October 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 36
Who, What, Where & how Around the Parks
Flexible
M an A g e m e n t
Think Fast
Leadership in a Downsized Economy
By Brad Chambers
L
Adaptable
eading an organization
in the current economic
environment doesn't take
a different kind of leader. If
a leader is creative and effective in good times, he or she can be
creative and effective in difficult times.
However, it does take a leader with a different mindset than the one that was used
during the first decade of the 21st century.
Financial resources are scarce, personnel numbers are being reduced, and innovation is more important than ever.
...[R]ecent economic realities have
eroded the foundation of career
growth for many in both the public and
private sectors of recreation. Hard
work, loyalty to the organization, and
job commitment no longer guarantee a
predictable or stable career track for
many employees. Budget reductions,
mergers, reorganizations, and the
elimination of human-service programs in many businesses and
communities have made the " survivors " tense, stressed, insecure and
angry. These changes, euphemistically
referred to as " downsizing, " have produced legions of burned-out,
overworked, dissatisfied, and unemployed professionals in many fields.
In The Futurist, Edward Cornish
suggests that work is changing: " The
rapid pace of change [of work] will
34 Parks & Recreation O C T O B E R
A good leader is always flexible, but in
this environment, it means adopting
the attitude that whatever used to work
may not work now, or may not work well
enough. A flexible leader understands
that bending and flexing the traditional role of the parks and recreation department could be what it takes to keep
an agency solvent. A flexible leader will
research the most efficient and productive way of using limited resources. The
flexible leader realizes everything is on
the table, and by leveraging limited assets and staff, the department can remain
multi-faceted.
mean that workers must increasingly
reinvent themselves for the workplace.
Permanent jobs may largely disappear.
Temporary jobs, short-term projects,
and consultancies will become increasingly common. "
This isn't a new quote: It comes from
the February 1998 issue of Parks and Recreation. Although the article is more than
13 years old, it is still relevant-in fact,
maybe more now than when it was originally written. Workers today must indeed
reinvent themselves for the workplace,
The definition of adaptable is " modification
according to changing circumstances. " If
your agency is doing the same things it
was doing five years ago, or even three
years ago, it's time for serious introspection. Consider: What is the unemployment
rate in your community? Is it higher than
it was five years ago? How many people
are on food stamps now, as compared to
three years ago? Has your pricing structure changed? Have your system and
method of sponsorships changed? Have
the number of free or reduced price pro-
Economies of scale can be as simple as partnering with a
neighboring department to allow them to perform all mowing
operations in both systems if they have a more efficient or
better equipped mowing operation, while your agency
provides all indoor maintenance for both departments.
and temporary and short-term jobs may
well become the norm for the foreseeable future.
The parks and recreation profession
must consider that business as usual may
not work and new leadership principles
will be a necessity to remain relevant in
the face of budget cuts. The environment
is changing quickly, and budget cuts are
instantaneous. A leader must think fast,
react fast, and be fast-using the F.A.S.T.
methodology can help.
2 0 1 1 w w w . N R P A . O R G
grams changed? Has your agency adapted to the employment and work schedules
of your populace in today's environment?
An adaptable leader must consider these
and other community specific questions
in order to succeed in today's economy.
Instead of hiring staff to conduct outdoor and environmental programs, today's leader should explore adapting the
role of the agency to identify allied organizations such as state parks, the Sierra
Club, REI, Patagonia and other outdoor
October 2011 - Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2011 - Parks & Recreation
October 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 1
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