sector. It seems that many in the sector feel they are under persistent attack as purveyors of all sorts of doom; animal welfare breaches, water pollution, anti-microbial resistance, climate change and so on…
The common denominator among those who leave a lasting legacy is devotion to a cause greater than themselves; doing work they felt called to do. Rich or poor, famous or obscure they all had a mission to fulfill or a problem to be solved. To be legacy minded means that your calling and your job must line up.
Howard Gardner’s 5 Minds for the Future is an inspirational read and a timely reminder of the aptitudes that our fast-paced environment demands we master as we strive to excel. For leaders, I recommend it as a recruitment guide for identifying those key individuals who can both continue to learn and help preserve a zest for learning in your organisation.