Recreation Leadership

STUDY RECREATION LEADERSHIP ONLINE

Train to be an effective Recreation Leader

An excellent starting point for anyone wishing to work in the field of recreation -conducting recreation programs or one to one as a recreation or youth leader. This module will develop knowledge and understanding of leadership qualities of the fitness workers in the industry.

Lesson Structure

There are 7 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Leadership
   • Nature, scope and purpose
   • Leadership in Recreation
   • Leadership Concepts
   • Four Framework Leadership Model
   • Scope of Leadership
   • Leisure Leadership
   • Negligence -Legal Liability
   • Providing Protection
   • Understanding Legal Requirements and Controls
   • Qualities of a Recreation Leader
2. Leadership Characteristics/Qualities
   • Effective Leadership
   • Leadership Styles
   • How People become Leaders
   • Situational Leadership Theory
   • Life Cycle Leadership
   • The Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid
   • Informal Leadership
   • Inspirational Theories
   • Path Goal Theory
   • Instrumental Theories
   • Motivation
   • Maslow's Theory of Motivation
   • Poor Leadership
3. Interpersonal Relationships.
   • Interpersonal Skills
   • Dealing with Problem Situations
   • Stubborn Clients
   • Clients who do not Listen
   • Assertion or Aggression
   • Body Language
   • Types of Non Verbal Communication
4. Communication Skills
   • Principles of Communication
   • Leadership Communication
   • Understanding Communication Barriers -culture, senses, perception, wellbeing, etc
   • Miscommunication
   • Listening
   • Gaining attention
   • Questioning
   • Feedback
   • Public Speaking
   • Telephone Skills
5. Team Building.
   • Leading Effective Teams
   • Team Benefits
   • Ways to Start a Team
   • The Elements of a Team,
   • Problems and solving Team Problems
   • Types of Team Members
   • Leadership Responsibilities
   • Team Leadership
   • Shared Leadership
   • Democratic Leadership
   • Relationship Building with Clients
   • Loyal Customers
   • Discount Customers
   • Needs Based Customers
   • Impulse Customers
   • Physical Factors
6. Systematic and Lateral Thinking.
   • Think of the Right Approach
   • Understanding Cognition
   • Lateral Thinking
   • Systematic Thinking
   • Win win Negotiation
7. Applications
   • Significance of leadership.
   • Role and tasks of leadership.
   • Integration of factual information with theoretical information to derive a sensible solution to a leadership problem in a sensible timeframe.
   • Planning the development and building of the team to achieve these aims.
   • Planning actions for sustaining and motivating the team to achieve the aims.
   • Information on a plan of action to organize events

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Describe the nature and scope of Leadership.
• Determine the qualities which are required in a leader, in different leadership situations, including the workplace, recreation industries and developmental applications.
• Manage interpersonal relationships in support of effective leadership.
• Communication leadership messages effectively to those you lead.5. Team Building.
• Explain methods that may be used for effective team building by a leader.
• Select appropriate thought processes to follow in order to deal with different leadership problems.
• Lead teams through innovative and creative processes

Sample Extract from Course Notes:

Recreation activities can also be referred to as fun activities. In the simplest explanation, recreation is the term given to time spent in a manner which is intended to offer refreshment and overall be an enjoyable, fulfilling experience. Recreation generally requires active participation, but is emotionally uplifting. The concept of active vacations exemplifies this.

In order for a successful recreation vacation, or full-time recreation, or part-time hobby or class (e.g. dance class) to run effectively, those people leading the group, session, trip etc – need to be skilled in their area of recreation and have skills in leadership.

For example a martial arts instructor, not only performs and teaches martial arts techniques to others, but will also have leadership qualities which enable him/her to organise the group and other staff to ensure the lessons are effective and safe.

Recreation and Leisure is important for a variety of reasons, in addition to those outlined already:

•  Recreation is important in promoting quality of life.
•  It increases self esteem and confidence.
•  Gives people the opportunity to make their own choices.
•  It gives satisfaction, enjoyment and pleasure.
•  It enables us to become involved and feel part of the community.
•  It increases the opportunity to gain and develop new friendships.
•  It allows us to be challenged, take risks and experience new things.
•  It bridges the gap between attending and participating in the community.
•  It allows people to contribute their skills and feel a sense of belonging and accomplishment.
•  It promotes friendships through shared experiences.

LEADERSHIP IN RECREATION

Leadership is important in society generally. Leaders are needed, and found in all aspects of our daily life, from the workplace to the school ground; and from the social club to government. When leadership is good, there is an increased probability of things being achieved with greater efficiency, and a higher level of satisfaction amongst all concerned.

Good leadership is however not something a person is born with. Certain personal traits, such as self confidence, may give some an advantage over others; but effective leadership requires more than simply a forceful personality that is capable of dominating everyone else.

A leader is not the same as a manager or supervisor. This is a key point to remember. Managers and supervisors are able to cause things to happen because they have legal authority to enforce orders. Leaders do not cause things to happen because of any legal authority.

People follow leaders of their own free will; and leadership skills are those skills that allow a leader to effectively communicate with, and influence the actions of their followers. Leaders are people who are in a position of power, and who use that position to influence the environment in which they abide, and the others who share that environment.

Leadership contributes to order, motivates productivity, and influences the way in which resources (human and material) are used.

Positive leadership enables things to happen. The leader in effect influences the environment in a way that encourages certain actions. Negative leadership disables things from happening.

Leaders have an affect upon the environment through different types of actions:

•  By setting goals (eg. Time limits, production standards, budgets, etc)
•  By determining values (eg. Levels of quality, ethical behaviour, reliability, etc)
•  By establishing concepts (eg. Different ways of doing things, Project reviews, new management approaches)

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