May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 64

The 'Hard Skills' of
Park and Recreation

Leadership
By Sara Hensley and Lawrence Allen

L

eadership remains one of the most discussed but elusive concepts
across all sectors of life. We all desire to be better leaders; however,
because there is no ultimate set of skills or dispositions that totally
define effective leadership, it is a continuous process of development
we all desire. The skills and dispositions employed will vary based on the circumstances we are presented with, including the formal or informal philosophy
and desired outcomes of the agency or setting in which we are working. Every
setting is different and it may require a different set of skills.

The above discussion notwithstanding, we believe there is a basic
set of skills and dispositions that
define effective leadership in the
public park and recreation field. As
a service profession dedicated to the
betterment of the community and
our constituent groups, we embrace
the concept of servant leadership
where the focus is on the growth and

62	 Parks & Recreation

well-being of the people and communities we serve.
According to Joanne Ciulla, a
leading scholar in leadership studies,
" Leadership is not a person or a position; it is a complex moral relationship between people, based on trust,
obligation, commitment, emotion
and a shared vision of the good. " Josh
Kuehler, president of Internal Consistency, defines leadership as the " ability to inspire motivation in others to
move toward a desirable vision. " And,

| M AY 2 0 1 6 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

many years ago, American businessman and founder of Firestone Tires,
Harvey S. Firestone stated: " The
growth and development of people
is the highest calling of leadership. "
All of these definitions have similar
themes and fit well with the philosophy and goals of our profession.
While, as Kuehler points out,
" management is focused on tasks, "
leadership is about building relationships, motivating and inspiring, empowering and building people. These
are core skills of servant leadership,
and they help us more effectively
work with our constituent groups in
public parks and recreation.
These are not " soft skills " as some
might believe. They are easy to say
and promote but hard to achieve. Microsoft's co-founder, Bill Gates, stated
it best: " As we look ahead into the next



May 2016 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2016 - Parks & Recreation

May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 1
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 2
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 3
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 4
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 5
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 6
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 7
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 8
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 9
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 10
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 11
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 12
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 13
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 14
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 15
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 16
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 17
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 18
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 19
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 20
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 21
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 22
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 23
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 24
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 25
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 26
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 27
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 28
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 29
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 30
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 31
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 32
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 33
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 34
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 35
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 36
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 37
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 38
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 39
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 40
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 41
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 42
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 43
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 44
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 45
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 46
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 47
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 48
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 49
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 50
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 51
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 52
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 53
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 54
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 55
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 56
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 57
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 58
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 59
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 60
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 61
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 62
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 63
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 64
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 65
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 66
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 67
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 68
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 69
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 70
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 71
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 72
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 73
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 74
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 75
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 76
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 77
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 78
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 79
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 80
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 81
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 82
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 83
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 84
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 85
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 86
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 87
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 88
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 89
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 90
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 91
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 92
May 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 93
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com