Building Belonging in Agriculture with Kirk Maag

Building Belonging in Agriculture with Kirk Maag

From Cultivating Leaders by Agriculture Future of America

November 12, 2025 · 47 min

About this episode

Kirk Maag discusses the importance of authenticity and belonging in leadership within the agricultural sector.

Belonging is the foundation of great leadership. But what does it really look like to lead and work in a place where you can show up as 100% yourself? In this episode of The Cultivating Leaders Podcast, Kirk Maag, environmental & natural resources attorney at Stoel Rives LLP, explores authenticity, inclusion and the power of leading with belonging. From growing up on a farm in eastern Oregon to helping guide national conversations on belonging through the Cultivating Change Foundation, Kirk shares what happens when workplaces truly make room for people to bring their full selves. Kirk gets real about: * Leading authentically: Why bringing your whole self to work makes you a better leader and teammate. * Creating cultures of belonging: Practical ways organizations can support authenticity and inclusion at every level. * Building the future of agriculture: How openness and acceptance help attract and retain the next generation of ag leaders. This episode challenges you to rethink what it means to belong and why authenticity might be your greatest leadership advantage. Want to hear more from Kirk? Check out his blog here [https://www.agfuture.org/news/being-yourself]! Connect with…

People in this episode

Host: Agriculture Future of America

Guest: Kirk Maag

Topics covered

  • leadership
  • belonging
  • authenticity
  • inclusion
  • agriculture
  • workplace culture

Keywords

  • leadership
  • belonging
  • authenticity
  • inclusion
  • agriculture
  • workplace culture
  • Kirk Maag

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stoel Rives LLP, Cultivating Change Foundation

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