b'CHRIS THRASHER All Kinds of SweatDIRECTOR OF NORTH AMERICAN SALES, ABM WE WERE ONthe first floor of a seed conditioning ChrisThrasher@abm1st.comabm1st.com plant, discussing the position of the new treater. The question was whether to install a new fluidized bed dryer to finish freshly treated soybean seed. It seems like everyone is looking for a solution to dry their How Have You Innovated treated seed and get rid of potential chunks. We decided to make our way to the top floor of the plant to see if the equipment might fit in the space up Your Sales Team? there. Once we found our way back down to the quiet and cooler atmosphere of the first floor, I apologized to these folks for making them sweat while looking NOW THAT WEVEtackled whatThis mindset doesnt just helpfor the best solution. Mark leaned into me and said, characteristics to look for in a bio- the team innovate, but it helpsRobin, you know there are all kinds of sweat. logical team, its time to innovate! create loyalty with our customersThere are excellent treated seed drying solutions I mentioned in my previousas we try and find the right solutionthat cause you to sweat less about chunks in that seed article, that one characteristic ato fit their operation.bag you sell.team member needed to have is anThe worst thing our sales teamAfter some slower times, which might cause a busi-understanding of how to overcomecan do is go out a position a bio- ness owner (me) to sweat, people are beginning to obstacles in their pathnamely,logical product that doesnt fit thebuild new facilities and improve their existing facilities. that big word NO.need of the customer. I mentionedThey are adding new cleaners, new optical sorters, Over the last year, COVID hasin our last column that knowinggravity separators, treaters, treated seed dryers, pack-forced many companies inside andwhen to walk away because aaging and palletizing systems. Business is booming. outside of agriculture to innovate,product doesnt fit a customer isThere seems to be a good pipeline, which equals less especially in their sales teams posi- imperative. We dont want to makesweat for me. Commodity prices are up. That means tioning and direction. Inside ABMit seem like biologicals are the silverless sweat for farmer producers. we are getting a lot of obstaclesbullet that can fix an operation butThere is the sweat of hard work, the sweat of sitting thrown at us, just like the growersas an integral piece in a systematicyour fanny on some warm beach sand and the sweat have been this year. But heres whatapproach to a sustainable opera- of borrowing money to finance that expansion. There I think has been important: not let- tionbut that doesnt mean weis the sweat of borrowing again, the sweat of making ting obstacles get in our path.stop innovating how we can getthe right decision, of hiring the right person, the sweat Not only was ABM impacted bythese products into growers hands.of asking out a girl (or boy) and the sweat of making a COVID, but by drought, commodityPart of my job is ensuring thatpresentation. prices, and the global economy asI can give the team the tools to beAs a design-build contractor, I know the goose-a whole. But I saw something newsuccessful, but also to create ourbumps I get from the excitement from my team: an unacceptance.team dynamic to help us workof winning the bid, followed Even in the face of a no, mytogether and be innovative. Toby the cold sweat that team sat down to ask: Did I givecreate that, you need to establishcomes with, OH CRAP, enough information? Did I posi- an environment and culture ofI hope I bid it right. I tion myself right? How will I movecreativity. I ask myself: what moti- do love giving the NO forward from here? Do I need tovates the team? What motivatesSWEAT answer and change my approach to betterone person versus what motivatesknowing that Ive got service a customer I cannot physi- me can be two completely dif- this when I know I bid cally visit? ferent drivers. How am I promot- it right.Thats what really kept theseing innovation within the team? salespeople successful during theseFostering an environment that has times. Instead of accepting that thiseach team member understandROBIN OMARAwas a difficult and unprecedentedtheir value in making contributionsPRESIDENT,year, our sales team said: No, Imto the organization and its future.OMARA AG SERVICESnot going to take no. Ill find a dif- How are you working to inno- romara60@msn.comferent way to help growers suc- vate your team to todays climate? omara-ag.comceed.22/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2021'