Running head: LEADERSHIP ACTION PLAN

Leadership Action Plan

Leadership in Recreation and Leisure Services 220-01
Jackson S. Haak
December 1, 2014

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Personal Leadership Assessment

When declaring my major in the spring of my sophomore year I was sure that I wanted to
pursue a major in Recreational Management. As I was talking to Dr. Matthew Chase about which
classes I would take, he advised me to take this class called Leadership in Recreation and
Leisure. I have always been told that I am a good leader throughout my educational career by my
parents, fellow classmates, and teammates. This class sparked my interest from the start because
it showed me an innovative avenue of different ways in which I could be an even better leader
than I already was perceived to be. Throughout this paper I will be talking about what different
leadership exercises helped me grow in the process of becoming a better leader, what theories I
plan on incorporating in my own path in leadership style, and what plan I have for my next two
years in terms of pursing my degree in Recreational Management, where I can continue to
educate and improve my own personal leadership skills.
Challenge Course
Since selecting my major in the spring of 2014 as Recreational Management major, I did
not know what quite to expect for my incoming classes in this fall quarter. From my past
experience as a student in many other college classes, I assumed this class would be like the rest.
I anticipated it to be lecture based, involving taking copious notes and having the usual reading
assignments, quizzes, and tests. I am glad to say that I obtained the wrong assumption. From the
start of the first week of classes, we were told that this class is mostly facilitation based, meaning
it would be more hands on leadership building skills, which in turn would help us become better
leaders. I was ecstatic to hear this information. One specific leadership exercise that helped me
grow as a better leader was the day of the challenge course. The majority of the activities that our

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class partook in involved us being placed in a small group setting of about twelve students. From
working alongside these twelve students, I gained different leadership skills and attributes from
each one of them, and especially from our lead facilitator; and professor here at Eastern
Washington University, Christopher Cindric. One important leadership skill in which I learned
from him was the way in which he brought my group together for a debriefing on what had
occurred after we planned some type of leadership/team building game. In my opinion,
debriefing may be one of the hardest things to do as a leader and a facilitator, but it is also the
most important and crucial step towards building a strong team in many areas of life. Without
evaluating what worked and did not work, a group is unable to grow together. Debriefing and
evaluating are skills that I will try to incorporate in my daily life when trying to be a better leader
down the road.
Enhancing Leadership Quality
When trying to incorporate different skills as a leader, one may have to use material other
than simply facilitation in order to continue to grow as a leader. The book Exploring Leadership:
For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference was a book that could help one continue to
grow as a leader. While reading this book for various different class assignments, I gained
several different styles of leadership skills from numerous leaders that will help me down the
road as I continue my profession into leadership. One concept that should pertain to all is that of
understanding cultural diversity/competence. As it reads in the book in chapter 5, Effective
leaders need to develop an appreciation for multiculturalism to build inclusiveness,
collaboration, and common purposes. (Komives, p. 196) It is my job as recreational and leisure
profession to establish a well rounded attitude and understanding on cultural diversity. In many
different areas of life, one will always be called to work with others from different backgrounds.

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As leaders, it is our job to accommodate to these differences and accept where each and every
culture comes from and the differences it entails. This section in the book helped me be able to
apply this ideology when I was coaching an extremely diverse group of young 6th grade boys on
a basketball team. There were kids of all different ethnicities- African American, Hispanic,
Caucasian, and Asian. Not only were their ethnicities different from each other, but also their
socio-economic statuses were different from mine. Being raised in an upper class white home, I
had far more opportunities than my players at their age. Despite our differences, I was a better
coach and leader to my players because I was able to get the team together and understanding
where each and every member was from.
Another concept I learned in the book lied heavily in chapter 4. This chapter was about
discovering, developing, and using talents and strengths. When growing up, many of my peers,
family members, teachers, and coaches often told me my own strengthens and talents, rather than
me discovering them on my own. This chapter helped me focus on what exactly my strengths
and my weaknesses are. One strength that I think I have always been with me since childhood
would be toughness. Out of this book I read called Toughness: Developing True Strength On and
Off the Court by Jay Bilas he defines toughness in many different ways, but I would like to think
my true strength I mental toughness. Whether it be in my schooling, my coaching, or my daily
life mental toughness is one great skill to have. With getting stressed about assignments in school
and I just do not think I can do it because I like the skills or talent mental toughness drives me to
finish. The book says, Ill take true toughness over talent any day. Toughness wins. Toughness
prevails. But when you combine talent and true toughness, that combination can be unbeatable
(Bilas, p. 19). The book could not have said it any better when talking about weaknesses, it
states, if you manage your weaknesses rather than trying to fix them, you will have more time

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to focus on your strengths (Komives, p.164). I can relate to this because I often to try to fix my
weaknesses rather than focusing on my strengths and continue to build on them. These various
skills have helped myself enhance and build on my strengths as a better leader to any audience in
which I present, facilitate, or even coach to.
Two-Year Plan
In the next two years of my education at Eastern Washington University, I plan on
applying for various youth sports coaching opportunities at locations at Airway Heights, Spokane
and Cheney. Also, I plan on applying for internship jobs either in my hometown of Sunnyside,
Washington helping at our Park and Recreation program, or the Park and Recreation program in
Airway Heights. In the summer of 2015 I hope to gain experience coaching various football and
basketball camps at YMCA in the Pacific Northwest region. I plan to use the various concepts,
theories, and hands on experiences in which I gained through this class and put it to use through
these potential job opportunities. When I graduate I hope to gain my degree in Recreation
Management with a minor in both leadership, health and fitness, and coaching. I want to then
apply to various graduate schools in order to obtain my masters in the same degree. My dream
job and quest I hope to turn into a reality some day is to become an athletic director and coach of
a large high school in the Pacific Northwest.
Conclusion
Not only did I enjoy the various group activities such as the challenge course, knot tying,
and new games, but I also learned a value of skills in the process. These skills have taught me
how to facilitate well within a large or small group and leadership qualities that have developed
my talents and strengths as a leader. They have also given me a clear and concise plan on where I
want my college career to end up. These next few years of college will challenge me, but I know

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the various tools and skills I have learned in this class will be a great help to me in my future as a
Recreation and Leisure student.

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References
S. R. Komives, N. Lucas, T. R. McMahon. (Eds.), Exploring Leadership: For College Students
Who Want to Make a Difference (pp. 164 & 196). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 2013.
J. Bilas (Eds.), Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court (pp. 19). New York,
NY: New American Library. 2013.