May 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 27

Member to Member
Viking vs. Farmers
Advancing innovation in parks and recreation
By Ariel White

he future of the park and recreation field can thrive successfully if an innovative and energetic mindset is taken. A few years ago, Paul Gilbert, Michael McCarty, Tom Lovell and Randy Ferris all wrote articles for this magazine that used the Viking vs. Farmers analogy to address the issues of leadership
vs. management in the field of parks and recreation. Farmers focus on their current
resources, or crops, doing the same thing year in and year out. Vikings, on the other
hand, look to the horizon for new opportunities, build strong teams and are willing
to do new things. This model allows for more flexibility in times of change.
To add to the concepts that these
four articles have presented, I think
it's important to realize that change
can only come from within, beginning
the process of external success. Like
the Vikings of old times, park and
recreation departments should build
one another up through department
support and truly evaluating the mission of their facility. When agencies
re-evaluate their mission statement,
it should be clear not only to them,
but also to the community they serve.
Once the mission supports the purpose of the department, it should illuminate goals that will help department employees reach their aims.
If one can't see the potential within
themselves, how will anyone else see
or understand? The community and
government should understand why
parks and recreation should continue
to be funded. Running an agency in
the same old way would only create
the same kind of results, and running
an agency off of completely new values could take the department away
from its original mission or turn it into
" shelf-ware, " something that looks
and sounds good but goes unimplemented. Instead, members should
agree on what core values make the

department run and represent both
themselves and the community.
However, it may not be the mission
or goals that need to be re-established
or revamped. It may be the board
members and those in the department
who need to take on the Viking approach. As for those who have been
a part of the same system for a long
time, such as a farmer tending the same
crops each year, it can be hard to reach
outside the box for change. These individuals need to let go of the little
stuff and assert themselves as part of
the solution. Ironically, with too much
time inside of the agency, leaders can
become less aware of what's really
going on and not fully connected to
the customer. " Going Viking " is not a
matter of individualism, but a process
of adopting an organizational culture
of growth and exploration. All leaders should lead their teams by being
assertive, taking the role of a Viking,
and fighting for what they believe or
support. Once leaders can take pride in
what their team is working on and doing, they can better advocate for their
department when they are facing challenges. The stronger your team of Vikings, the more successful you will be
at thriving in an era of change.

It is also important for park and recreation departments to reach their priority audience: the community. Parks
and recreation has held the same position in many communities, providing basic recreational programs, park
facilities and natural green spaces, but
many members of the community
don't appreciate these resources. Park
and recreation departments should
advocate their resources the same way
they advocate their mission to local
government officials. Give communities a way of seeing what your department has to offer, such as by revamping the website and engaging in
social media to get the word out about
programs. There are many things that
departments can do to increase their
reach. Not only is advocating and
marketing important, it's also critical
to reach out and survey what the community wants and expects from their
park and recreation department. Understanding what could be improved
or adjusted allows departments the
opportunity to show great improvement throughout the community,
making them tried-and-true Vikings.
All four articles really expressed
what it would take for the park and recreation industry to grow and redevelop
beyond their old ways and break into
the Viking mentality. Thinking past
your field and innovating new reasons
for tourists to come and spend money
could be the turning point for agencies
that are currently challenged.
Ariel White is a junior studying Tourism and
Events Management at George Mason
University (awhite24@masonlive.gmu.edu).

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