Bayer’s Lisa Safarian Talks Farming Trends, Leadership

Q&A with Lisa Safarian, Bayer Crop Science Commercial Operations, North America

Company: Bayer Crop Science (BCS) and its parent company, Bayer AG, are headquartered in Germany. BCS’s global Seeds and Traits division is headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. Bayer AG consists of more than 100,000 employees worldwide. 

Education: Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville

One book managers must read: "Digital Vortex," by Jeff Loucks and others. It explores how industries are adapting to the digital world. Agriculture is in a tremendous time of change and opportunity. How we adapt and seize the opportunities that digitalization brings will be important. 
 
Favorite leadership quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou. I approach leadership with a people-first mentality and this quote grounds me in that philosophy.

Describe your career path.  

I didn’t grow up on a farm. I actually started in the information technology space at Monsanto, but it just wasn't a fit for me, as I needed more interaction with people. I wanted to understand our products and our customers, so I switched over to various operational, marketing and sales management roles. Once I got into the marketing area, I really got a chance to spend time with farmers, ag retailers, our sales team and agronomists. From that point on, the rest of my career has been in general management at Monsanto and now Bayer, working my way up through the organization.

What are your key responsibilities at Bayer? 

I have responsibility for crop science in Canada and the U.S. — all the way from the production of the seed and material, through delivery, customer service, sales and marketing. My people are the ones who work with our farmer-customers to help them solve the problems they're seeing on their farm. At the end of the day, you can say my job is to hear what our farmers need, and then to work within Bayer to provide those solutions for them.

What are some of the most exciting changes ahead in modern farming?

One of our exciting projects is in carbon. When you talk about carbon emissions and carbon sequestration, a lot of what farmers are doing naturally with no-till and cover crops is already doing that, but the problem is they're not getting to engage in the actual market that will provide a profit for these actions. We’re conducting a pilot to see how farmers can be in the marketplace and reap the benefits. We know we have a lot of companies, including ours, who have made commitments to be carbon neutral over some period of time. It's going to be a great opportunity for farmers. There's a lot to figure out, and that's OK. We're jumping in and really working to get a place for farmers in that market.

How can the agricultural industry do a better job in terms of diversity and inclusion? 

The first piece is understanding what diversity and inclusion really means. It goes all the way from the obvious — gender and people of color — but it is also about what different elements you bring to the table. We've got to challenge a lot of our assumptions. For example, I didn't grow up on a farm, and I was never a sales rep. I’ve received a lot of opportunities within Monsanto and now Bayer to be a leader. Yet, if somebody hadn't had the open mind to say somebody who doesn't have farm or sales experience can do this job, I wouldn't be here. Challenge yourself about what we think people have to know and what experiences they have to have to be a solid contributor. I would argue a lot of our assumptions are just wrong. 

I have a rule of thumb on my team that if everybody thinks the way I am thinking, we're a terrible team. We've got one great idea; we all pat ourselves on the back because we are so smart. That's not a way to run a business. You need to have people on your team who bring a different point of view. This type of diversity and inclusion will advance your business in a way that you can't anticipate. 

What is your decision-making process?

The products we bring forward can take eight to 10 years before we get them into the hands of the customer. So, we have to think about the future, not just the now. You have to really consider the long term. The second thing is you can't get paralyzed by analytics because you can always find more information or data. You have to be able to react quickly, be bold, make the choice and own it. What's the worst thing that can happen? Can I live with the worst thing that can happen? Usually you can, so make the decision. 

What are your keys to motivating employees?

First, you must trust your team. Second, you have to empower them. I feel like empowerment is a big motivator. You give them the tools they need and you're clear on the why of what needs to be done. Then they figure out the how. One of the things you learn as you mature in management is if you pick the right people who don't all think like you, the how is never going to be exactly the way you would have done it. That is OK. Your job is to set that vision, the direction, the why and ensure everybody's on board. 

What are some of the best business practices you’ve learned during your career? 

I have this trick I do where I sit down at the beginning of the year and make a list of everything I should be doing, and I assign a percentage of time to each of those buckets. Then I go back and look at my calendar from the last quarter and say: How did I really spend my time? Often, you find your calendar is running you, you're not running your calendar. You see where you are out of whack and plan how you can make different decisions. You can find yourself being incredibly busy, but you're really not moving the business forward. That little trick really does help keep you steady and it helps keep your priorities in front of you.

Who is a business leader that you admire?

I've had the opportunity to meet Anne Mulcahy several times. She is the former chairman and CEO of Xerox. What really impressed me was she started as a sales rep in Xerox and worked her way up in 25 years. By the time she became CEO, Xerox was near bankruptcy. She essentially turned the business around. She started by talking to the people and asking them what was wrong — they had the answer. The other thing that's impressive to me is she also likes to have fun. Her mantra is: Don't confuse your life with work. While I love my work, it’s not my life. You’ve got to have some fun, and you can't take everything so seriously all the time. 

In its series “View From the Top,” Top Producer explores business ideas from company leaders both within the ag industry and outside of agriculture. Have an idea for someone to spotlight? Email Sara Schafer at sschafer@farmjournal.com.