6 / SEEDWORLD.COM JUNE 2019 in many ways. It may involve send- ing employees to trainings. It can also happen through mentoring and coaching employees in day-to-day inter- actions.” Bring the Vision into Focus Understanding and communicating the company's vision is vital for leaders and managers to be effective. “It's essential that employees under- stand the company's big picture and how their job plays into achieving it,” says Solomon. “This understanding can help increase employee motivation and engagement.” Solomon says many factors contrib- ute to employee discontentment. When employees do not understand the big picture, or how their work is important to Victoria Solomon agrees. As the University of Wisconsin Extension community resource development educa- tor with Green County, she coordinates the Wisconsin Local Government Leadership Academy — designed for individuals who want to increase their impact and lead the way to greater results. The eight-month program focuses on four specific skill sets: relationships as a foundation for leading for results; com- munication tools for effective leadership; leaders as effective decision-makers; and visionary leadership. “The skills important for effective leadership are essential for teams to be effective,” Solomon explains. “For exam- ple, leaders need to have strong com- munication skills in order to have impact. Leadership development can happen IN TODAY’S INCREASINGLY com- petitive workforce, the importance of leadership development and teaching employees the importance of seeing the big picture within the company is more vital than ever. At Rice Tec, Global CEO Mike Gumina leads a team that supports the com- pany culture, sets its strategic direction and develops operating systems so the company can be successful in achiev- ing its business plans. He sees leadership development through two lenses. “The first view is about effectiveness right now,” Gumina says. “To optimize our decisions and to make the best of the dynamic marketplace in which we work, we need to have high-performing teams. “That is: building a common understand- ing of our position, trusting each other as we consider options, handling conflict without creating animosity, building a plan for success and then supporting each other as we implement the plan. This sounds straightforward, but it requires us to keep our egos in check and to open our minds to the possibilities.” The second, he says, is about the future, where it is imperative to develop the next generation of leaders so the enterprise can continue to fulfill its mis- sion and serve customers indefinitely. “One of the challenges in leadership development is helping future leaders know the difference between leadership and management,” he says. “Management is about organization, tracking and adjust- ment. Leadership is about inspiring the heart and unifying a group of people to meet a common goal. It’s also about cre- ating faith in the future and the belief that we have something good to contribute.” Teaching employees about your company’s vision combined with strong leadership training ensures continued success for both the present and the future. Lisa Kopochinski lisakop@sbcglobal.net LOOKING AT THE BIGPICTURE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: VictoriaSolomonworksto developleadersatthelocallevel. DeepashriKhareis headofNorth Americanhuman resourcesat Syngenta Seeds. MikeGuminaservesasCEOofRiceTec.