b'A Generation Turnover is HappeningAre You Investing in Your Young Leaders?By investing in young leaders today, businesses can make the future brighter.Alex MartinWE ALL KNOWthat a generational shift isneeds of their employees, says Brad May.coming. According to the U.S. Census Bureau,Companies really need to understand what by 2030, all baby boomers will be age 65 or oldertheir young leaders need and help them improvewhich accounts for 73 million people in the U.S.on their skills, May, current chair of ASTA and That means, in less than eight years, a new gen- vice president of Global Strategic Marketing Seed eration will be stepping up to the plate.Treatments at BASF, says. We need to teach stra-As a business, theres an important question totegic thinking, how to embrace change and how to ask yourself Are your young leaders ready to lead? become problem solvers.That generational transition weve been talkingThere are plenty of ways to get knowledge to about is actually happening right now, says Jimthese aspiring young leaders, including many free Schweigert, president of Gro Alliance and upcom- or inexpensive solutions such as podcasts andJake Ware serves as ing chair of the American Seed Trade Associationaudiobooks. Sending aspiring leaders to industryhead of ASTAs LEAD (ASTA), noting that from 2007-2019, every ASTAmeetings always helps better their skillseven if itcommittee.chair was born either in the 1950s or 1960s, withseems expensive to do so.two born in the late 1940s. John Latham was bornThe inflationary pressure right now on travel, in the 1970s and was chair from 2020-2021andhotels, airlines, gas has got some people thinking Schweigert himself will be the first elected chairabout budgets and asking the question: What can born in the 1980s.I really invest to send somebody to a meeting? Its at this moment that companies need toSchweigert says. But, the ROI looks good when decide where they go in the future and what theiryour employees improve. path is to long term success for the next genera- Conferences, like the ASTA Leadership Summit, tion, he says. Its certainly not going to be by run- can help develop different skills within aspiring ning the same plays they ran beforethey need aleaders that might go undeveloped in a day-to-day new playbook and new ideas. office setting. But, the key to learning at meetings By investing in young leaders now, you ensure ais being completely engaged.smooth transition between generationsbut theCommit to be engaged fully and immerseBrad May just finished key is starting that investment as soon as possible. yourself into the trainings, May says, noting thatup his year as the ASTA Thats the motivation behind changing the ASTAthis is the best advice he could give to a youngchair. summer meeting to the ASTA Leadership Summit. leader hoping to better their skills.This conference isnt moving away from policyBut, when it comes down to it, investing inits just enhancing leadership, says Jake Ware,young leaders is something that never depreciates.business manager for HM.CLAUSE and chair ofIf you invest in your employee base and they ASTAs LEAD committee. We see leadership as aget better, theyll make the people around them catalyst to all of our goals, and we can help buildbetterand that improves your overall company great leaders within our industry.performance, Schweigert says. It all starts with Not only that, but Ware says building up newinvesting in your talent so they can get better and leaders is imperative for the seed industry to beimprove.SWable to feed the planet.When youre able to build leaders with purpose, ON THE WEBthey can bring success not only to each of the com- WHEREJim Schweigert serves panies, but to the industry as a whole, he says.as current chair of To achieve that, companies need to listen to theWant to watch the full conversation? Visit: youtube.com/watch?v=ZGnvNPDME1Q ASTA.6/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2022'