Program Details

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Elevating Leadership Overview 

Skills for New GEAPS Managers and Supervisors 

Program Overview 

This comprehensive leadership training program equips front-line supervisors in the grain storage and processing industry with foundational skills to effectively lead their teams and navigate everyday supervisory challenges. Designed specifically for GEAPS members working in the grain industry across the Midwest, this program addresses the unique needs of supervisors, superintendents, managers, and leaders transitioning from operator roles. 

The program uses evidence-informed instructional practices to deliver an authentic, engaging, and practical learning experience. Participants will gain immediately applicable tools and frameworks to improve team performance, strengthen communication, and drive continuous improvement in their operations. 

Learning Objectives 

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Initiate and adapt to team members’ needs through the Six Conversations framework
2. Apply principles of performance thinking to optimize team performance using proven principles 
3. Lead ongoing performance improvement efforts through practical continuous improvement and teamwork tools and frameworks 
4. Commit to personal learning and development, and the development of others, aligned with business needs 

Program Format 

Blended Learning Approach: 

1. Pre-Workshop Preparation (1-2 hours): Independent learning to introduce key concepts and prepare participants for hands-on applications 
2. One-Day In-Person Workshop: Interactive, facilitated session with peer learning, case studies, and practical exercises 
3. On-the-Job Application: Encouragement through follow-up activities to apply learning in real work settings  

Delivery Model: Regional training brought directly to GEAPS member locations, making high-value professional development accessible and affordable for cooperatives across the Midwest. 

Program Content 

Module 1: The Leader’s Role and The Six Conversations (1.5 hrs) 

• Understanding your responsibilities as a supervisor 
• Building effective working relationships with team members 
• The Six Conversations framework (Steve King) for initiating and adapting communication to individual needs: 
– What is expected of me? 
– What and how should I develop? 
– How am I doing? 
– How did I do? 
– How will I be rewarded? 
– What is next for me? 
• Creating a foundation for ongoing dialogue and trust 

Module 2: Performance Thinking and The Six Boxes (2 hrs) 

• Introduction to performance thinking principles 
• The Six Boxes model (Carl Binder) for diagnosing and improving performance: 
– Organizational Factors: Information, Tools, Feedback 
– Team Member Factors: Know-how, Capacity, Motivation 
– Analyzing real-world scenarios through case study application 
– Identifying root causes vs. symptoms of performance challenges 

Module 3: Performance Improvement Starter Pack (3.5 hrs) 

Practical tools.  Cohort will select key few they find most relevant. 

• Lean Tools: Plus/Delta, 5S, 5 Whys, Gemba Walk, PDCA. 
• Leadership Practices: Regular 1:1 meetings, FAST Goals, Encouragement, Modeling 
• Team Development: Training, Development Planning, Delegation 
• Creating sustainable improvement habits in daily operations 

Learning Experience 

This program is learner-centered and performance-based, designed to ensure participants can immediately apply what they learn. The instruction emphasizes: 

• Authentic scenarios drawn from grain industry operations 
• Practical application of tools and frameworks with lots of practice 
• Usable strategies that fit the realities of rural cooperative environments 
• Meaningful development aligned with both individual and organizational goals 

GEAPS Learning & Development team and Topf Business Learning will collaborate on delivery, ensuring deep industry relevance and instructional excellence. 

Value Proposition 

• Accessible: Training brought to your region, reducing travel costs and time away from operations 
• Affordable: High-value professional development designed for cooperative budgets 
• Practical: Tools and frameworks you can use immediately upon return to work 
• Industry-Specific: Content tailored to the unique challenges of grain handling and processing operations 
• Peer Learning: Network with supervisors facing similar challenges across GEAPS member organizations 

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