5 minute read
2022 Leadership Survey
We sent a survey to CPRA members this summer inviting them to share their leadership wisdom. We asked for great advice you’ve gathered throughout your career and if you wanted to pass on words of wisdom to new professionals. We also inquired about awesome mentors you might want to recognize. Here are the results.
What are the top 2-3 things you learned from your Parks & Rec mentor?
Response #1 Patience To truly listen Don’t answer in haste. Take time if needed.
Response #2 How to be a better leader How to be more outspoken How to teach classes and fun ideas
Response #3 How to be a better leader How to be more outspoken How to teach classes and fun ideas
Response #4 Ethics Positivity Quality Response #5 Be patient, stay focused, do a good job and people will take notice.
Response #6 Be early no matter what position you hold. Stay focused while taking care of the entities business. Care, about yourself, your staff, your entity.
Response #7 Disagreements can very much have a positive end result. Constantly share the organizational vision with the team. Response #8 A different view point It’s ok to not know Listening and being open
Response #9 Perservence is everything, your time will come Always make time for your people How to teach classes and fun ideas
Response #10 Assume good intentions Listen first Contempt prior to investigation is never a good thing.
Response #11 Say yes Don’t give up Follow your gut Response #12 How to consider competing perspectives How to handle, think through, and prepare for difficult scenarios Higher level, proven solutions to typical workplace scenarios
Response #13 How to delegate Time management Interdepartmental communication
Response #14 Get involved with your CPRA sections! Don’t try and recreate the wheel. Ask another professional for guidance or documents.
What are the top 2-3 leadership skills you find to be most valuable in 2022?
Response #1 Learning to be adaptable and everything is fluid Know every position so you can fill in if needed Tomorrow is a new day and today’s issues are in the past.
Response #2 Being innovative Speaking up Asking for help
Response #3 Active listening Flexibility with staff’s time and schedules Assuming positive intent Response #4 Communication Integrity Learning
Response #5 Flexibility Empathy
Response #6 Empathy Active listening Stragetic thinking
Response #7 Accountability Support – being there Understanding
Response #8 Active listening Empathy Decisiveness Response #9 The younger people coming into the workforce seem to need more communication. More details about what is expected of them. More guidance than I expected at this stage in my career. Be honest with the good and the bad, don’t expect staff to respect you if you are not honest. I try to guide staff to work to live rather than live to work.
Response #10 Patient compassion Pivot when you need to Go with the flow
Response #11 Change management Leadership development Critical thinking Response #12 Hold tough conversations with employees Keep producing in hybrid envoronment How to be an advocate
Response #13 Collaborate Be present Be passionate
Response #14 Listening with empathy How to be flexible in all situations Making time and showing up
Anytown Parks & Rec
Join us at Bluebird Park tomorrow at 3:00 pm for the Annual Kite Festival.
My kids are excited! See you at the park.
Your partner in getting people to the park
Visit us at the 2022 CPRA Conference www.pidj.co
What advice from early in your career has stuck with you the most?
Response #1 Everyone has a different point of view and by listening to what everyone has to say, helps paint the whole picture and you can better resolve an issue, or have a better way of doing something.
Response #2 Learn how to have tough conversations with staff. Lead by example. Response #3 Work as if someone is watching every minute.
Response #4 Learn the “flavor” of your community. People have expectations and you can either overwhelm them with your way or work with them for the betterment of the community.
Response #5 Accept feedback and learn from it. Response #6 Don’t take things too seriously – unless warranted.
Response #7 Never let bad stuff roll down hill to your people. It’s OK to take it up the chain, but not down.
Response #8 Clean you desk at the end of the day and organize tomorrow’s tasks. Response #9 Stay curious.
Response #10 Active listening is a must.
Response #11 Staff are the most important piece of being successful.
Response #12 Stay out of the work drama!
What advice would you like to give to new P&R professionals now?
Response #1 Never rush into anything. Learning to be empathetic and open minded has a far better success rate.
Response #2 Find someone you look up to. I am still in contact with my mentor and you can never stop learning! Surround yourself with positive people in your workplace.
Response #3 Success doesn’t happen overnight. The professionals you look up to or work for, who are leading and making decisions, started where you are at now. Response #4 Keep learning everyday, every year. Your journey should never end.
Response #5 You have work to do, do it to the best of your ability. Be humble, think things through and use some common sense.
Response #6 When starting in a new role, take things slow. Don’t start changing things right away. Be patient and focus on building relationships with direct reports, peers, supervisors, and others. Response #7 Take your time to be open to seeing, learning, and doing things outside your comfort zone to grow yourself. Find your “team” - to support you as you take these risks/ leaps.
Response #8 Build coalitions, advocate, treat everyone with respect.
Response #9 Work hard and don’t give up. If you have dreams, know that they will be achieved if you persevere and stay true to the cause of bettering your community, organization, and team. Your time will come, don’t give up, it’s worth the effort and it is all part of the journey. Response #10 Be adaptable in the times of change. Never say that’s the way we have always done it!
Response #11 You don’t have all the answers that you think you do - go find someone that’s already walked the path and learn from them!
Response #12 Work hard, pay attention, learn to value all types of people.
Response #12 Get involved with your section and ask questions. Learn from those who have been involved in P&R for years and years.
