Context of Recreation
Leadership
Leadership defined
A dynamic process of interactions between
two or more members of a group which
involves recognition and acceptance of
leader-follower roles by group members
within a certain situation.
Leadership defined
A dynamic process

Always changes

Internal & external influences
of interactions between two or more members of a group

Verbal & nonverbal communication

Sharing of tasks

Establishment of relationships
Leadership defined
which involves recognition and acceptance
of leader-follower roles by group members
within a certain situation.

Leaders & roles change
What will you learn???
Situations change…need to adapt
Various leadership skills
How to establish yourself as a leader
When to be a leader & when to be a follower
Begin to establish your leadership style
Good leader…
Honesty & integrity
Initiative
Persistence
High expectations
Maturity
Positive attitude
Communication skills
High energy
Courage
Responsibility
Followers
 Can’t
have a leader without a follower
 Interaction,
 If
motivation
followers like leader, they perform better
 Have
to be a good follower before
a good leader…..Why?
Technical Skills
Specific to accomplishing tasks
Skills needed to get things done
Examples?????…….
Technical Skills
Examples:
Behavior management
 Breaking people into groups
 Planning
 Staffing
 Giving directions
 Selecting appropriate activities

Human Relations Skills
Involves relationships with others

Being a good communicator
Understanding group dynamics

Who is in the group

Group management

Group cohesion

Cliques
Human Relations Skills
Building trust among members

Most important aspect

Must be built

Experience or position may lead to trust
Resolve conflicts
Conceptual Skills
Ability to analyze, anticipate, & see the
big picture
Critical thinking skills
Problem solving
Sees the org. as a whole
Administrative Leader
Manager or executive
CEO, President, E.D….the big dog!
Responsible for the entire organization
Focus on fiscal and administrative
responsibilities
Supervisory Leader
Middle management
Report to administrative leaders
Usually supervise staff
Oversee particular program area

Sales Manager

Director of Golf Operations

Cultural Arts Coordinator
Direct Service Leader
Provide services directly to customers
Interact one on one with people
Examples:

Tour guides

Camp counselors

Lifeguards
Types of Recreation Leaders
Types of
Recreation
Leaders
Administrative
Levels of
Recreation
Organizations
Top
Supervisory
Direct
Service
Middle
Front line
Number of people involved at this
level in an organization
Source: Ruth Russell, Leadership in
Recreation (2000)
Types & Functions
Types
Administrative
Leaders
Supervisory
Leaders
Direct service
Leaders
Functions/Skills
How Leaders Are Identified
Appointment

Must earn the respect of followers

Dr. Bowman
Election

Politics

Professional Associations

Teams captains
How Leaders Are Identified
Emergence

2 activity assignments
Charisma

Generate enthusiasm & loyalty

Clinton, Obama, MLK, JFK
The Halo Effect

Attributes in 1 situation carry over to others

Teachers
Power!
Influence an individual has over another
Power does not equal leadership
Leaders use forms of power to get the
job done
How do we get power??
Power!
Legitimate Power

Comes from position within the organization

CEO, Administrator, teacher
Power!
Reward Power


Ability to provide rewards to people
The greater the control over rewards, the
greater the power

Parent vs. child

Politics….Bush & Ridenour
Power!
Coercive Power



Person relies on the ability to punish
others
Greater the freedom to punish, the
greater the coercive power
Power to:
Terminate
 Evaluate
 Reprimand

Power!
Expert Power

Based on valued expertise

You know something others don’t
Information Power
Access & control of information
 Controlling leader

Power!
Referent Power

The more we like someone, the more likely
we will follow them

Admiration leads to following

Charisma
Why Theory?
Describe, explain, predict
Why do we behave this way
Explains progression of leadership

Old school vs. modern leadership
Gives a full understanding of leadership
Theories Overview
Early Theories:



Great Man
Trait Theories
Attribution Theory
Behavioral Theories


Task vs. Relationship orientation
Leadership styles
Later Theories


Situational leadership
Contingency leadership
Early Theories
Great Man


Predestined for leadership
Birthing order, family, education,
upbringing

Born with leadership ingrained

Women rarely considered leaders
Early Theories
Trait Theories



Have certain traits for leadership
Have superior qualities that make them
a leader
Culturally determined traits
Early Theories
Attribution Theory

Leadership attributed to
actions & appearance
regardless of behavior

Good group…good leader

Bad group…bad leader
Behavioral Approaches
Behavioral Approaches
Describes leadership based on behaviors
exhibited
 Effective leaders show certain behaviors at
appropriate times
 You act like a leader to be perceived as one
 Ie.


Problem solving, managing participant behavior,
directing, communicating, serving as a role model
Behavioral Approaches
Management Grid

Task Orientation
 Concerned
with productivity
 Satisfaction derived from completion of task

People Orientation
 Concerned
with establishing good
relationships
 Emotional aspect of leadership
Behavioral Approaches
Leadership Styles
Autocratic

Authoritarian
Directs, or orders participants to do various
tasks without explanation
Does not allow for group input
Expect people to follow orders
Micro-manager

When is this style good?




Behavioral Approaches
Leadership Styles
Autocratic

When is this style good?



Need quick response
Dangerous activities – safety is an issue
Group has no skills
Behavioral Approaches
Democratic
Shared decision making
 Reasons for decision shared with the group
 Get group input
 Members feel a sense of responsibility
 Trust develops between leaders & followers
Leadership Styles


When isn’t this style good?
Behavioral Approaches
Democratic
Leadership Styles

When isn’t this style good?

Unskilled group

Immature group


Little knowledge of the situation by the
group
If quick decisions need to be made
Behavioral Approaches
Laissez-Faire
Leadership Styles



French - Leave it
alone, let it be
Leader tends to shy
away from the group
and decision-making
responsibilities
Group gets no
direction
Con’t



Sometimes leader
lacks confidence
Someone in group
usually takes over as
leader
Can be good and
bad…
Behavioral Approaches
Laissez-Faire
Leadership Styles

Good aspects

Used purposefully – see where group goes

Group dynamics can get stronger

Less reliance on leader
Behavioral Approaches
Laissez-Faire
Leadership Styles

Bad aspects
 Not
well received by some
 Group
 End
feels deserted
product is not appropriate
Later Theories
Situational Leadership



Takes into account the leader, followers, &
the situation
The situation dictates who will emerge as
the leader
If leader skills & challenge match, they will
emerge as the leader

New York, Italy, Thailand
Later Theories
Contingency Leadership


The style of leadership is contingent
upon the situation
Based on
1.
2.
3.
Relationship with the group
Task structure
Power of the leader
Later Theories
Others
Comprehensive view – p. 34
 Servant Leadership – p. 38
