MAKE AND TAKE

LEADING TOGETHER: PARKS &

RECREATION—NO US & THEM

1. Please sign in with your Agency Name and the

number of people attending the webinar from your

agency today.

2. Type the names of those wanting CEUs for this

webinar with CEU after their name. (Jodi Rudick,

CEU)

3. Have you downloaded and printed a copy of your

handouts?

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CUSTOMER SERVICE

Quality is what the citizen/user wants and understands!

They don’t care or understand how you got there!

They see everyone working in your parks, facilities and agencies as “staff.”

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MEET OUR REGENTS

WHAT’S A REGENT? A REGENT IS A CPRS MEMBER

WHO TEACHES THEIR PEERS EACH YEAR AT MAINTENANCE

MANAGEMENT SCHOOL

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Tara Gee Bryan Peck

PLEASE RECORD IN YOUR POLLING AREA

We’re Just Curious!

How many of you have less than five years full or

part time experience working for a public park and

recreation agency (either city, county, special

district)

A. All of us

B. Half of us

C. Two thirds or more

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LET’S REVIEW - PRE-WEBINAR ASSIGNMENT

1. Can you please share an example document that demonstrates how

you communicate with other departments or divisions? How about a

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that explains procedures?

Please send to training@cprs.org.

2. Go to http://www.mindtools.com/page8.html to review ways to

communicate in person and in writing.

In your chat box – please share your

thoughts regarding the Mind Tool

resource…

• Were you familiar with them?

• Did you find them helpful?

• Have you used them in the past?

• Do you use other resources when

training staff around

communication matters?

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WHY THIS WEBINAR:

Explain skill sets needed to create colleague relationships.

Discuss communication strategies that reduce conflict in most relationships, creating an increase in teamwork for an organization.

Participate in a "we ask the experts" discussion on the relationship management process in a public parks and recreation organization.

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IN YOUR CHAT BOX PLEASE LIST…

What standing meetings or trainings do

you currently conduct to be sure all

divisions are communicating?

For instance:Maintenance and Child Care Program Staff?

Tree Division and Sport Camp Programmers?

Class Coordinators and Painters?

Others?

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PLEASE DISCUSS AND SHARE IN YOUR CHAT BOX

How often do these example situations occur

at your agency?

Which one do you hear the most?

"Can’t you bend the rules just this once?!”

Severely Angry Customers that stay angry

Complaints about transferring a Customer to the “right”

department

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So why is it so hardto communicate with

other staff?

PLEASE DISCUSS AND SHARE…

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TWO PART FEEDBACK

1. In the feedback box – Choose which of the

following are HARDEST to negotiate with:

A. Field Rental Groups

B. Recreation Staff

C. Parks Maintenance Staff

D. Something else (type in chat box)

2. In your chat box list reasons why these

are hard to negotiate with.

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WHAT WOULD YOU DO SCENARIO – SPORTS FIELD CLOSURE

Park Maintenance is looking for time (2 to 3 months) to close

multiple sports fields for renovation and rest! during the

growing season (April through August)

Renter demand, user groups, and in-house recreation programming want to utilize as much field space as possible—what do we do?

Discuss and share in your chat box…

What are some solutions? 11

SORRY, WE’RE CLOSED – CASE STUDY ACTIVITY

WHAT WOULD YOU DO SCENARIO – SPORTS FIELD CLOSURE

Park Maintenance is looking for time (2 to 3 months) to close

multiple sports fields for renovation and rest! during the

growing season. (April through August)

Service level changes?

Do user groups get priority because you are told you have to!

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How it really was

handled and if

the strategy was

effective!13

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What are some of the

“signs” or indicators that

are a warning for

misunderstanding or lack of

communication at all?

PLEASE DISCUSS AND SHARE

IN YOUR CHAT BOX…

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TREES GLORIOUS TREES - CASE STUDY ACTIVITY

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? SCENARIO

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The Facts:A national gas and electric company informs your agency that they are going to replace a major gas line that is 75 years old.

The gas line comes from the County property from the south and winds north/south through your City and connects up with County property on the north.

The new line is bigger and impacts city-maintained streetscapes, wetland Preserves and a municipal golf course in addition to some roadways.

The gas line standards requires no trees, existing or new, can be within 10’ of the new line.

Implications:This means that mature 30 year old trees in the streetscapes and 100 year old Oaks in the Preserves and in the golf course will have to be removed.

The oaks in the golf course are signature to the golf course and the Oaks in the Preserve are backdrops to high end homes where people have paid a premium to live next to the natural area.

Discuss and Share in your Chat Box…

As a PUBLIC Agency what are your

Concerns?

