This camp is a good example of giving and taking energy; waiting to get it, feeding off of it or not waiting for it and giving it in order to give it back. A band might say after a concert, "man, that was a great crowd. i could really feed off of their energy. we played our best show!" Or, "The crowd was dead to start. we really had to work our a@#$% off to get them."
The staff of this camp is nice enough. Good people, safe people, nice people. The leadership just hasn't built a culture of enthusiasm, energy, excitement and expectancy into the way they do things. The biggest missing element is encouragement and friendliness. "Hey John! Good morning! How are you doing today?" doesn't happen too much. "Thanks for coming up this week to speak at camp." "It's great to have you here." It seems that if a connection, a spark is going to be made, it's going to come from my end. People aren't overly friendly and they don't reach out to people well. I, as a guest speaker, stick my hand out to meet people or i have to start conversations. I believe that he Program Director should be coming up to me, encouraging me, encouraging the other staff, pumping them up and making everyone feel known and loved. He just doesn't connect well. He's all task and no people. well, not entirely no people, just way more task. He doesn't make eye contact often, even when he is talking to a group of 100 kids. i don't get feedback from him, positive or negative, or from the guy who is my main contact. (one might think at this point, "john, maybe you suck at being a camp speaker and that's why you aren't getting it." but i know it's not true. i've asked a few - wife, son, other - and they are positive about what i am doing. plus, i know i don't suck. i'm doing well this week.)
So on the energy thing. It's a situation where i know i need to "Bring it" instead of get it from the crowd. I need to give it off rather than wait to be energized by the staff.
It's a leadership thing. If the key leaders of the camp pumped their teams up and taught them to pump others full of enthusiasm, reach out and be friendly, it would make all the difference in the world.
Note to self - "Bring It" with my organization back home. Learn the lesson and live it, too.
The staff of this camp is nice enough. Good people, safe people, nice people. The leadership just hasn't built a culture of enthusiasm, energy, excitement and expectancy into the way they do things. The biggest missing element is encouragement and friendliness. "Hey John! Good morning! How are you doing today?" doesn't happen too much. "Thanks for coming up this week to speak at camp." "It's great to have you here." It seems that if a connection, a spark is going to be made, it's going to come from my end. People aren't overly friendly and they don't reach out to people well. I, as a guest speaker, stick my hand out to meet people or i have to start conversations. I believe that he Program Director should be coming up to me, encouraging me, encouraging the other staff, pumping them up and making everyone feel known and loved. He just doesn't connect well. He's all task and no people. well, not entirely no people, just way more task. He doesn't make eye contact often, even when he is talking to a group of 100 kids. i don't get feedback from him, positive or negative, or from the guy who is my main contact. (one might think at this point, "john, maybe you suck at being a camp speaker and that's why you aren't getting it." but i know it's not true. i've asked a few - wife, son, other - and they are positive about what i am doing. plus, i know i don't suck. i'm doing well this week.)
So on the energy thing. It's a situation where i know i need to "Bring it" instead of get it from the crowd. I need to give it off rather than wait to be energized by the staff.
It's a leadership thing. If the key leaders of the camp pumped their teams up and taught them to pump others full of enthusiasm, reach out and be friendly, it would make all the difference in the world.
Note to self - "Bring It" with my organization back home. Learn the lesson and live it, too.
2 comments:
It's a situation where i know i need to "Bring it" instead of get it from the crowd. I need to give it off rather than wait to be energized by the staff.
Leadership by example! Going by what I've read from your blog so far, leading by example seems to be inherent to you. Keep on keeping on!
leadership by trial and error. i think i learn what leadership IS when i get to see an example of what it ISN'T. i'm just stumbling through.
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