UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Learning to manage people is a process that takes time and practice, but it's best to spend that time practicing techniques that are proven and will work when mastered. The trial-and-error approach to human resource management leads to years of disappointment, family strife and high employee turnover rates. Dairy business managers who first learn the principles of effective human resource management take a giant leap toward business success.

Brian Craig, dairy manager at Murmac Farms in Centre County took his giant leap forward by attending Penn State Dairy Alliance�s course "Management Essentials for Dairy Success" (MEDS). It was in this course that Craig says he found himself as a manager.

"I learned certain techniques that I could use to become more effective with people," he says. He uses those techniques to better understand the 12 people he supervises. The result is a positive work environment where he can better communicate with his people and help them to improve at their jobs.

"I've learned not to be a hard-charger all the time," he says. "I take an interest in my people and show that I care about them as individuals."

Two of the key concepts that MEDS teaches are organization and delegation. Many dairy managers struggle to assign responsibility to others because they are uncertain of their workers' ability. They find it difficult to move away from the role of hands-on worker to the role of coach and supervisor.

When managers retain a strictly hands-on style, they prevent others from developing their true potential. MEDS teaches managers how to create work conditions that lead to improved performance. Participants learn about obstacles to performance and how to remove them. The objective is to help managers grow and develop in their supervisory role, so that they in turn can help their people to develop.

Brian Craig applied these concepts to his own management responsibilities at Murmac. His responsibilities include herd health, cow comfort, housing, parlor operations, and milk quality control.

"I've better organized myself and the people I'm responsible for. I try not to get tied up with any one individual during the day," he says. "I delegate responsibility and encourage people to take the initiative and achieve. We are all more productive and satisfied because I let my people take an active role in getting things done, while I take the role of coach and the responsibility of removing obstacles to their performance."

Craig says that MEDS convinced him to put time and effort into change. "You can't expect to do things the same old way and get different results; it just doesn't happen," he explains. "This goes for people too. If you're not satisfied with how other members of your dairy crew are working, then the first step you need to take is to change your own management style. It's easy to make quick judgments about other people's shortcomings, but it's a lot harder to change your own management style. MEDS helped me to change my attitude and style in ways that have really helped."

According to Craig, he has benefited from interacting with classmates that face the same problems as he. MEDS gave him an opportunity to compare experiences and learn from his counterparts.

Craig feels that the lessons he learned in MEDS were permanent. They are not concepts that will change over time, like other aspects of dairy management. In addition, he knows that he will continue to use these concepts throughout his career whether he remains permanently in the dairy industry or moves on to other fields.

Craig continues to refer to his MEDS workbook and tries to incorporate additional concepts into his daily management practices. The management team at Murmac feels so strongly about MEDS that they've decided to send three more people to the next series in Altoona. Craig says, "We've seen the results of high quality training in human resource management and we're willing and happy to make the investment in our people."

MEDS will be offered in Altoona this fall on six consecutive Mondays: Oct. 15, 22 and 29, and Nov. 5, 12 and 19. MEDS is an intensive course and registration will be limited. Instructors are Dr. John Park of Penn State's management development department, Dr. Lisa Holden from dairy and animal science and Richard Stup, the human resource management specialist with Dairy Alliance.

For more information, or to reserve your place in MEDS, contact Tammy Perkins at the Dairy Alliance office at 1-888-373-PADA or e-mail her at tap10@psu.edu. For questions about MEDS program content, contact Richard Stup at 814-652-6430 or RichStup@psu.edu.

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EDITORS: Contact Tammy Perkins at (888) 373-PADAIRY, or via e-mail at tap10@psu.edu.

Photos are available.

Contact:

Jeff Mulhollem jjm29@psu.edu 814-863-2719 814-865-1068 fax