LEADERSHIP MESSAGE Jamie Baringer
ISIU Certified Arena Executive (CAE) Schools/Colleges/Universities Representative to the ISI Board of Directors
SEEK KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING TO LEAD SUCCESSFULLY EMPLOYEE
Next to swimming pools, ice arenas are one of the most complex facilities to operate. Not only do they need to be flexible and attuned to the needs of the community they service, but they also need to be managed by trained professionals to ensure their success.
When I began working in the industry, I had only skated five times in my life. As a non-skater, I needed to learn about the ice sports industry. In 2005, I attended my first ISI conference, where I was able to network and attend seminars to begin learning about this multi-faceted industry as well as the ISI, the trade association that facilitates professional development and industry growth.
Next, I began taking ISI University (ISIU) courses (formerly known as iAIM). The knowledge and skills I learned not only helped me become a better leader but also helped my staff grow professionally. Part of the responsibility of owners, operators and managers is to take what they learn from professional development courses and conferences and share it with their staffs. This practice improves the quantity and quality of the organization’s output, increases the chance of organizational success, decreases risk within the organization and improves the overall management of the organization.
What distinguishes a good leader or manager from a mediocre one? This is an important question for anyone who is a manager, striving to become one or in search of a manager for their facility. Unfortunately, all too often someone is recruited to become a manager in the sports industry without being given a good idea of what successful management in the sports industry entails.
As a manager, it is essential to not only understand how your staff members learn but to also gauge the readiness level of employees. As assistant athletic director of arena operations at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, I have four full-time employees, three graduate-level student staff/ interns, and 134 student employees that directly or indirectly report to me. I also have four to five various other employees who work for my facility but do not report to me. Knowing how to assess their level of readiness to learn/train is extremely important to the success of my leadership as well as the success of the overall facility
My leadership style is grounded in contingency/situational leadership, based on theories by Kenneth Blanchard, Paul Hersey and Dewey E. Johnson, who suggest that leaders adapt their leadership style based on the following development and readiness level of employees:
• Readiness Level 1 (R1): An employee characterized by a low level of competence and insecurity, who also lacks commitment and motivation.
• Readiness Level 2 (R2): The employee lacks ability but is motivated and making an effort. He or she needs the leader for guidance.
• Readiness Level 3 (R3): The employee has high competence but is insecure about using his or her ability alone.
• Readiness Level 4 (R4): The employee has both high competence and commitment and needs little direction, except when making a substantial decision.
READINESS LEVELS
READINESS LEVEL 1 (R1) Low Competence
READINESS LEVEL 2 (R2) Unable but Willing
READINESS LEVEL 3 (R3) Able but Insecure
READINESS LEVEL 4 (R4) High Competence
LEADERSHIP STYLES
LEADERSHIP STYLE (S1) “Tells”
LEADERSHIP STYLE (S2) “Sells”
LEADERSHIP STYLE (S3) “Participates”
LEADERSHIP STYLE (S4) Delegates & Observes
Once I assess the readiness levels of my employees, I adopt the corresponding leadership style, as suggested by Blanchard, Hersey and Johnson. Levels are as follows:
• Leadership Style (S1): Corresponds with a Readiness Level 1 employee and is characterized by a leader that “tells” the employee what to do through one-way communication that focuses on tasks.
• Leadership Style (S2): Relates well to a Readiness Level 2 employee. The leader “sells” to the employee and provides direction on tasks, but there is an opportunity for more dialogue. In addition to telling these employees what to do, they also provide the “why?” The leader explains, persuades and clarifies tasks.
• Leadership Style (S3): The leader “participates” in the conversation, provides fewer task-related behaviors and begins to maintain a high relationship with the Readiness Level 3 employee.
• Leadership Style (S4): The leader delegates and allows the Readiness Level 4 employee to self-direct himself or herself. The leader monitors and observes the employee and also delegates activities while only providing support. The employee goes to the leader for decision-making as needed.
The leader’s job and approach should never be the same with each person or group. Approaching each individual in a way that gets them to react positively is an essential tool leaders must learn in order to reap the rewards of a successful staff and facility.
Proper training for ice arena owners, managers, operators, and part-time/ seasonal staff will aid in the success of facility operations for increased facility outcomes. And that is why seeking opportunities to enhance professional development through reading, networking and attending industry seminars and conferences is so vital to a leader’s role.
My industry knowledge and leadership style continue to evolve, and my approach is based deeply in the beliefs of situational leadership as well as
professional development. FAL L 2 018 5
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