We have been confronted with a lot of change this past year, and the dairy industry is no different. Getting comfortable with a changing marketplace, changing technology and changing consumer habits can be challenging for anyone, but especially dairy farmers who work closely with family on a daily basis.

It warms my coaching heart to sit in a workshop with a group of smart women in agriculture who truly want better communication on our farms.

Generational conflict isn’t new. Depending on which generation you belong to, you may have rebelled against your parents’ age group by changing your fashion choices, protesting against the Vietnam War, rallying for women’s rights, advocating for gay marriage or protesting school shootings.

Sitting on my stool in front of the third farm audience of the week, I should not have been surprised to receive the same question for the third time by text: “Elaine, how we do we stop the conflict on our farm?”

When there’s conflict at work, the manner in which it is handled and resolved affects both the individuals involved and the organization itself. Whether the tension is between co-workers, managerial staff and laborers, or owners and employees, improperly managed conflict can cause disagreements, disputes and even litigation.

Recently I’ve talked about the tension that comes with great wealth transfer. Here is more information on that subject. Financial planner Anthony Williams describes a study by Investment News suggesting 66 percent of children will ultimately fire their parents’ financial adviser once they receive their inheritance. These children are called fleeing heirs.

A key component to running a family farm is based on the open relationships among the parents and their children. However, when times get tough, some parents may try to shield their children from stressful situations.

I was on a farm in Wisconsin in January; it was a father and daughter team. They were far from a team when I first met them. The daughter had just come home to farm and was working her way into the business, but she and her dad bickered over every decision.

I was sitting in a sea of financial planners, beside the Atlantic Ocean in Halifax Harbor, while Anthony Williams delivered his thoughts regarding the huge amount of wealth transferring going on these days.