What are the essential skills and competencies for a successful agribusiness manager?

1 Strategic thinking

A strategic thinker is someone who can analyze the external and internal environment of the agribusiness, identify opportunities and threats, set goals and objectives, and devise and implement plans to achieve them. A strategic thinker can also anticipate and adapt to changing market conditions, customer preferences, and technological innovations. A strategic thinker can use tools such as SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, Porter's five forces, and value chain analysis to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the agribusiness, and to identify its competitive advantage and value proposition.

2 Leadership and teamwork

A leader is someone who can inspire, motivate, and guide others to achieve a common vision and mission. A leader can also communicate effectively, delegate tasks, provide feedback, resolve conflicts, and foster a positive and productive work culture. A leader can use styles such as transformational, transactional, democratic, or situational leadership, depending on the context and the needs of the followers. A team player is someone who can collaborate, cooperate, and coordinate with others to achieve shared goals and outcomes. A team player can also respect, support, and trust others, and contribute to the team's performance and learning.

3 Business acumen

Business acumen is the ability to understand and apply business concepts, principles, and practices to the agribusiness. Business acumen includes skills such as financial management, accounting, marketing, sales, operations, human resources, and legal aspects. Business acumen also involves the ability to use data and information to make informed and rational decisions, to measure and evaluate performance, and to identify and manage risks and opportunities. Business acumen can be enhanced by taking courses, reading books, attending workshops, and learning from mentors and peers.

4 Technical expertise

Technical expertise is the knowledge and skills related to the specific agricultural product or service that the agribusiness offers. Technical expertise includes skills such as crop production, animal husbandry, soil management, pest control, irrigation, harvesting, processing, packaging, storage, distribution, and quality control. Technical expertise also involves the ability to use tools and equipment, to follow standards and regulations, and to adopt best practices and innovations. Technical expertise can be acquired by formal education, training, certification, research, and experience.

5 Customer orientation

Customer orientation is the attitude and behavior that focuses on meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of the customers. Customer orientation includes skills such as market research, customer segmentation, customer relationship management, customer service, customer feedback, and customer loyalty. Customer orientation also involves the ability to understand and empathize with the customers, to create and deliver value propositions, to communicate and interact with the customers, and to ensure customer satisfaction and retention. Customer orientation can be developed by listening to the customers, asking questions, offering solutions, and following up.