EYE ON THE PROFESSION
A CLOSER LOOK AT TRENDS AND ISSUES IN THE PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSION

Who Wants To Be a Director?

William J. M. Wald, CPRP IPRA Executive Director

Amazing, unsettling, and exciting were my first reactions as I read an article by Dr. Terry Schwartz, CPRP, and Dr. Katharine Paweiko in the May/June 2000 issue of Illinois Parks & Recreation magazine (page 36). They reported that nearly 60 percent of veteran executive directors andsuperintendents in the parks and recreation field will be retiring in the next 10 years.

Amazing I found this statistic truly amazing because our field has come so far. Many of those retiring brought their agencies from infancy stage to adulthood and carried them across the threshold of the 21st century. These dedicated leaders should be applauded for their vision, dedication and hardwork in developing their agencies into well-respected, solidly grounded community organizations. These are places where people of all ages and abilities can go to add quality to their lives. These professionals have also played key roles in establishing the overall image and value of parks and recreation across the country. Unsettling An unsettling feeling overtook me regarding this retirement statistic, because I'm not sure we are prepared for such a mass exodus of knowledge and expertise from our relatively young profession. What actions have we taken thus far to plan for the future? Are our younger professionals ready to move up to superintendent and executive director positions? And, just as importantly, do they want to seize these opportunities? I wonder how agencies are preparing for the departure of their leaders. Are our soon-to-retire directors preparing their underlings for the opportunities ahead? Many corporations have succession plans in place. Do we?

According to Bruce Bunch of General Electric: "Having succession planning and a management development process is the training of people, giving them assignments so they can build new strengths, and having very candid discussions about their performance. When you have that, you are building the most effective leaders possible."

The United States has had a succession plan in place since the inception of the Constitution. Did anyone panic about who would take over when President Reagan was shot? Of course not. We knew who was next in command. Can we say the same at our agencies? We need to have a plan of action.

Succession planning is not only the sign of good leadership, but it also prevents chaos in an organization. Chaos may seem a strong word but it might not be such an overstatement. During a transition, staff can feel confused, anxious, even unhappy to the point where it could affect their performance. Ultimately, it could cause them to leave.

It is the responsibility of the elected board, guided by good leaders, to develop managers into future leaders by way of organizational succession plans. With the future departure of so many top executives, succession planning should be one of the most important jobs on a board's "to do" list. A clear picture of an organization's long-term strategic goals will help to identify the type of director who will be needed to lead their agency today and into the future.

Exciting Finally, this is an exciting time to be in the parks and recreation field. Opportunities abound. When our veteran leaders begin to leave, each level of the organizationwill be affected. Movement throughout and across many organizations will be widespread. What are our middle managers doing to prepare for the top jobs?

With the future departure of so many top executives, succession planning should be one of the most important jobs on a board's "to do" list.

8 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

WHO WANTS TO BE A DIRECTOR?

It is up to each individual to take ownership of his orher own professional development. Learning negotiation skills, managing construction projects, building a good relationship with the board, and fine-tuning management skills with the guidance of a good mentor are just some of the ways professionals can prepare for leadership positions. Others are working with community organizations and affiliates and nurturing intergovernmental agreements.

Gaining as much experience as possible within your present organization and demonstrating a willingness to accept new challenges will provide opportunities to prepare for a leadership role. Of course you can't ignore the role of technology and future trends in our field. Now is the time to gain the knowledge and skills that will be needed in your future position.

Words of Wisdom

Sue Bear, executive director of the Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation, began preparing for her present position many years ago. Previously, Sue worked at a relatively small agency, an experience which she found advantageous. She worked in every area of this organization gaining competencies and knowledge. Now, as executive director, there isn't a responsibility at her agency she can't do herself.

Jeff Fougerousse, who recently accepted the executive director position at the Morton Grove Park District, was the superintendent at the agency for more than 15 years. He was not only prepared for the position but gladly welcomed it. He regularly accepted new responsibilities during his tenure and built an excellent rapport with the board of commissioners.

On a personal note, I am completing my first year as IPRA's executive director. It has been a challenging year with new responsibilities and expectations. I prepared for my current role by learning the intricacies of the organization including budgeting, strategic planning, human resource management and, of course, the political process. It was important to learn how to work the system including who to call and what's the best way to get projects accomplished.

Early on in Mike Clark's career he set a personal goal to become an executive director, which he recently achieved being named the head of the Batavia Park District. Upon setting this goal, he fostered an action plan which included acquiring a master's degree in Business Administration as well as earning and maintaining his professional certification. Getting involved in IPRA for its networking opportunities and continuing education workshops and seminars was also part of his game plan. These learning experiences helped him to keep informed of the latest industry trends and issues. He also found "IPRA U" extremely helpful in reaching his goal, especially the seminars on the law, board relations and budgeting.

Diane Dillow became executive director of the Warrenville Park District just over a year ago after being a superintendent at another agency for years. She stated that she had to build her confidence to take on a director position by sharpening her organizational skills, building relationships through networking and learning as much as she could about managing a district. Finally, when the right opportunity presented itself, she took the leap into a director's position and is enjoying every minute of it. In areas she was not exceptionally strong, she looked to her professional colleagues and her professional associations for help. She highly recommends preparing and motivating yourself to reach your true potential. The opportunities are available to you.

Final Thoughts I hope, if nothing else, this article gets people thinking about their futures and the future of their agencies. Barbara Heller, executive director of the Elk Grove Park District, offers this sound advice to our future leaders in parks and recreation: "Forget about the technical competencies that brought you to the table. It's all about leadership. "Leadership is about setting direction, aligning constituencies and motivating and inspiring. That's what directors should be spending their time on." •

I wonder how agencies are preparing for the departure of their leaders. Are our soon-to-retire directors preparing their underlings for the opportunities ahead?

November/December 2000 / 9