324 | Farm Forward: How to Have Hard Conversations with Kristy Pagel
In this episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we are gearing up for the Farm Forward Conference on March 27 with Kristy Pagel of Leading Edge Consulting speaking on navigating difficult conversations. This conversation previews Kristy's guidance for managers who avoid confrontation, emphasizing that hard conversations can strengthen bonds and improve retention. She outlines starting with root-cause identification, fact gathering, and objective measures, and shares an employee analyzer matrix (head/skills, heart/passion, capacity/time) plus an added column on willingness to reinvest with a timeframe, sometimes having employees self-assess. Kristy coaches three mindset skills—confidence, active listening, and forward-looking outcomes—and notes common sticking points are initial courage and follow-up.
Join us for the Farm Forward Conference
Friday, March 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center
7001 Gass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI
Register Here: https://pci.jotform.com/form/260474594709165
00:00 Farm Forward Invite
01:11 Why Hard Talks Matter
02:21 Find the Root Cause
03:19 Employee Analyzer Tool
04:46 Reinvest or Reassign
08:05 Manager Mindset Trio
10:38 Forward Looking Plans
11:58 Where People Get Stuck
13:36 Uplevel Five Q and A
19:09 Wrap Up and Contact
