Howard Rosenberg University of California, Berkeley Kimberly Naffziger

2. National Extension Risk Management Education Conference March 30, 2009 -- Reno Reducing Human Resource, Legal, and Production Risks: Education to Improve Supervision on the Farm Howard Rosenberg University of California, Berkeley Kimberly Naffziger AgSafe and Zenith Insurance Company

3. A brief introduction to the . . .Ag Supervision Development Program

4. ASDP Presentations

5. Team ASDP • Jess Gomez • Lourdes Gonzalez • Ramiro Lobo • Kimberly Naffziger • Howard Rosenberg • Cosme Sánchez • Guadalupe Sandoval • Michael Saqui

6. Becky Barlow James Bogart Patricia Garcia Sonya Hammond Barbara Henderson Ramiro Lobo Jennifer Kopp Sabrina Mazzella Elvia Martinez Michael Mellano James Meyers Robin Nicola John Roncoroni Priscilla Rodrigues Abel Serrano David Whitmer Thanks to Other Contributors

7. For Our Hour Today • Why? • What? • How? (not much) • So? • Your questions

28. Main Management Functions of 1st-line Supervision • Planning - business purpose, goals, strategy • Organizing - departments, crews, jobs, coordination • Staffing - recruiting, training, putting people in jobs • Leading - directing and influencing day-to-day • Controlling - checking results and correcting

29. Supervisors in the middle

30. Typical First-line Characteristics • Perform some production work • Deal with production workers directly and often • Lead and control through personal communication • Large number of decisions and tasks each day • Shorter time frame to react and adjust • Bridge differences -- org level, language, culture

32. “We really need some supervisory training for the crew leaders.”

33. “We face several risks related to labor in our business. The work of first-line supervisors is critical for our operation and greatly impacts results that go to our bottom line -- production costs, worker safety, exposure to litigation and fines, etc. In addition, most or all of our foremen are drawn from the ranks of production workers, and they begin not fully prepared for the many demands of supervisory work. Programs to effectively address their development as supervisors are not readily available.”

34. I find that the biggest challenge that a new crew leader has is feeling comfortable directing and selecting workers. Most come from the worker ranks and have difficulty in making the transition to being more of a “company guy.” Some still tend to want to wear the worker hat and protect/defend employees . . . especially older or long time workers. At the same time it isn’t healthy for them to take on the ogre mentality and try to “demand” productivity. There is an art that must be learned here . . . one that is not easily taught. Some of the items they need to know are kind of mechanical . . . based on laws and regulations . . . a check off on what they must do and must not do. But personality is what builds the team, and the true leader has that. We need crew leaders that know how to get results from their crews . . . how to communicate openly with management on what is happening in the fields . . . not afraid to have an opinion . . . willing to do the work and not try and make upper management do the work for them . . . know what problems need to be brought forward and which should be dealt with at the crew level (and how to do it). Training of these front-line managers is critical. We’ve been focusing on this for years. - Nursery Owner/Manager, San Diego County

35. Objectives from a Grower's Perspective • make transition to being more of a “company guy” • feel comfortable selecting and directing workers (esp. new crew leaders) • counteract tendencies to protect/defend employees but not as an ogre demanding productivity • learn the art of balancing concerns for production and for people • understand but don't emphasize the "mechanical" do's and don'ts of supervision driven by laws and regulations • develop a leadership personality that builds the team • know how to get results from their crews • communicate openly with management on what is happening in the fields • formulate and express an opinion without fear • make decisions and deal with the heat without relying on upper managers • distinguish problems that need to be brought to management from those that should be dealt with at the crew level "Training of these front-line managers is critical. We’ve focused on it for years."

37. Basic Precepts • First-line supervision drives results • Not a responsibility for supervisors alone • Similarities in supervisory jobs and qualifications • “Classroom” education can help equip for the job • Good communications are key

38. Project Design Considerations • Focus on supervision in ag business context • Attend to supervisors and to their managers & policies • Enhance continuing inter-level communication • Build knowledge, skills, and supervisory self-concept • Relate supervisory session to participants’ own jobs • Use highly interactive methods • Limit size of supervisory sessions • Consult with employers in planning content • Multiple presentations, different places during project year

39. Ag Supervision Development Program • Management Seminar • Supervisory Short Course

41. Session Features • Management seminar • 2-3 hours, afternoon prior to short course • Presented in English by two-three instructors • Connections with short course • Points for follow-up back at work • Supervisory short course • Two days, 6 hours each (8am-3pm) • Co-presented in Spanish by two instructors • 60 participants or fewer • Setting conducive to active learning • $125 per person

43. Management Seminar Content • Program framework and rationale • Supervision and management • Legal and other business risks • Assessing and improving supervision • The short course • Following up back home

44. Good things can happen . . .

45. So can bad . . .

46. And supervisors can shift the odds.

47. Worksheet on Duties/Responsibilities of the Supervisory Job • Staff crews and prepare employees to work • Direct and support field operations of crew • Check, control, & correct work performance • Provide transportation, equipment, and supplies • Record and report on crew activity • Other as needed

48. Risks to Control • Tasks not done • Poor quality work • People injured • High indirect costs • Conflict, litigation • Fines, other penalties

49. Risks to Control • Tasks not done • Poor quality work • People injured • High indirect costs • Conflict,litigation • Fines, other penalties