ABAS 4250  

Leadership in Agriculture Industries

 

Professor: Dr. Cliff Ricketts

                   SAG 112 or VA 100

                   898 – 2430 or 898 – 2598

                    srickett@mtsu.edu

 

Brief Synopsis:

 

This is a course dealing with the principles of leadership, including styles, theories, and characteristics (conceptual, technical and human relations).  The course is designed to allow students to see how to get a job, keep a job, advance on the job and become a leader by being better able to manage themselves as well as others.

 

Required Text:

 

Leadership, Personal Development, and Career Success,2nd by Samuel C. Ricketts, Delmar Publishers, Inc., Albany, New York.

 

Course Requirements:

 

            See Testing and Grading

 

Attendance:

 

Regular class attendance is required.  Two (2) absences (excused or unexcused) will be tolerated.  The next absence will result in automatically lowering the final semester grade by one letter.

 

Testing and Grading:

 

            Leadership Matrix (and/or Paper)          20%

            Test 1                                                             20%

            Test 2                                                             20%

            Test 3                                                             20%

            Test 4                                                             20%

 

           


A         90 - 100

            B         80 - 89

            C         70 - 79

            D         60 - 69

            F         0

 

Objective of the Course: 

 

The objectives of the course are to provide the opportunity for the student to:

 

a.      Analyze agricultural leadership styles, theories, and characteristics and correlate leadership styles to personality types.

b.      Analyze aggressive, assertive and passive communication styles and leadership styles.

c.       Develop effective agricultural group meetings and group discussions.

d.      Develop a basic understanding of problem solving and decision making skills used in agricultural industries.

e.      Develop a basic understanding of goal setting and goal achieving.

f.        Develop a basic understanding of motivation and positive reinforcement in the agricultural industries.

a.      Develop an appreciation of basic agricultural societal values and their diversity.

b.      Develop the ability to enhance the self-concept of others.

c.       Develop a basic understanding of the importance of positive attitudes.

d.      Develop better leadership skills through understanding learning styles and their relationship to careers in Agribusiness and Agriscience.

e.      Develop better time management techniques in agricultural industries.

f.        Develop basic understanding of desirable agricultural employability skills.

 

Special Requirements:

 

            Students are requested to refrain from activity during the class period, which may disrupt the attention of the class as a whole.  Please refrain from manipulation of the windows and blinds. Specific examples of disruptive activities would include: individual conversations, eating, drinking, and using tobacco in any form.  Individuals who persistently disrupt the class will be asked to leave.

 

*                                                          *                                                          *                                                          *

 

            If your have a disability that may require assistance or accommodation, or you have questions related to any accommodations for testing, note takers, readers, etc., please speak with me as soon as possible. Students may also contact the Office of Disabled Student Services (898 – 2783) with questions about such services.

 

 

General Topic:

 

  1. Agricultural Leadership Categories and Styles
    1. Myths about leaders and leadership
    2. Seven categories of leadership
    3. Styles of leadership
    4. Relationship between leadership styles and personality types
  2. Developing Agricultural Leaders
    1. Importance of leadership development
    2. Attaining group acceptance
    3. Improvement of leadership in the workplace
    4. Selecting qualities of successful leaders

                                                              i.      Human relations leadership skills

                                                           ii.      Technical leadership skills

                                                         iii.      Conceptual leadership skills

  1. Group Organizational and Dynamics Used in Agricultural Industries
  2. Goal Setting
  3. Self – Concept
  4. Learning Styles and Their Relationship to Careers in Agribusiness and Agriscience
  5. Employability Skills
  6. Financial Management