Holistic Management offers
positive change to one family's businesses
In
tough times like these when the drought has invaded our businesses and
our lives, it is more important than ever to make decisions that are
sound in all dimensions; economically, environmentally and socially.
Holistic Management provides the framework to make these decisions.
In 2006, Trent and Carol
Vincent and their son Bryan,
daughter Tanya
and son-in-law, Wade, all attended a Holistic Management course run by
Brian Marshall, and Brian Wehlburg and Helen Lewis of Inside Outside
Management.
Trent comments, “The
training is unique in that all family members are encouraged to complete
the training. This allows a greater understanding of one another and the
direction that everyone wants the business to take.” All fired up, they
immediately started implementing changes on their property, Hidden
Springs; in addition Carol and Tanya organised training for all the
staff at their Roma shop, Mind Body Soul, a natural health, beauty and
wellness centre in Roma. “Holistic Management practices allow staff
members to contribute and to have ownership in the business. It allows
us all to identify the direction we are heading towards as a business
which the staff, as well as the owners, are passionate about.”
The Vincents utilised
the Holistic Grazing Planning process last year and did not have to
drought feed their stock.
“We made the decision to
implement a few low cost changes to the property’s internal fence system
to utilise available feed and allow plants time to recover. Even on
minimal rainfall there has been a considerable change in plant structure
and quality. There are now plants growing on areas that were previously
bare,” explains Trent. “Holistic Management ensures you make decisions
that are environmentally sustainable; i.e. maintaining ground cover,
retaining and promoting green plants." Trent uses Holistic Management
principles
to combat pest problems.
“I now look at what
environment a pest lives in and I create an environment that does not
suit it.”
Carol’s natural health
business is not land based but she feels that the training has shown her
how the environment is integral even at a business level in a
non-agricultural field, and how all decisions we make now affect the
environment now and in the future. “It is excellent to see business
training that incorporates environmental factors,” she says.
The Holistic Management
financial planning module emphasises focusing on wealth generating
expenditure, providing a framework for identifying the expenditure that
results in the greatest return for the least amount of output.
Both Trent and Carol like
the decision making process offered by Holistic Management as it reduces
the conflict that can arise when making business decisions. “I like
Holistic Management as it makes you focus on the grass-root when making
decisions and provides an easy commonsense tool. It has brought our
family closer together and helped us focus on common goals. It also
makes you realise that what is important to one family member is not of
concern to another, and allows for the differences to be taken into
account,” Trent says.
“The training has given us a clear direction
on where we are heading,” adds Carol.
