UC ANR Human Resources

People Management

Great managers don’t just oversee tasks—they inspire, guide, and create the conditions for others to thrive. At UC ANR, people managers build trust, communicate openly, support professional growth, and foster inclusive, high-performing teams. When we invest in strong people management, we strengthen our organization’s mission to serve California’s communities.

Employees conversating in an open field.


Core Principles of Effective People Management

Our most successful managers share these qualities:

  • Leadership & Trust-Building – Guiding teams with clarity and integrity.
  • Clear Communication – Listening actively and giving constructive feedback.
  • Inclusion and Belonging – Creating a sense of belonging for every team member.
  • Flexibility & Adaptability – Adjusting to changing needs and challenges.
  • Commitment to Learning – Continuously improving your skills and knowledge.

Being an effective and helpful supervisor provides leadership in bringing the team together, has excellent communication skills, and is trustworthy, flexible, and neutral. They know how to engage their direct reports, treat their reports with respect, and are willing to continuously learn and practice managerial skills. Being an effective and helpful ANR supervisor (PDF fact sheet) 

Collaborative performance conversation tool

Provides a framework for meaningful and empowering conversations with your employee.
Use the Collaborative Performance Conversation tool to keep your employees engaged and valued. The tool was adapted from one developed by retired UC ANR Farm Labor Advisor, Gregorio Billikopf (ANR Post; Wikipedia Post). Schedule these conversations once or twice per year. Collaborative performance conversation tool (PDF)

Professional Development Policy (UCOP)
This policy describes the University’s support of professional development for staff appointments in the Professional & Support Staff, Managers & Senior Professionals, and Senior Management Group personnel programs. Professional Development Policy (UCOP)

UC People Management Series Certificate 
 
The UC People Management Series Certificate can help you elevate, empower, and engage your employees. Access these courses via the UC Learning Center. When you complete your course, contact jlazulai@ucanr.edu to receive your certificate signed by Glenda Humiston.
 
UC People Networking Cohort 
Join this UC ANR Networking Cohort to delve into the (above) UC People Management Series Certificate with your colleagues through discussion, scenario role play, and other ways of practicing your supervising skills. 
 
Hiring
To increase your awareness of implicit bias and reduce its impact at the University. This series reinforces the UC diversity, equity, and inclusion values that enable the University to attract and retain a top talent workforce, and it further supports the UC commitment to developing effective leaders and managers of people. It is intended to supplement existing location programs and resources.

Onboarding New ANR Employees
Use the Supervisors Guide to Onboarding New ANR Employees to provide your new hire with a positive experience, set expectations early, and help retain your new employee. Assign an Onboarding Buddy to help support your new employee with real time support. Check the UC ANR Orientation site to make sure your new hire attends one of our virtual monthly New Employee Welcomes and the semi-annual in-person New Employee Administrative Orientation and Programmatic Orientation for new academic hires.  
 
Create LinkedIn Learning competency-based playlists for your employees
Create content for your team using this LinkedIn Learning competency map. Start your own People Management learning using this People Management Playlist.
 
UC People Manager Core Competencies
The following list of training opportunities support the UC Core Competencies for People Managers.
 
Operational Focus 
 
Organizational Focus
 
Self Focus
The Emotionally Intelligent Leader (UC Davis, UC Learning Center)
Managing from Within: Self-empowerment (UC Davis, UC Learning Center)
Using Emotional Intelligence on the Job (UC Davis, UC Learning Center)
 

Workplace Focus 

 
People Management and Leadership
Build a Team

"To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart." Eleanor Roosevelt

People Management (UC ANR Human Resources webpage)

Building successful teams WebANR (23 mins - Dana Hinojosa UC Davis)

Coaching and Developing Employees (LinkedIn Learning)
The Discovery Questionnaire (PDF)
Powerful Questions to Ask Your Team
The GROW Model (Goals, Realities, Options, Way forward)

Team building Fact sheet (UC ANR)

Build Consensus Fact sheet

The 5 common behaviors Fact Sheet

How to show appreciation Fact sheet and free test (From Betterthinking.com.nz)

Appreciation versus recognition Video (16:42)

Working in teams online lesson (Lumen)

Project/task planning tool (Excel file)

UC People Management Series Certificate Website (Course listing) (Contact jlazulai@ucanr.edu when completed for your certificate signed by our Vice President)

Leadership Development Plan (PDF)

Performance Evaluation (UC ANR)

Onboarding New Employees (UC ANR)

Supervisor Guide to Creating an Individual Development Plan with an employee (UC ANR)

Conflict Competence

Conflict de-escalation: ANR’s Behavior Intervention Team Webpage

Volunteer Conflict Resolution Guide UC ANR 

Managing conflict Fact sheet ; Video (3:13)

Dealing with Difficult Multicultural Discussions  Video (49:08) NAEPSDP

Using Conflict for Growth (Video, UC Davis)

What to Do When You're Bullied at Work (LinkedIn Learning)

UC Responding to Conflict (UC Learning Center Module)

People Management/Supervisor

Tips to be a good supervisor (Fact sheet)

Supervision 101 (Short online presentation)

Recruiting, hiring, onboarding, engaging employees (website)

Leadership

The New Leadership Literacies: Thriving in a Future of Extreme Disruption and Distributed Everything (PDF) - By Bob Johansen, Institute for the Future

UC-CORO Systemwide Leadership Collaborative (UCOP website)

UC Leadership Development (UCnet website)

UC Management Development Program (UCOP website)

Inclusive Leadership

Strong managers interrupt bias, design equitable processes, and ensure belonging. Explore training that helps you embed inclusive practices into everyday leadership.

Next Steps

  1. Enroll in the UC People Management Series Certificate.
  2. Join the UC People Management Networking Cohort.
  3. Download the Supervisor’s Onboarding Guide.
  4. Connect with L&D for personalized support.

Contact

Jodi Azulai
Learning & Development Coordinator, UC ANR
jlazulai@ucanr.edu

If you need this information in an alternative format, contact us. Links open in a new window only when necessary; PDFs include file type and size where possible.