DAIRY NEWS – Dairy farming involves more than managing animals, feed and finances. It also hinges on building effective teams and a strong organizational culture. The two-day Dairy Managers Institute®, presented by Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP), gives dairy producers and other professionals the skills, strategies and confidence to manage, coach and lead their teams.
The program features three successive tiers with simultaneous Spanish translation for all sessions, making it the perfect fit for managers of all levels.
“When it comes to our personal roles on the farm, we know what we’re doing. The thing that’s going to set you apart from others is being able to effectively communicate with those around you,” said Ryan Schultz from Pagel’s Ponderosa, Kewaunee, Wis. “Growing is challenging. This program pushes you out of your comfort zone so you can learn what you came to learn.”
The two-day workshop will be held Dec. 10-11, 2024, at PDP Headquarters in Juneau, Wis. The program will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Tues., Dec. 10, and conclude at 4:00 p.m. on Wed., Dec. 11.
Participants will select one of the three workshop tiers to complete.
Tier One, “Lead and manage with insight,” will be facilitated by Dr. Becky Stewart-Gross, PhD, president and founder of Building Bridges Seminars. In addition to learning how to apply the five practices of effective leadership to one’s role on the farm, the session will teach how to:
- Distinguish between the four categories of leaders
- Identify one’s leading and managing strengths and weaknesses
- Recognize the differences between the skills of a manager and those of a leader, and when to use each
- Implement change more effectively
- Understand how changes affect each team member – including oneself – and better assist others through change
Tier Two, “Master the Art of Coaching,” by Michael Hoffman, founder and owner of Igniting Performance, Inc., will arm participants with the tools to:
- Create strategic approaches for management-coaching conversations to address the end of a project, upcoming change, setting expectations and more
- Identify personal and practical needs within a coaching interaction
- Effectively coach others with attention to self-esteem, listening skills, empathizing and recognizing the importance of involvement
- Generate buy-in and build commitment to an action plan
- Understand and deliver meaningful feedback
- Recognize one’s role in influencing those he/she manages
Tier Three, “Nail the Financials and Negotiations,” presented by Dr. Kevin Bernhardt, PhD, University of Wisconsin-Platteville agribusiness professor and UW-Extension farm and management specialist and Linda Swindling, author and founder of Journey On! will instruct participants in how to:
- Learn their dairy’s break-even mark and understand how to calculate a cost benefit
- Master the principal elements of debt and how it works
- Explore different negotiation styles and how to leverage them in discussions
- Recognize when to walk away and when to compromise
- Understand the value of renegotiating
- Identify perspectives from both sides of a discussion
- Learn the varying options and strategies to employ in negotiations
Registration is now open; dairy professionals are encouraged to register themselves and their team members today. Registration fee includes materials and meals during sessions. For more details and lodging information visit www.pdpw.org or contact PDP at 800-947-7379. Each tier of Dairy Managers Institute is accredited for up to 14 Dairy AdvanCE continuing education credits.
Follow along digitally in advance of and during the event by following PDP on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) is the nation’s largest dairy producer-led organization of its kind, focusing on producer professionalism, stakeholder engagement and unified outreach to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed.”
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