Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
A manager should not hesitate to provide encouragement for more formalized training in
courses, workshops, seminars, educational meetings, and the like. Formal education can
benefi t both the organization and the employee. A good manager maintains a regular sched-
ule of interaction with employees. Application of this technique acquaints the manager
with the problems and personalities of employees. Such contact also enables the manager
to develop an awareness of each employee's strengths and weaknesses. This, in turn,
will help the employee to develop a confi dence in “the boss.” Both the manager and
the employee will be sensitive to issues as they unfold, helping to reduce the chance of
unpleasant surprises.
Shaping the work climate
Creating a work climate for success helps a manager improve employee efforts to the point
where employees approach their potential. Without a healthy work climate, none of the skills
and principles of management can fl ower and bear fruit. Principles used to create the right
work climate include:
1.
Set a good example.
2.
Conscientiously seek participation.
3.
Be goals- and results-centered.
4.
Give credit and blame as needed: credit in public, blame in private.
5.
Be fair, consistent, and honest.
6.
Inspire confi dence and lend encouragement.
Good managers know how to use these principles to create a productive working climate.
One key to a productive work climate is the free fl ow of communication. The agribusiness
manager is responsible for designing and implementing the communications process
within a given area of responsibility. Free fl ow of communication means communications
must fl ow not only downward (from management to subordinates), but also upward (from
subordinates to managers) and laterally (at the same level) to be effective. Too often manag-
ers depend almost exclusively on downward communications and then wonder why goals,
policies, and procedures are misunderstood or not implemented.
Successful communications require feedback. Feedback allows the manager to determine
whether understanding has indeed occurred. It also allows the good ideas and potential
contributions of each employee to be part of the mix of collective wisdom and knowledge
found in the organization. The manager must provide the opportunity for this feedback and
involvement through a carefully designed communications process involving committees,
meetings, memos, emails, text messages, and individual contacts.
Policies, procedures, practices
As managers complete the directing task, they typically develop guidelines or policies for
how tasks should be completed.
Policies
are used to guide the thinking process during plan-
ning and decision-making. A policy sets the boundaries within which an agribusiness
employee can exert individual creativity. Policies make it unnecessary for subordinates to
constantly get approval for plans and decisions with top management. For example, one
farm equipment dealer instituted a policy that the general manager must approve all pur-
chases that totaled $500 or more. The purpose of this policy was to protect the business
