Examining the Perspectives of Campus Recreation Professionals on the Evolution of their Leadership Styles and Strategies

Abstract

Considering the breadth and complexity of Campus Recreation departments, and the expectation to deliver high quality programs for the campus stakeholders, leadership is an integral part of the department’s success. The purpose of this study was to examine Campus Recreation professionals’ perspectives on their leadership styles and strategies. Two research questions will guide the study: a) how do Campus Recreation professionals believe their leadership styles and strategies influence employee development and evolution? b) Do Campus Recreation professionals adapt their leadership styles as their employees evolve in their roles? In this Basic Qualitative Study, semi-structured interviews were conducted using an interview guided composed of 22 question and multiple probing questions. Blanchard’s Situational Leadership II model was adopted as the Theoretical Framework and was used as a backdrop for this study. The overarching theme was Leadership, the three main themes were; Campus Recreation – Knowledge and Experience, Leaders and Leadership in Campus Recreation and eleven sub-themes extracted from the data. In the end, the importance of an Onboarding plan and the introduction of a reputable leadership model were two of the biggest takeaways to help Campus Recreation professionals not only help develop the next generation of leaders, but help them succeed in their roles.