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Leadership isn’t just about making decisions, it’s about carrying the weight of those decisions long after they’re made. Some choices feel instinctual, almost effortless. Others? Others sit heavy on your chest, keeping you up at night, forcing you to consider not just what’s best for the bottom line, but what’s best for the people who count on you.

I’ve felt that weight.

The Decision That Defined My Leadership

When I stepped into the role of President and CEO of Alabama Farm Credit in 2018, I wasn’t just inheriting a title, I was inheriting a legacy. For over four decades, Ben Gore had shaped this organization. His leadership impacted thousands of farmers and families across Alabama, building trust and financial security for the people who feed our communities. And suddenly, it was my job to carry that responsibility forward. I remember the moment I sat in my office, staring at the walls lined with decades of history, knowing that the decisions I made from that point on would shape not just the future of this institution, but the lives of the people we serve. Would I honor what had been built and maintain stability? Or would I take risks and push us toward something new?

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Leadership Isn’t About You, It’s About Them

The hardest part of leadership isn’t making decisions, it’s making decisions that impact real people. Families. Small business owners. Employees who have given years of their lives to an organization, trusting in its direction. In agriculture, the weight of responsibility is even greater. We aren’t just dealing with financial forecasts and quarterly earnings. We’re dealing with livelihoods, with men and women who wake up before the sun, who pour their hearts into the soil, who work through droughts, floods, and economic downturns. I knew that every choice I made would affect generations of farming families. That’s a weight you don’t take lightly.

"When I stepped into the role of President and CEO of Alabama Farm Credit in 2018, I wasn’t just inheriting a title, I was inheriting a legacy. " - Mel Koller

What I’ve Learned About Hard Decisions

In that defining moment of leadership, I made a choice: I wouldn’t just protect what had been built, I would find ways to make it stronger. And in doing so, I learned a few key lessons that have shaped the way I lead:

Listen First, Lead Second

The best leaders don’t walk into a room assuming they have the answers. When I took over, I spent months listening; to our employees, our board, our customers. I didn’t want to change things for the sake of change. I wanted to understand what mattered most to the people we serve.

Honor the Past, But Build for the Future

It’s easy to cling to tradition, but great organizations grow when they embrace both history and innovation. That meant taking the trust Alabama Farm Credit had built over decades and expanding our capabilities, finding new ways to support the next generation of farmers and agribusinesses.

Tough Choices Are Made Easier When You Focus on People

Whether it’s hiring, firing, investing, or pivoting, leadership is about making the right decision, not the easy one. But when you put people first, your team, your customers, your community… those decisions become clearer.

You Will Second-Guess Yourself, And That’s Okay

The toughest decisions I’ve made have come with sleepless nights and a nagging voice wondering if I did the right thing. But strong leadership isn’t about certainty, it’s about having the courage to act in the face of uncertainty.

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What’s the Toughest Decision You’ve Ever Made?

I know I’m not alone in this. Every leader, every entrepreneur, every person in a position of responsibility has had that moment… the one where the weight of the decision felt almost unbearable. So I ask you: What’s the toughest business or career decision you’ve ever had to make? How did you navigate it? Drop a comment below. I’d love to hear your story. Because leadership is about learning from each other, and the lessons we share today might help someone facing their defining moment tomorrow.

#Leadership #DecisionMaking #AgBusiness #CareerGrowth

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"It’s easy to cling to tradition, but great organizations grow when they embrace both history and innovation." - Mel Koller

- Mel