Central Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, June 17, 2003

CIL STANDS FOR CERTAINLY INTERESTING LINEUP

I had just returned to work from an extended Memorial Day weekend when I noticed a package on my desk, from Deputy Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey, that contained a letter inviting me to attend a workshop on "building strategy and alignment" for Parks & Recreation’s public program providers.

The retreat, coordinated by Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey and conducted pro bono by the international consultant group Centre for Innovative Leadership (CIL), aimed to create a synergy within all public programs providers – a cohort that the group eventually dubbed the "PPPs". As such, the meeting room was lined with various representatives from the Parks sphere: the Central Park Conservancy, City Parks Foundation, Partnerships for Parks, Recreation, and the Urban Park Rangers. Participants varied in everything from tenure at Parks & Recreation, educational focus, and title, but those differences proved to be crucial in bringing new ideas, perspectives, and opinions to the proverbial table, which in our case turned out to be an easel-supported flip chart.

In three days, CIL co-facilitators Louis van der Merwe and Michael Kann led us through a number of activities designed to help us set collective goals and identify ways in which they can be achieved. We were bombarded with terms like "purpose," "desired results," "current realities," "action plans," and "strategic leverage areas." We spent hours establishing expectations and ground rules, creating the mission of Public Programs, discussing the historical evolution of the agency, identifying leadership fundamentals, and assessing our strengths and weaknesses. Always demanding, these activities became the mental equivalent of boot camp.

Although the retreat had many spirited moments, the group remained extraordinarily focused, and identified three main issue areas to help public program providers achieve their overall purpose of providing high-quality programming to New York City youth: enhancing facilities management, improving program standards, and improving in-service training. The retreat culminated with group presentations to Commissioner Benepe, who provided his input into, and support for, our new projects.

Despite the laundry list of clients that CIL serves, the workshop co-facilitators distinguished Parks & Recreation by its overall commitment and energy. "You care about the public who use the parks, the youth of the city, each other, and your leadership," said Mr. van der Merwe, who recently consulted African health ministers on formulating a continental HIV/AIDS policy. Added Mr. Kann of the group, "It was great to see people from different entities and backgrounds work selflessly together, for the good of the Parks system, and to be spontaneously inclusive of those colleagues who did not participate in the workshop."

Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey agrees with the co-facilitators’ assessment. "The energy, dedication, and enthusiasm of this group exceeded my expectations, and once again affirmed for me the vital role we at Parks & Recreation play for so many New York City residents," he said.

At the start of the retreat, I asked myself, "What could we possibly accomplish in three days’ time?" The answer: more than I ever expected. The workshop helped bring the PPPs closer together, provided an arena for dialogue, created focus for our respective organizations, and helped break down traditional obstacles that have kept public program providers from working as a cohesive whole.

"All or nothing."

(1828-1906)

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center