Monday reflection: Listening before leading

Leadership is often associated with having answers, but effective leadership begins with asking questions. Before making decisions, giving feedback, or setting direction, great leaders take the time to listen. They seek to understand different perspectives, explore concerns, and learn from the experiences of others. Listening is not passive; it is an active demonstration of respect. When people feel heard, they are more likely to engage, contribute ideas, and support decisions. Leaders who listen create environments where trust grows and innovation thrives. The challenge is that listening requires patience. It means resisting the urge to jump to conclusions or solve problems too quickly. Sometimes the most valuable leadership action is simply creating space for others to speak.

Leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It is about ensuring every voice has the opportunity to be heard.

Comments

Investigating robot acceptance in UK agriculture - paper published

Great to see our co-authored paper "Investigating robot acceptance in UK agriculture" published in the Journal of Rural Studies. Key highlights: 1) Robot acceptance varies significantly by farming sector and job role. 2) Workers prefer robots assisting with tasks but reject robots making operational decisions. 3) Older individuals showed higher robot acceptance, reversing trends in other sectors. 4) Building familiarity is key to driving the adoption of agricultural robots. Do check it out

Vice-chair of the East Malling Trust

Really pleased to have been elected as joint Vice-Chair of the East Malling Trust and looking forward to getting involved in the trust's activities.

Monday reflection: Fixing or Empowering

At first glance, being a brilliant problem fixer sounds like a great strength, and don’t get me wrong, it absolutely can be. Through a positive lens, problem fixers step in quickly, take responsibility, assume control, and identify what needs to be done. They offer direction, provide clarity, and often drive things forward to deliver real, tangible solutions. But here’s the deeper question: does constantly fixing problems, taking control, taking over, truly empower others? When we step in too quickly, we may solve the immediate issue, but we can unintentionally remove the opportunity for others to think critically, stretch themselves, and build confidence. Growth rarely comes from being rescued. It comes from wrestling with challenges, making decisions, learning from mistakes, and discovering capability. Empowerment isn’t about directing every move or always carrying the weight for someone else. It’s about creating space. Space for reflection. Space for ownershi...

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