Will we seize the moment? You can bet on it. Reflections from the Joyce Watson Leadership Orientation Seminar

Written by Ethan Ax, Class of 2027

Bloomberg news recently reported farm bankruptcies increased by 55% in 2024. Given Illinois ranks first in soybean production and second in corn production nationally, influential talent in the Illinois ag industry has an obligation to take a leadership position on the world stage. In this moment, disciplined management, thoughtful collaboration, and a rich appreciation for the fragile nature of global policy is not only urgent, it’s essential. The Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation (IALF) understands we can’t do what we’ve always done and expect different results. Just as farming practices evolve to insulate growers from future risk, so must our development programming.  

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the IALF Joyce Watson Leadership Orientation Seminar at Illinois State University. The event kicked off an 18-month experience thoughtfully designed to expand the perspective of 19 leaders, each contributing something unique to the group: A high school ag teacher, an advocate for community gardens, a sixth-generation producer, and all the usual suspects from seed, finance, and manufacturing.  

To paraphrase former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld: there are known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns. The program will culminate with two weeks in a foreign country (currently unknown) I likely never considered visiting, with people I didn’t know two weeks ago, learning something I probably don’t know I didn’t know. That kind of development requires trust, which is why it was so important for us to use last week’s seminar as an opportunity to do the hard work of team building.  

Participants were strategically placed into groups based on diverse work styles, as determined though the Working Genius assessment. For example, my “Wonder” genius (asking big questions) is balanced by another team member with the “Tenacity” genius (getting things done). I can already see how the layered perspectives will result in better outcomes when we tackle our capstone project later in the program. It’s human nature to spend most of our time with people who think like we do. That might be great for a backyard BBQ, but not for a business. IALF wasted no time pushing us outside our comfort zone.  

Speaking of comfort zones, not many would claim dangling thirty feet in the air as a “safe space.” Walking across the high ropes course at the ISU Campus Recreation Center, I found myself truly at the mercy of my fellow classmates. We barely knew each other’s names, but there we were, relying on each other to reach our destination.  

As a group we set our own program goals and expectations for the year ahead, but it was President Emeritus Joyce Watson’s opening remarks that stuck with me most. I’m a learning and development manager by trade, so I’m no stranger to leadership competencies, but her expectations for leaders cut sharp and to the point: 

• Nerve – the courage to make fast, high-stakes decisions 

• Elasticity – the ability to change 

• Wonderment – current on world events and how they relate to agriculture 

• Soundness – self-aware and focused to handle pace and pressure 

  
  

If you want a lesson in nerve, talk to someone in the dairy business. IALF alums Becky and Ken Ropp invited our group to tour Ropp Jersey Cheese. In a few hours we got a crash course in chemistry, biology, marketing, international trade, and the joys of running a small business. Delivering a line I’ve thought about every day since, Ken remarked how exhausting it is, “to milk cows seven days a week and make cheese eight days a week.” Move aside New York, this is the dairy that never sleeps.    

Becky Ropp IALP '08 with Iuliia Tetteh, member of Class of 2027.

The seminar concluded with the Torch of Leadership Award Ceremony. Up until now I thought I understood the significance of IALF. It turns out, I didn’t have a clue. Aside from the obvious bond between past participants, the evening’s award winners inspired the class of 2027 with stories of commitment, community, and reverence for the important role we all play in preserving a sustainable future for agriculture.  

2025 Torch of Leadership emcee Rob Sharkey, Class of 2016.

IALF President and CEO Amanda Martin and her team have done their part. I look forward to curriculum that includes everything from AI to economics. Now, the class of 2027 must ask, how do we want the world to experience us as leaders? Will we seize the moment? If last week is any indication, you can bet on it.