October 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 18

WE ARE PARKS AND RECREATION
Inspiring innovation requires supportive
leadership, realistic expectations, diverse
teams and adaptability.
officials focus on shorter time
horizons.
Strategic
leaders
set
realistic expectations, plan for
long-term impact and look for
short-term wins.
* Participation at all levels: Innovative
organizations proactively
listen to and involve staff at all
levels. Savvy leaders know some
of the
best
ideas come from
Ryan's Three Ps
1
2
Proactive: We seek out and implement
new solutions. We do
not wait to be asked to produce
what was done in the past. We
take the initiative to understand
business and community needs
and identify the best approach.
Progressive: We stay on top
of new tools and trends and
look outside our industry for inspiration.
We prioritize training
and professional development.
We aspire to be industry leaders.
We don't simply duplicate what
worked in the past or what others
are doing. We take risks and are
OK with occasional failures.
3
Purposeful: We think before
we jump on the bandwagon.
We avoid knee-jerk reactions
to momentary
challenges. We
identify a purpose before launching
new platforms or campaigns.
We build a business case before
making significant investments
of time or money. We take a measured
approach that reflects our
current resources.
18 Parks & Recreation | O CTOBER 2 0 2 3
Making Innovation Happen
Fortunately, inspiring innovation
in your organization does not require
a massive initiative, a dedicated
position or even using " the
I-word. " Inspiring innovation
in your organization requires
supportive leadership, realistic
expectations, diverse teams and
adaptability. Without these, your
organization may stagnate, miss
opportunities, see morale decline
and watch top talent leave.
Innovative organizations have:
* Vision and support from the
top: Innovative organizations
have leaders who see the big picture
and define " the Why " for
staff to rally around. Supportive
leaders provide resources to pilot
new initiatives and create an environment
where staff feel safe to
speak up and take risks.
* Realistic expectations: Innovative
organizations realize innovation
doesn't happen overnight;
it is often the result of incremental
change, experimentation and
failures. The payoff for impactful
changes may take years, even
decades,
while many elected
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
those doing the front-line work
and those closest to the customers.
Research shows that greater
diversity in the innovation process
leads to better results.
* Adaptability: Innovative organizations
are agile and adapt to
technological, economic and political
change. Adaptable leaders
recognize that dead-end projects
often offer valuable lessons and
unexpected new opportunities.
They realize
their people and
culture are a greater asset than
any specific initiative.
Do you want to create more value
for your community? Join me
at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 10,
at the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference
to discuss how to inspire innovation
in your organization. You
will leave with practical tools and
approaches to tap into the collective
genius of your staff and uncover
new ways to meet your community's
needs.
Author's Note: My articles and
presentations do not necessarily reflect
the views of current or previous employers,
boards and clients.
Ryan Hegreness is a Deputy Director of
South Suburban (Colorado) Park and
Recreation District (rhegreness@ssprd.
org).
PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN HEGRENESS
October 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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