The job of the manager, therefore, is not so much to change people but to motivate and multiply their performance capacities. The amount of contribution a manager can make to an organization or dairy operation is in large measure controlled by his leadership ability to communicate and develop team work among others. Setting priorities serves little purpose, however, unless some form of action is also taken. Care must be taken to see that pressures and crises never completely dominate priorities. Effective managers focus on doing first things first.
Most decisions made by a dairy manager are a matter of judgment or a choice between alternatives.
Prior to making a decision, the manager needs to explore alternatives, carefully examine the available facts and weigh the risks and gains involved. Depending upon the magnitude of the situation, the decision may require many hours of study or it may be made in a matter of seconds. Yet, the same costly worker with proper training and incentive could often achieve top performance with a good dairy herd. An incentive program must be a two-way street. It can yield satisfaction in the form of greater net profit and happiness to both employees and owners alike.