TREES GLORIOUS TREES CASE STUDY ACTIVITY

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? SCENARIO

AS THE PUBLIC AGENCY YOU WANT TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW LINE FOR ULTIMATE

PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO PROTECT THE AMENITIES THAT AFFECT

YOUR REVENUE (GOLF), THE QUALITY OF LIFE YOU OFFER YOUR RESIDENTS (MATURE

TREES), AND ENSURE YOU AREN’T ON THE HOOK TO FUND THE

REPAIRS/REPLACEMENT OF ASSETS YOU ARE CHARGED TO TAKE CARE OF.

Discuss and Share in Your Chat Box…

What are some solutions?17

TREES GLORIOUS TREES CASE STUDY ACTIVITY

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? SCENARIO

AS THE PUBLIC AGENCY, YOU WANT TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW LINE FOR ULTIMATE

PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO PROTECT THE AMENITIES THAT AFFECT YOUR

REVENUE (GOLF), THE QUALITY OF LIFE YOU OFFER YOUR RESIDENTS (MATURE

TREES), AND ENSURE YOU AREN’T ON THE HOOK TO FUND THE

REPAIRS/REPLACEMENT OF ASSETS YOU ARE CHARGED TO TAKE CARE OF.

Discuss and Share in Your Chat Box…

What are the

Compromises Made?

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How it really was

handled and if

the strategy was

effective!19

SITUATION SCENARIO –

RE-ASSIGNING WORK AREA RESPONSIBILITIES

THE ISSUE:

TRANSITIONING THE AGENCY-OPERATED COMMUNITY

CENTERS AND SPECIAL EVENTS FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO

ANOTHER.

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An agency policy change results in the need for specialty funded community center operations and recreation programs to transfer from one department (Economic Development to another -- Parks and Recreation) within a very short amount of time (3 months).

SITUATION SCENARIO –

RE-ASSIGNING WORK AREA RESPONSIBILITIES

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The Goals and Requirements:

Service delivery must not be interrupted

Programming levels must remain in tact to meet community needs.

The centers currently operate with

1) Contracted service providers,

2) Contracted employees, and

3) Agency staff.

All service and programming contracts must be re-assigned or renegotiated (50+)

Staff must be transitioned (from county department to special district).

SITUATION SCENARIO –

RE-ASSIGNING WORK AREA RESPONSIBILITIES

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As the new department responsible for operations

and maintenance of the centers, as well as the

recreation programming, your goal is to assume

responsibility in a seamless manner.

In addition to meeting customer needs, you must

meet elected-official expectations and negotiate

with a department who feels this transition is a

“loss” (they have pride of ownership).

You must also ensure the lights stay on, the grass

is mowed and the “promises” are kept.

SITUATION SCENARIO –

RE-ASSIGNING WORK AREA RESPONSIBILITIES

TRANSITIONING THE AGENCY-OPERATED COMMUNITY CENTERS AND

SPECIAL EVENTS FROM ONE DEPARTMENT TO ANOTHER.

Please discuss and share in your chat box….

What are some solutions?

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What if you lose

staff during this

process!

Any service level

changes?24

How it really was

handled and if

the strategy was

effective!25

YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG TO THINK

DIFFERENTLY!

Don’t teach people what to think but

how to think.

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PLEASE DISCUSS AND SHARE IN YOUR CHAT BOX

Please list some things you could add to your staff training that might develop co-worker relationships?

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PLEASE DISCUSS AND SHARE IN YOUR CHAT BOX

What keeps you

from doing

these?

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HOW ABOUT A DEPARTMENT-

WIDE STAFF RETREAT?

Yes, it’s a lot of planning work--start with the “end in mind” and work backwards

Who will champion this work?

Do you play games ( and why) and work in groups pairing up people who don’t normally work together?

Resource: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/structure/training-and-technical-assistance/retreats/main 29

PLEASE DISCUSS AND SHARE IN YOUR CHAT BOX

What are really good topic areas to

include in a retreat? Be specific please!

Communication?

Problem-Solving?

Re-defining Goals & Objectives?

Mending Fences After Conflict?

Others?

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FINAL THOUGHTS--DISCUSS AND SHARE IN YOUR

CHAT BOX:

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Who should have input into

your decisions? (now that you

have participated in this webinar)

What new ideas will help you

develop more effective co-worker

relationships?

NEXT MONTH’S WEBINAR…

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Event Facilitation

They Can’t, You Can, Win-Win

with André Pichly, Recreation Superintendent, City of West Sacramento

Wednesday, Nov 19** at 12:15pm

**Holiday adjustment

Thursday, Nov 20 at 10:30am

Don’t forget to do our survey now please!