GenAngus: Where Culture Communication & Collaboration Thrive

When applying for the 2024 GenAngus Future Leaders Program, Sophie Hanna from Walwa Victoria, was looking for an opportunity to expand her skills across the board, as well as gain networking opportunities.
“GenAngus stood out to me as an invaluable opportunity to expand my leadership and agricultural business management skills, as well as form lifelong connections and friendships with like-minded beef cattle professionals from Australia and New Zealand,” she said.
“Being early in my career and aspiring to contribute to advancements at the broader industry level, GenAngus sounded like a perfect stepping stone for achieving this.”
The GenAngus Future Leaders Program (GenAngus) was established in 2019 and serves as a flagship opportunity in the Angus Youth program of scholarships, awards and bursaries. Since its inception, more than 60 young members of the beef industry have completed the program, which aims to equip participants with the business skills and knowledge to kickstart their own beef cattle enterprise or elevate their existing ventures.
“GenAngus is a unique opportunity that transforms the way you approach your day-to-day interactions and activities, professionally and personally,” Sophie said.
“The experiences and learnings from the week, and most importantly the close network you form with your cohort, provides a platform for taking your businesses and careers in the beef industry from strength to strength. If you’re considering applying, don’t hesitate!”
Looking back on her time taking part in GenAngus, Sophie has identified some key take-homes that have assisted her in her professional and personal development.
“The GenAngus Future Leaders Program was incredibly beneficial to both my professional and personal development,” said Sophie. “The learnings, changes in mindset and perspective, and the network I have formed through GenAngus, make it the most beneficial program in which I have participated to date. Every presentation at GenAngus was rich with valuable insights and content.
“My key take-homes from the program were tools and understandings around mindset, leadership, team culture, and optimising herd genetics.
“The sessions that delved into unpacking the way we think, lead and work with others enabled us to reflect on our strengths and areas for growth, individually and within our teams. These insights are continuing to shape the way I process experiences, ask questions, share ideas, and work with family and teammates, on and off the farm.”
She continued, “Having strengthened my herd genetics knowledge, I’ve enjoyed initiating more detailed conversations with my parents around our target markets and breeding objectives, to determine where we are aiming to progress going forward.
“Appreciating the cascading benefits and forward-thinking conversations that have stemmed from GenAngus in the last six-months, I’m excited to continue asking questions to learn and to contribute to the advancement of our business and the broader industry.”
In the months since the event, Sophie has highlighted how the experience has impacted her network, and how it was enriched by her fellow alumni.
“One of my many appreciations and one of the greatest benefits from GenAngus, is that the jam-packed week of experiences, content and creating connections, marks the beginning of the learning journey.
“Since the program, our cohort keeps regular contact through monthly online meetings, phone calls and messages, where we continue to learn from each other as we share our experiences, ideas, changes in perspectives or direction, and generally how we’re going.
“It has been very interesting and informative hearing how the seasons have been affecting everyone’s operations differently, across the wide range places we’re all based, and how everyone has been managing successes and challenges, utilising the insights from GenAngus. I’m looking forward to continuing to strengthen the connections we have formed, throughout our careers and lives.”
Looking toward her own future and what she hopes to achieve, Sophie wants to make her mark within the agricultural industry.
“I aspire to contributing to the management of our family business, simultaneous to contributing to the advancement of the Australian beef industry through my professional career,” she said.
“I aim to be a well-rounded professional who is contributing to industry-wide progress in beef cattle productivity, efficiency and sustainability, while also implementing leading practices and innovations on our family farm. Continuing to expand my technical expertise, high-level industry knowledge and leadership capabilities, will continue to be a priority.”
– By Cheyne Twist