Agribusiness Manager Assesssment Center

A 2-day program on August 31 & September 1, 2011
Location TBD
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. each day

WCPA is proud to announce the first offering of the Agribusiness Manager Assessment Center (AMAC), co-sponsored with UW-Madison Extension.

What is an assessment center?
Businesses and organizations have used the assessment center methodology to select, evaluate and develop individuals for managerial positions for many years. The assessment center method is unique in that it combines standardized procedures in which competencies for a specific position are identified and assessed using both individual and group simulations and activities. Individuals are observed and evaluated on their performance against competencies/attributes in several exercises by a team of trained assessors, using a multiple assessment technique. This means that the feedback provided to an individual participant is based upon pooling of information, multiple observations of assessors and consensus decisions.

This Assessment Center is based on a thorough job analysis of agronomy managers and the competencies/attributes necessary for effectiveness and success. It incorporates activities and simulations that enable a participant to demonstrate his or her skills and abilities on nine job-related dimensions. These attributes include:

• Communications
• Planning and Organizing
• Decision Making
• Managing Resources
• Empathy
• Initiative
• Creativity
• Teamwork
• Leadership

Activities in the Agribusiness Manager Assessment Center include a group discussion with non-assigned roles, a group discussion with assigned roles, a background interview, an in-basket activity, a written case study and a personnel discussion.

This Assessment Center is conducted in two consecutive days. Assessors are expected to synthesize information and participate in a consensus discussion with other assessors within a short time following the actual Assessment Center.

Following that process, each assessor develops two written reports, which become the basis of the feedback session with his/her lead participants.

This verbal and written feedback should be delivered to the participant as soon as possible following the actual Assessment Center. Suggestions are discussed with the participant for self-improvement in order to increase their effectiveness in any of the nine attributes.

Confidentiality
All materials used throughout the simulations and activities are gathered and destroyed at the end of +each assessment center, except for the background information sheet, the pre and post assessments and the final report. They should be filed in a central location.