Establishing and maintaining healthy relationships between parents and adult children is challenging at any stage in life, especially during times of change.

For more information see: AGLEGACY.org > Modules

BUILDING TRUST is essential for strengthening family relationships. Trust involves a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. It is “a positive psychological state comprising the intention to accept vulnerability based upon positive expectations of the intentions or behavior of another.”
   Differences in values and beliefs can stress intergenerational relationships. Families with more agreement on money management, child-rearing, choice of friends and partners, religious beliefs, and other values experience less stress in their relationships. Building on common beliefs and interests can help.

Conflict is a fact of family life. In the heat of the moment, it is easy to do or say things that we later regret.

For more information see: AGLEGACY.org > Modules

PEOPLE DISAGREE because they see things differently, want different things, have thinking styles which encourage them to disagree, or are predisposed to disagree. It is rare to hear someone describe conflict in a positive way; for example, saying “Our family just went through a positive conflict to reach a new, improved level of trust with one another.” However, conflicts can be defused and even resolved. De-escalation is an effort to reduce the severity of a conflict.
   Saying “I’m sorry” is just the beginning. The complete process involves the other person offering forgiveness or us extending forgiveness if we are the ones receiving the apology. Forgiveness is the conscious and deliberate decision to release resentment or anger, but does not necessarily mean reconciliation. The person who forgives is not required to return to the same pattern of relationship or accept the same harmful behaviors from another.

Farmers and ranchers looking to one day retire know that estate or succession planning includes consideration of taxes, wills, probate, powers of attorney and so forth.

For more information see: AGLEGACY.org > Modules

MOST AG MANAGERS realize that putting a solid estate plan together likely involves an attorney, an accountant, and perhaps a tax professional. While these details are important in the process of passing on legal ownership of the land and other assets, they do not address the passing on of day-to-day management of the operation. Nor does the approach cover preparing the next generation to take over when the time comes. Many believe that the son, daughter, or other successor who has been working alongside them for years has picked-up all the needed management skills and is ready to make the big decisions alone. Yet, there is often a hesitancy to pass on this right.
   The most intimidating step with any new venture is often the first. While there are many ways one might go about beginning the process of transitioning management skills for the farm or ranch business, starting with three, basic questions can be helpful, these include: “Where are we?”, “Where do we want to go?”, and “How do we get there from here?”

Planning early and identifying who will take over, as well as how the process will unfold is important to the long-term success of the operation.

For more information see: AGLEGACY.org > Modules

IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY, that the management skills and understanding of the business the founding generation has gained up over the years was not gathered-up all at once. Likewise, the best strategy for conveying this information to the incoming generation will be to work on it over a period of time.
   A daughter interested in managing the farm might begin by leasing a field from the farm or from a neighbor. She could be given responsibility for all decisions about inputs, harvest, marketing, etc. A son interested in taking over management of the ranch might begin by purchasing a few of cows and leasing the needed forage from the ranch. These approaches would allow the daughter/son to make important management decisions, learn from their successes as well as from their mistakes, while not threatening the bottom line of the overall operation. This might also represent an opportunity for members of the founding generation to serve as mentors.

One of the most stressful intergenerational ­farming issues is the transfer of the family farm or ranch to the next generation.

For more information see: AGLEGACY.org > Modules

FARM AND RANCH FAMILIES experience stress from a wide variety of factors, including: 1. Operational stressors, 2. Environmental influences, and 3. Family stressors. Most factors are out of the families’ control, potentially adding even more stress. Situations where money is tight represent another case that can lead to stress for both farm families and the agricultural business. One of the most stressful intergenerational farming issues reported is the transfer of the family farm or ranch to the next generation.

Stress factors can and often do affect everyone involved in the family farm or ranch business, even if they are not directly involved in day-to-day operations. HOW DO YOU COPE?

A legacy is something that is passed along years after a person leaves the world as we know it.

For more information see: AGLEGACY.org > Modules

A LEGACY is something that is handed down from one generation to the next. Deciding to leave a legacy can provide a road map for the future; embracing the meaning of a life. A legacy is the summation of a lifetime of achievement and the context in which that lifetime will be remembered. A legacy is not just money but a reputation, what was accomplished, and the difference a person makes in the world as they pass through; their mark on the universe.

A difficult conversation does not define who we are. However, it can rock our identity at times and make us want to lash out in order to regain it.

For more information see: AGLEGACY.org > Modules

A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION is one with another person whom you have a strained relationship or where emotions may be involved that touches on a contentious topic. This often leads to assumptions of “I’m right” and “you’re wrong” where blame is assigned to one or another person, often assuming that we have the best intentions and they do not. There are steps we can take, if we find ourselves in this situation, to pull back and reassess the situation and what we can do to change the difficult conversation into one of understanding and reconciliation.

   Mentoring is a relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person guides a less experienced or less knowledgeable person through an activity or event in their life. This approach is similar to coaching but in coaching the goals and the plan of action are often set by the coach. In a mentoring relationship, the mentee sets the goals and formulates the plan under the guidance of the mentor.
   Learn more about mentor the next generation via the AGLEGACY module: How do you mentor the next generation? The 4-page, HOW*TO guide and online module materials can help individuals and ag families improve their relationships and their chances for leaving their desired legacy.

AG LEGACY Materials can help…
See: AGLEGACY.org

   Overwhelmingly, the biggest source of stress in farm family relationships is the transfer of the farm or ranch to the next generation. This may be due, in part, to the fact that transferring the farm or ranch to the next generation can often amplify other stress factors that family members may be experiencing.
   Learn more about growing relationships with the next generation and communication skills via the AGLEGACY module: Why Grow Relationships with the next Generation? The 4-page, HOW*TO guide and online module materials can help individuals and ag families improve their relationships and their chances for leaving their desired legacy.

AG LEGACY Materials can help…
See: AGLEGACY.org

   Lack of effective communication among family members is the root cause of most family business failures. Effective communication between parents and their adult children is essential for transfer of a legacy from one generation to the next.
   Learn more about good communication skills and how to become better via the AGLEGACY module: Communicating with the Next Generation. The 4-page, HOW*TO guide and online module materials can help individuals and ag families improve communication skills and their chances for leaving their desired legacy.

AG LEGACY Materials can help…
See: AGLEGACY.org