Transcript Problem Solving Approach to Managing Change

“Change Happens: Make
It An Opportunity”
Margaret Viebrock – Washington State University
Our Mission
We strive to empower
women in agriculture to
achieve goals and manage
risk through education,
networking and technology.
Problem Solving Approach
to Managing Change
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TOPICS
Business decision
making models
Using financial
records to improve
the bottom line
Problem solving
methods
Managing risk
“Take Away” Message
 Understand why it’s important to go
through a process to determine if I can
make a change in the way I do business.
What did we know?
Women said: They sometimes made
decisions based on intuition, not facts.
“Take Away” Message
 This tool will help analyze most any
situation.
What did we know?
Women said: I don’t always know if I’m
making any money or not … sometimes I’m
farming because I love what I do and I
know how to do it well!
“Take Away” Message
 Farmers can use the SWOT analysis
for other situations.
What did we know?
Women said: I need to know if I’m
prepared financially for poor weather,
lower prices or a crop disaster and at the
same time can I afford a new capital
purchase.
“Take Away” Message
 The concepts in the scenario can be
changed to fit a personal situation.
What did we know?
Women said: It’s not always about what I
grow; I need a tool to help with personnel,
quality of life and family situations.
WHY SWOT?
How Did We
Teach SWOT?
 Farm Credit developed the scenario
 Facilitators trained for each site
 29 locations – webinar for presentation
 Small group work sessions with worksheets
 Discussed answers and outcomes
What Happened?
What 311 women plan to do:
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257 update business goals
243 use their farm vision to
guide decision making
226 use tools to analyze
business for profit/loss
194 establish working capital to
grow/sustain business
194 make changes to be better
prepared for potential risk
192 check credit report
180 use SWOT
Results to date: 80 farmers
8 - month follow-up
27% used SWOT
36% analyzed business for
profit/loss
29% now use balance sheet
32% checked credit report
31% checked out government
programs and
insurance
36% are better prepared to
handle opportunities
or setbacks
Women Working on the
Farms During WW II
This material is based upon work
supported by USDA/NIFA under
Award Number 2012-4920020030.