encourage the team to p.l.a.y. this summer
DESCRIPTION
An Article written for Parks and Rec Business magazine by Heather Davis and Tim Pagano, published in Summer in 2011 about the importance of P.L.A.Y.TRANSCRIPT
36 PRB < MAY 2011 < www.parksandrecbusiness.com
parks + playgrounds> BY TIMOTHY J. PAGANO AND HEATHER K. DAVIS
Encourage the team to P.L.A.Y. this summer
Summer provides countless opportunities to plan out-door activities and exciting excursions to new places aswell as the ability to infuse creativity, leadership and
enthusiasm into scheduling. Industry leaders also can deliveroutstanding programs and perform at an exceptional level byencouraging team members to keep P.L.A.Y. at the forefrontof their minds.
AND EVALUATIONJob Performance
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PERCEPTION is an importantcomponent of programs involv-ing youth participants. Whether
it’s a pre-kindergarten class, summer daycamp, youth sport team or teen program,it is important to remember participantsand parents don’t measure quality bywhat you say, but rather what you do.Since the newest and inexperienced teammembers are often on the front lines, andmake the most significant impressions on participants and their parents, attempt to incorporate the “do as I do” mentality,and lead by example.
Although everything might runsmoothly 99.5 percent of the time, it isalways that one incident that can be themost damaging to a program’s reputa-tion. Whether it is a negative word-of-mouth campaign or a vocal participantwho has had a bad experience, it may takeweeks—if not years—to repair the dam-age. Perception is reality for both partici-pants and parents, so it is imperative tochoose your reality wisely.
LEADERSHIP is and alwayshas been the cornerstone of top-notch summer programs.
A universal truth within the recreationfield is that one does not have to have atitle to be a leader. Since entry-level positions often have the most meaningfuland immediate impact on customers,leaders must consider multiple levels inthe department hierarchy to effectivelydeliver programs.
To do this, it is important to recog-nize that vision and direction are essentialingredients in teamwork. Many peoplethink of a leader as a captain or general,someone telling people what to do andhow to do it. Instead, think of yourself as
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Job Performance And Evaluation
a navigator, who must detail the variousroutes in attaining the team’s goal.
Understand that everyone has a different leadership style in approachingvarious situations and personalities moreefficiently and effectively. Adjusting yourstyle to match or complement the style ofthe individuals you are working with willallow the flow of information to be sentand received successfully.
The goals of every youth programinclude providing strong leadership andacting as role models to participants; this is accomplished by detailing clearexpectations and defining boundaries—all while engaging and challenging participants.
ATTITUDE is the one indefin-able action that makes or breaksa program. When arriving for
work every day, you will set the tone.Being positive and enthusiastic affectseveryone, from participants to teammembers. Conversely, being negative
and apathetic spreads like a diseaseand can sabotage a day, week or entiresummer. Attitude also has the ability tocreate a greater level of ownershipamong participants and team members.Imagine trying to get older and “way-too-cool-for-this-activity” sixth gradersto be a part of an arts-and-crafts project.By delivering the “I know you guys don’twant to do this, but …” line, it increasesthe chances they won’t want to, and willlet you know it. On the other hand,starting with “Have I got a great oppor-tunity for you guys to take charge andlead this project” might provide a chanceto change their attitude about their role,and create a more positive atmosphere.Since attitude can change the overallenvironment of a program, ask yourself,“What kind of program do I want towork in and be a part of?”
YOU are the best resource ofany organization. Only you canmake the key decisions to help
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a program thrive or become stagnant.This starts with arriving to work ontime, being courteous, and deliveringexceptional customer service; beingenthusiastic and engaged; operating inan honest and trustworthy manner; andshowing true professionalism on a dailybasis. Remember that you can be aleader from wherever you are on theorganizational flow chart. You will bethe reason whether a participant decidesto come back tomorrow, next week ornext year. You are the reason organiza-tions and programs can continue toprovide youth the opportunity toexplore, discover, and enjoy what com-munities have to offer. You are whothey remember many years from now—a caring adult who made a huge impactin their lives.
So, when the checklist for thisyear’s summer programs comes out,remember the most important thingyou can do is to get out there andP.L.A.Y.! PRB
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Timothy J. Pagano is a community services specialist for the city of Brea and is on the boardof directors for the Southern California Teen Coalition. He can be reached via e-mail [email protected].
Heather K. Davis is a community-services supervisor for the city of Rancho Cucamonga, and ison the board of directors for the Southern California Teen Coalition. She can be reached viae-mail at [email protected].
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