February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 10
WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
Stay Sharp and Stay Ahead!
Encouraging innovation in parks and recreation
By Debbie Woodbury, CPRP, MPA, SHRM-CP
" We've always done it
this way! " Talk about an
innovation diminisher.
Not everyone loves change. People
often find comfort in the familiar,
and introducing something
new can be met with resistance.
How often have
you proposed
an idea and heard, " What if it's
too complicated? " or " What if it
doesn't work as well? " Yes, change
and innovation can create uncertainty
and fear. However, don't let
the initial response deter you from
moving forward.
Innovation challenges the status
quo and opens the door to fresh
possibilities.
What's the difference between
change and innovation? Change
involves adjusting to what already
exists, while innovation is about
creating something new and exciting.
Innovation challenges the
status quo and opens the door to
fresh possibilities. So, why don't
we fully embrace innovation and
set ourselves apart? Because many
people prefer the comfort of what
they already know, and new ideas
can feel unnecessary or overwhelming.
But it doesn't have to
be that way if introduced properly
and intentionally.
Introducing Innovation
Ideally, every office should foster
an innovation-friendly atmosphere
for staff. It's beneficial when team
members feel encouraged to speak
up when they see opportunities for
improvement. For example, imagine
park visitors struggling to find recycling
bins. In an innovation-friendly
environment, a team member might
suggest rearranging the placement
of the bins, adding better signage or
even using an app to help visitors locate
them. Small changes like these
can greatly impact operations and
community satisfaction. Innovation
should be seen as finding creative
solutions to improve programs, services
and spaces for everyone - not
something to fear.
Adapting to change can feel challenging,
especially when it disrupts
the familiar. The key is to focus on
the bigger picture with a positive
and proactive mindset. Instead of
10 Parks & Recreation | FEBR U AR Y 2 0 2 5 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
viewing change as something to
fear, think of it as an opportunity
to grow and improve. When a new
initiative is introduced, it's helpful
to ask questions that provide clarity
and context, such as:
* What's happening?
* Why is it happening?
* How will it affect the team or
community?
* What's the plan for making it
work?
These questions not only help
you understand the situation, but
also enable you to better support
your team. By staying calm and
focused, you can become a trusted
voice in the group and help turn
challenges into opportunities and
change into chance.
Overcoming Barriers
Innovation comes with its own set
of obstacles, but these challenges
can be addressed with the right approach.
One common hurdle is resistance
to change. People may hesitate
to adopt new ideas because they're
comfortable with the status quo. In
these situations, empathy and communication
are key. Taking the time
to explain why change is happening
and how it will benefit the team or
community can ease concerns.
The key to overcoming these
challenges is to explain the " why "
and help your team understand the
purpose behind the change. It's not
enough to simply know what's being
introduced; understanding the reasoning
behind it can make all the difference.
When a new system or pro
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2025 – Parks & Recreation
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Intro
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover1
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover2
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 1
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 2
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 3
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 4
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 5
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 6
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 7
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 8
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 9
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 10
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 11
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 12
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 13
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February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 18
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 19
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 20
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 21
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February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 40
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 41
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 42
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February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 45
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 46
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 47
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 48
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 49
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 50
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 51
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 52
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 53
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 54
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 55
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 56
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover3
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2025
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2025
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
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