Grow Through It: How Personal Growth Drives Farm Performance
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Reference: Impact Farming
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Grow Through It: How Personal Growth Drives Farm Performance
Farming has never been just about the land, the numbers, or the equipment. It is about people.
In this episode, Tracy sits down with Kelly Dobson of LeaderShift to talk about the growing connection between farmer wellbeing, leadership, and personal growth. Kelly shares what he is seeing on the ground with farm families across Canada and why stress, burnout, and mental load are becoming impossible to ignore.
Together, they explore the Grow Thru It initiative, a partnership between Farm Management Canada and LeaderShift, designed to help farmers develop the inner skills needed to navigate pressure, family dynamics, change, and long-term farm success.
This conversation goes beyond surface-level mental health talk and dives into what personal growth actually looks like in real farm life. From mindset traps and burnout to changing deeply rooted family patterns, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical insight for farmers at every stage.
What You Will Hear in This Episode
- What Kelly is seeing right now when it comes to farmer stress, burnout, and mental load
- Why wellbeing is still such a difficult topic for farmers to talk about
- The purpose behind the Grow Thru It initiative and why it was created now
- Why personal growth and farm performance are deeply connected
- What personal development really looks like for farmers without the fluff
- The most common mindset traps farmers get stuck in
- Why changing family patterns on the farm is so hard
- Psychological barriers
- Family dynamics including sibling rivalry and old baggage
- Practical and financial realities
- How burnout impacts decision-making and risk tolerance
- The first small step farmers can take when they feel overwhelmed
- A powerful message for farmers who feel exhausted or stuck
Why This Episode Matters
Farmers are some of the most resilient people in the world, yet they carry enormous pressure quietly. This episode shines a light on the idea that strong farms require strong people, and that investing in personal growth is not a luxury but a leadership responsibility.Whether you are navigating stress, family tension, transition planning, or simply feeling worn down, this conversation will help you feel seen and offer a new way forward.
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🔗Show Resources:
To learn more about LeaderShift and the Grow Thru It initiative - Visit:
LeaderShift: https://leader-shift.ca
Farm Management Canada: https://fmc-gac.com
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Thank You to our Show Sponsor
Here at The Impact Farming Show, our goal is to bring our audience the people and ideas that will IMPACT their farming operation. We couldn't do it without the continued support of our sponsors that are committed to supporting our show and our shared vision of helping farmers succeed.
Please take a moment to check out this week's show sponsor: Farm Credit Canada
Make your mark
You're ready. So are we. Find your place in the industry with loan products, advisory services, and knowledge resources.
Financing and resources for the next generation of Canadian food.
Learn More: fcc.ca/youngfarmer
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About the Guest:
Kelly Dobson
Chief Leadership Officer - LeaderShift Inc.
Kelly Dobson is the chief leadership officer of LeaderShift Inc., powering the National Farm Leadership Program initiated by Farm Management Canada for farmers and farm advisors in January 2020. He has a life long interest in teams and how effective leadership can create results greater than the sum of individual efforts. Striving to create that leadership dynamic is what excites Kelly to do this work.
Kelly is also the current leader of a four-generation farm at Fairfax, Manitoba. His two-plus decades of tenure has given him direct experience with family business dynamics and managing through cyclical markets. Kelly has also chaired agricultural groups provincially and federally.
Connect with Kelly Dobson - LinkedIn / Twitter / Email / Website
Leadership Inc - LinkedIn / Twitter / Website
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🔔Watch & Subscribe:
🎥 Watch this episode on The Impact Farming Show YouTube Channel
🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform.
💬 Join the conversation and share your thoughts on this episode!
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* Disclaimer - As always, this information is not intended to provide business or medical advice. To ensure that your own circumstances have been properly considered and that action is taken based on the latest information available, you should obtain professional advice from qualified business or medical professionals before acting on any of the information in this post.
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The Impact Farming Show
Welcome to Impact Farming, Farm Marketer's video and audio show dedicated to helping Canadian farmers excel in the business of farming. Our goal with this show is to introduce our audience to the people and ideas that are going to make an IMPACT on their farming operation.
Show Host - Tracy Brunet
CEO of Farm Marketer
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Tracy and her husband are cattle ranchers in South East, Manitoba. As host of the show, primary producer and agvocate, Tracy is passionate about helping farmers succeed in the business of farming.
In each episode, Tracy chats with today's most successful farm advisors and industry leaders to bring our audience the best and most important ideas.
Connect with Tracy Brunet - Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Linked in
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