Leadership

Leadership is the process of motivating others to work to meet specific goals and objectives. "Leadership is deliberately causing people-driven actions in a planned fashion for the purpose of accomplishing the leader's agenda" (Crosby 2). A leader motivates others to action. Thus, it is the motivation of others and their actions that defines a successful leader. In other words, leadership is the art and science of getting others to perform and achieve a vision. Therefore, leadership is not only reflected in performance, no matter how good that performance is, but in accomplishment. As a leader one's focus should be on accomplishing those leadership goals, whether in a personal, community or charitable, business, political, or industrial forum.

Leadership connotes a willingness to stand as an example, as well as to guide and, or, influence others in attaining a goal. Effective leadership begins with the same strengths that can be found in a healthy personality structure. Developing leadership skills is, from this perspective, the same process as attaining a strong sense of personal identity and worth. Style of leadership is often the defining characteristic of behavior observed as specific to leaders. The competencies of successful leaders are understood to be adaptive coping responses regulated across many different spheres of individual functioning, cognitive beliefs and expectations, emotional reactions, and intentions that may impede goal attainment.

There are different types of Recreation leaders you have the direct service leader this is the leader that is more face to face with their problems or situations verses hiding. This could be your playground leader, tennis coach, dance instructor, camp counselor, tour guide, or many of the positions found within the recreation agencies. Supervisory leader is usually the one working at the middle level this particular leader skills change according to the job. Last but not least you have the administrative leader who's usually at the top a main focus is on planning, developing, controlling, and evaluating services for the entire recreation organization. Although basic leadership skills apply to all of these they all have differences between each other. Leadership functions are those professional and personal tasks that enable leaders to influence others. Having the title of a leader is not everything you're not a leader until you have behaved in certain ways. There are many functions that describe the actions and methods of a recreation leader. There are technical functions which include having the use of knowledge, methods, techniques, and equipment necessary for the performance for the task. Being able to work with and through people is a human relation function that is needed to complete the task. Conceptual function is probably one of the most important functions which know ones place. Knowing your role in the field is most important because then you could understand your position to be able to strategically plan for the position. The degree of functioning that the leader exhibits in technical, human relations and conceptual areas varies according to the specific job description. There are roles of recreation leaders. The leader must take on the role of a communicator communication is important and it should be studied and practiced. The leader is an enabler this is the role that requires that the leader help people to grow in their ability to solve, cope with, or satisfy their own recreational needs and interest. The leader must be and innovator this is the person who is able to play with, juggle, rearrange, and visualize old ideas so that they become new ideas. The leader is also has the role of a dreamer this person not only observes change but also responds to it and causes it. Being a teacher is also in important role of a leader as taking on the teacher role the leader must be able to understand and use the basic concepts of learning. The leader must have coordinating skills because this