9. Using the 7 habits for Farm Succession

"All I had to do was ask him."

So said Peter Fallnbigl, Montreal associate consultant of Franklin Covey Canada in regards to asking his father for a candid discussion about their relationship.

After 50 years of being distant with each other, Fallnbigl's father wanted to sell his farm to his son. But the two had barely said two words to each other, so Fallnbigl turned to "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," as prescribed by Dr. Stephen Covey in his best selling book of the same name.

Habit number one is "Be Proactive". That's exactly what Fallnbigl did in reconnecting with his father. And once he had made the first move, he was surprised by the response. "He had much to say to me after I initiated a dialogue."

Reluctant to take on the responsibilities of the farm, Fallnbigl is thinking of owning the business but not managing it. He and his father arrived at that possibility as a result of habit number two: "Begin with the end in mind." The end, in this case, was keeping the farm in the family.

The other 5 habits also had a role to play in the process.

Habit Three...Put first things first: Father and son first began a personal relationship.

Habit Four...Think Win-Win: The father won by selling the farm and the son won by avoiding management responsibilities.

Habit Five...Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood: The son first understood that the father put his life into the farm and it meant a lot to pass it on; then wanted the father to understand his lack of desire to run the farm.

Habit Six...Synergize: Father and son had the same goal - to keep the farm going, then looked for a third option to make that happen.

Habit Seven...Sharpen the Saw: Father and son agreed to build upon their new relationship.

Fallnbigl said sharpening the saw means doing things to stay in shape physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. For him, part of that means making up for all the years he lost in knowing his father.