TUCKER, Ga. – Attendees at this year’s International Poultry Expo, held Jan. 24-26 in Atlanta, had the opportunity to attend a new day and a half-long managerial workshop called “Introduction to Management: Basic Business Skills for New Managers Workshop.” The goal of the workshop was to expose new managers to the skills needed to be successful in today’s business climate and to encourage them to assess their own strengths and weaknesses as they continue to develop as effective managers, according to USPOULTRY, sponsor of IPE and the workshop.

The program was developed and presented by Seals Burdell, USPOULTRY controller, and Paul
Pressley, executive vice president of industry programs, who represent a combined 60-plus years of poultry industry experience. Additionally, industry analyst Mike Donohue, vice president of Agri Stats, provided an overview of how the industry uses Agri Stats’ data to improve operations.

During the workshop Burdell illustrated the importance of financial controls and encouraged attendees to use internal control measurements to achieve performance and profitability targets and prevent the loss of resources within their department. “You cannot manage what you do not measure” was a constant theme, and understanding the financial language of the organization and effectively utilizing the internal controls and financial reports is a key business skill for managers.

Pressley led the workshop through an understanding of some of the key people skills needed for success, including time management, communication skills, conflict management, and evaluating employee performance. USPOULTRY plans to present the workshop on a periodic basis upon request from the industry.