Nourishing People- State Officer Professional Development

A packet of Cherry Kool-Aid. A 'heart healthy' box of Cheerios. A steaming hot bowl of Kraft Easy Mac. A refreshing 12.oz can of Sprite. A 1lb bag of Robin Hood flour. A McDonald's Egg McMuffin. One pan of warm Betty Crocker Brownies. 3ft of delicious Strawberry Fruit-by-the Foot.

Any idea as to what these all have in common?

Yes, they are all edible food. And, yes reading all of those just made my stomach grumble, but more than that, they are all products that contain ingredients developed by the same company. This company, being one of the largest private, family owned agricultural companies in the world. Founded in 1865, and currently employing 159,000 in over 68 countries worldwide in effort to create better food, this company most certainly defines it's mission in "Nourishing People."

Any guess what company this is?

With the organization of Mr. Paul Hanson, former Iowa State Officer, our state officer team had a nice day to experience the leadership behind Cargill. Additionally, we got to discover more about the history of this family owned company, including a tour of the lake-side mansion! PS they have a 1 acre pool. YES 1 ACRE. Thank you to Joyce, she gave us a nice and informative tour.

My highlight from the day was the AMAZING pasta bar they had for lunch.

(Seriously, you could pick out the pasta, sauce, vegetables and bread and they would cook it right in front of you. CUSTOM order!)

Just kidding. The pasta was good, but not as good as the leadership and strenghts development training we had with Paul. He really knows his stuff. I know my strenghts:

1. Individualization
2. Learner
3. Strategic
4. Ideation
5. Achiever

...but I had never thought of them in the way Paul was able to identify. It was something you had to be there for, but since the 6 of us were the only ones to go, here are the 3 things I am taking away for each of you to know.

• This past semester, I had all A's EXCEPT for a C in College Algebra. According to statistics from a Gallup poll, people believe that I should spend more time focusing on making the C an A. Which relates to common myth: "You will grow the most in your areas of greatest weakness." However, Paul helped us understand that instead, we will grow most in our areas of greatest strength. FOCUS on your strenghts, and use them. We each have our own individuals strenghts and weaknesses, USE YOUR STRENGTHS to help others.
• A strength is something that leaves you feeling strong. I'm not saying drinking Whey protein and hitting the gym, type of strength. I mean an activity that you can perform or do near perfection every time. For example, if you can sit down and sight read sheet music consistently, that is a strength. If you enjoy learning about science, people and love to ask questions, that is a strength. Most of all, after reading music, or learning about a subject or solving a group problem- if you get a rush, and almost feel like you could do it again- it isn't just a niche, its a strength of yours. USE IT for the better of yourself and others.
• Paul gave each of us a challenge at the end of the day. My challenge was to "UNLOCK OTHERS POTENTIAL." How do I know this is right for me? Well, I feel strong when I can sit down with a group of people, and learn something about someone else. I get a rush when I can get someone to share a piece of their mind, get them to volunteer or step out of their comfort zone. I feel strong when I see that someone has realized their potential. What is it what makes you feel strong, and how will you challenge yourself to use it each day?

It was truly an awesome day. Thank you Paul and Joyce.

The people at Cargill believe, "We help customers succeed through collaboration and innovation, and are committed to sharing our global knowledge and experience to help meet economic, environmental and social challenges."