Purdue program focuses on developing resilient managers, teams

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business will host a seminar August 23-24 to help managers understand their own strengths, adapt through changes and empower their teams to become more resilient.

Cultivating Resilience focuses on the fact that change is constant in agricultural and food business and discusses ways teams can grow in the face of challenges brought on by constant change. Through faculty-led sessions, participants will learn skills and tools for developing people who can thrive through change. The program will be held on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus.

“In our complex, dynamic and ever-changing food and agribusiness system, business success relies on adaptability,” said Scott Downey, center associate director and associate professor of agricultural economics. “It relies on creating a healthy workplace culture, maximizing the talents of people, and avoiding psychological traps in decision making. Program participants will leave with a better understanding of these topic areas, ready to immediately implement what they’ve learned.”

In addition to Downey, program facilitators are Nicole Widmar, Purdue professor of agricultural economics, and Tom Dukes, director of quality at Community Ventures in Living.

Program topics include differences in team management methods, establishing organizational culture, helping people reach their potential through effective conversations and improving recognition of human behavior in the decision-making process.

Participants will discover their own internal strengths and the ways those impact their approaches to external situations, understand the difference between coaching and developing people, learn how to improve communication and explore ways to develop trusted relationships with those who report to them. In addition, participants will network with industry peers to gain insights from their experiences.

This program is designed for food and agribusiness leaders and managers, human resource managers and anyone with at least one direct report.

The program early-bird rate is $1,845 through June 29. After that, the program is $1,995. Learn more and register at http://agribusiness.purdue.edu/seminars-and-events/cultivating-resilience.

Writer: Rebecca Frazier, frazie16@purdue.edu 

Media contact: Jennifer Stewart-Burton, 765-496-6032, jsstewar@purdue.edu 

Source: Scott Downey, 765-494-4325, downeyws@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: (765) 494-8415;
Darrin Pack, Manager/Media Relations and Public Information, dpack@purdue.edu  
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