Editor’s note: The CEO Corner contains editors’ compilations of business insights and analysis of current news, which they have tailored for the dairy industry. This column inspires million-dollar dairy operations to think like CEOs in other industries do. In his book Creating Magic, Lee Cockerell presented 10 leadership strategies he identified from his career at Disney. One of those strategies is learn the truth.

Are you ready for some football? As the Super Bowl drew near, football seemed to be on every Minnesotan’s mind. As Minnesota welcomed the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles for the big game, dairy farmers were gearing up for the Super Bowl as well.

I did it. I finished an MBA. And I’ve finally got my nights and weekends back again. I learned a few things from the journey I hope can be of help to each of you.

Recently, I finished my book Burn the Boats – Finding the Treasure in Marriage and Family Life. It was ready for publication when I realized I did not have a chapter on one of the most important aspects of marriage and family life: that horrible monster, finances.

Several months ago Ireland braced for Hurricane Ophelia. It was expected to be the worst storm in 50 years. Several days before it was to land, the government decided to close all schools, and the night before, the university too shut its doors.

This is a reminder to all male farmers: Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Just a tip from your adviser here; this is not the time to buy something for the farm and tell your significant other, “I thought that’s what you wanted.”

Recently, the AG Act – a guest worker visa program that could provide much-needed labor relief for our industry – was added to the Securing America’s Future Act (SAFA). Thanks to the voices of farmers across the nation, Capitol Hill is beginning to understand that the dairy industry needs a viable work force. However, more support is needed to ensure the AG Act remains included in SAFA.

“Trust no one.” “Always trust your instinct.” “Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart.” There are people who have betrayed us who we can’t trust, and there are others whom we would give our PIN number. As we look at our farms, how much trust do you have with your family, business partners, employees and even your advisory team?

In November, America’s trade deficit surged to over $50 billion, ensuring that the 2017 U.S. trade deficit is over $500 billion. In fact, the U.S. has not shown a trade surplus for more than 25 years.

I usually tend to reflect on the various changes we made on the farm at the end of the year; weighing the pros and cons of our adjustments. This year though, I realized the biggest transformation on the farm was me.