Sport, Tourism, & Recreation Association (STAR)
I joined the Sport, Tourism, and Recreation Association (STAR) my freshman year and was elected to the board sophomore year as the Public Relations Chair. This year, my final year, I was elected as President of STAR. Before initially joining STAR I expected to do just what their mission statement said: “To educate members of and connect with professionals in the sport, tourism, recreation, entertainment, and events industry. STAR strives to assist members with gaining experience in the field through professional projects with organizations in the local community, state, and nation. Additionally, the group provides service and social opportunities to members.” As I became involved with the board, I hoped to learn how to apply my leadership skills to various situations and how to become an effective problem-solver.
I learned about leadership from many different perspectives throughout my time as a general member, on the board, and leader of STAR. As a member/follower, I saw an example first-hand of successful organizational change. The president at the time, John, wanted to implement a Reading Day Beach Bash for all members of STAR as well as all students, staff, and faculty in the College of Applied Health Sciences (AHS). John first took a systems thinking approach by looking at the AHS population as a whole. He then identified an area of need, specifically the time right before finals when students are the most stressed about the fast approaching finals. From here, he identified stakeholders that would be interested in helping sponsor the event or have their products available for the students to sample. The final step, forming a coalition was achieved when he asked the club for volunteers to help put the event together. This is where I volunteered. I knew I wanted to gain the support of stakeholders for this project because I felt it was a good first step for me to get involved with the club. It was my responsibility to take charge of contacting Jamba Juice, Silver Mine Subs, and Illini Union Bookstore. With my persistence, I was able to get 125 four-ounce smoothies donated from Jamba Juice, 6 free meals from Silver Mine Subs, and $30 in gift certificates to Illini Union Bookstore. This was achieved by taking the initiative to write the sponsorship letters, persistence in following up with the letters, and answering any questions the organizations may have had. With this work ethic I was able to get the stakeholders participation to support our event that would otherwise not have known about the opportunity to get their name directly to the students, staff, and faculty of AHS. My participation as a follower led me to see leadership from a different perspective in that I was the one taking the direction as opposed to assigning tasks.
This specific leadership initiative as a whole focused on systems thinking through project and program effectiveness. My role as a follower focused on communication skills and relationship building. By looking at the needs of the AHS population, John was able to conduct a successful systems thinking change initiative. By using effective communication skills to negotiate with the organizations, I was able to build relationships for future events. The organizations are now more likely to sponsor STAR events in the future because of the professional interaction they had for the Reading Day Beach Bash.
I can take this follower experience into any organization in which I work. The key to good leadership is having the support and active participation of the followers. Without active followers, a leader is not successful because they have not motivated or effectively instructed their followers. As a follower, I will make sure to ask for clarification should I need it.
One area in which I can improve as a follower is learning when my opinions are wanted and when to hold them in. This conflicts with my improvement learning goal #2 – to improve my self-confidence by not being afraid to give my opinion in class. Along with giving my opinion with no reservation, I need to realize that there is a time and a place for my opinion. As a follower I need to be sure my suggestions are not degrading or bashing others or their work, but constructive and helpful to the project.
