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Welcome back to The Bend!
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The Bend follows a simple rhythm each week. The Eddy Line opens with a one-line thought or
observation, something short enough to remember but worth thinking
about. What the Current Pulled Toward dives a
little deeper into where the previous week’s energy went, whether that’s
a project, a partnership, or a personal lesson learned. Signal Fire highlights a person, place, or initiative
that deserves some attention. And One Thought Worth
Sitting With closes things out with a brief reflection or quote
that will hopefully help guide you through whatever you may be dealing
with.
It’s part journal, part field note, and hopefully
something that makes you pause for a moment before diving back into the
current.
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“Transparency makes leadership honest, not
easy.”
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What the Current Pulled Toward
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This week the current pulled toward
transparency.
I
spent the latter part of last week at the VRPS Directors Conference, an
event in its second year and picking up steam. It pulled together parks
and recreation directors, assistant/deputy directors, and other
high-level officials to discuss important topics like staff retention,
leveraging parks as economic drivers, and the ever-evolving expectations
placed on our profession.
I had the
opportunity to serve as one of the discussion facilitators and the
conversation that gained the most traction and engagement for me
centered on employee culture and navigating
change.
Having gone
through several iterations of organizational change myself (some handled
well, others not so much), I was genuinely curious to hear how other
directors are approaching it. What stood out most wasn’t some new
strategy or approach. Rather, it was something quite simple but
oftentimes harder to execute well: transparency.
Again
and again, leaders talked about the importance of being open with their
teams. Sharing both the wins AND the uncertainty. Explaining the “why”
behind decisions. Acknowledging when they don’t have all the answers.
Letting people see the full picture, even when that picture isn’t fully
formed. Apologizing and taking ownership for mistakes. What a
concept!
Transparency builds trust and
trust is what carries organizations through change. The opposite is just as powerful, though. When transparency
is missing, people start to fill in the gaps themselves, usually with
assumptions that lean negative. That’s when culture starts to erode.
More often than not, the change itself isn’t what’s causing the problem.
The change just isn’t communicated well.
Of all the things I’ve learned about leadership through the
years, I have to say that one of the more impactful traits is
acknowledging you don’t have everything figured out. A high functioning
culture creates an environment where people feel informed, respected,
and included, even when where you’re heading isn’t so clear.
And in a profession built on serving communities,
that internal culture matters just as much as the spaces and experiences
we create.
-
Mike.
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The work behind the
Claudius Crozet Blue
Ridge Tunnel Foundation is a great example of transparency,
partnership, and long-term vision coming together.
The tunnel itself, originally completed in 1858, was once
the longest railroad tunnel in the United States and a major engineering
achievement of its time.
After decades of
disuse, a coalition of public agencies, local governments, and community
partners came together to restore it as both a historic artifact and as
a recreational and educational asset for the region.
In addition to preservation, the foundation’s mission
focuses on regional collaboration, public-private partnerships, and
creating a shared asset that connects communities across Western
Virginia.
Like many great achievements,
what makes this one special is how this project came to life: through
alignment, communication, and a willingness to bring multiple
stakeholders to the table.
The best
outcomes, whether in infrastructure or organizations, are built on trust
through transparency.
To learn more about the Blue Ridge Tunnel, click
here.
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One Thought Worth Sitting With
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This week’s theme: Transparency.
“Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be
honest and transparent anyway.“
-Mother Teresa
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