A Culture of Caring with Scott Black

The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast

Scott Black is a well-established and transformative CEO with a track record for developing teams and revamping culture to ensure continued organizational growth. Since joining Five Star Cooperative, Scott has been focused on instilling a culture of caring, which is retooling the cooperative’s DNA and setting its course to prosperity. By leveraging his expertise and extensive background in agriculture, energy, and retail, Scott orchestrates strategic initiatives that yield substantial business growth. As a servant leader, adept in all means of successful business execution, Scott redefines industry leadership standards. Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude in Agriculture from the University of Delaware, Scott continues to lead the charge in fostering a dynamic and progressive business landscape. As a change agent, Scott Black embodies innovation, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

In this engaging conversation, Mark Jewell hosts Scott Black, the CEO of Five Star Co-op, to discuss the dynamics of intentional leadership within the agriculture business. The discussion swiftly evolves into a deep exploration of creating purposeful culture in an organization and the importance of servant leadership.

From the onset, Scott emphasizes the importance of having a purpose and aligning business visions with individual missions. He shares insights on how Five Star Co-op transitioned from traditional vision and mission statements to a purpose statement that resonated more with their people. The episode swiftly pivots to a more profound discussion on how personal purpose blends with professional objectives. Scott's dedication to servant leadership shines through as he sheds light on fostering an environment that promotes mental health and safety in the workplace.

Building on this foundation, the conversation expands to encapsulate the elements of an intentional workplace culture. Scott provides a 'masterclass' on establishing a culture of caring, highlighting key strategies such as relentless communication, transparency, and empowering team members through a wellbeing committee. These insights are underscored by his belief in the need for vulnerability and self-care as pivotal components of effective leadership.

Key Takeaways:

• Leadership is an intentional act of aligning one's purpose with their professional and personal life.
• Transitioning to a purpose-driven culture can be more impactful than traditional vision and mission statements.
• Establishing a culture of caring within an organization begins with employee happiness, which leads to customer satisfaction.
• Team member wellbeing committees can be effective in promoting emotional and physical health, leading to tangible policy improvements.
• Vulnerability and humility are crucial traits for leaders, as they build trust and exemplify servant leadership.

Notable Quotes:

• "Creating a purpose of why we're here is important. And even in business, I mean, we look at Five Star. When I came in two years ago, we had our vision mission statements... So we said, you know what? We're going to create a purpose, a purpose for Five Star, why we're here, why we exist." - Scott Black
• "A clear pathway to customer happiness is through team member happiness. You create a happy team, and when you have both, you have team member happiness, which creates customer happiness. Great things happen, including financial profits." - Scott Black
• "Building trust, being real, really resonates with people. And if you create that environment, you have a winning combination." - Scott Black
• "You give credit to others when things are going well, and you take responsibility when things are not." - Scott Black
• "No matter where you are in your career spectrum, learning and taking the time to learn is critical." - Scott Black

Resources:

• The mentioned book by Simon Sinek: "Leaders Eat Last"
• Suggestion to engage with sports-related leadership books for a less conventional take on leadership development, citing coaches like Lou Holtz and Rick Pitino.

Dive into the full episode to grasp the comprehensive narrative of cultivating an intentional workplace culture that resonates through every level of an organization, as described by Scott Black. Stay tuned for more insightful discussions on the "Intentional Agribusiness Leader" podcast.