In part 2 of our conversation with goBeyondProfit Champion Alex Willson, CEO of Sunnyland Farms, we discussed expanded definitions of flexibility – both in leadership and in manufacturing – and how flexibility in mindset and practice positioned Sunnyland Farms for greater success.
An Expanded Definition of Flexibility
Flexibility in Leadership
I’m pretty flexible in my personal life, but when I come to work, I tend to have a very structured way I like to do things. For better or worse, between Hurricane Michael, then COVID, then a kitchen fire I’ve found that flexibility as a leader is critical. Things simply don’t always go as planned. You must pivot to plan B, or frankly often it’s plan C, or D, and be able to do that while also maintaining a calm demeanor.
People who report to you feed off of you. And one thing we talk about in our manager meetings constantly is that it’s okay to freak out when things are going bad. We’ve got a 1,700-acre pecan grove that, if you need to go freak out, take a little walk, freak out, then come back in, and it’s time to lead. When we’re inside the gate, people are feeding off your energy, and so you’ve got to go ahead, levelheaded, make a tough call, and don’t get bogged down with overanalyzing.
For better or worse, some of these crises have shaped my leadership style, but I think it’s helped me become more flexible and able to react quicker and better when certain situations present themselves.
Implementing the Request for Flexibility in Manufacturing
Workplace flexibility has been different for us because we have so many unique environments. We have an office where it is easier to be flexible, you have a laptop, you have internet and can work from anywhere.
But a large portion of what we do is manufacturing and if you need ten people to run a production line, you need all ten people to run a production line. If two of them have a kids’ play at 9:00 and one of them has kids play at 10:00, that…
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