Munich, Germany and Innsbruck, Austria
Munich, Germany
PRT 359: Organizational Leadership in Parks, Recreation and Tourism
This class focused on the development of skills in leadership, management, group dynamics, team decision-making, and employee supervision in the delivery of sport, recreation, and tourism services. It also provided a cross-cultural perspective on this industry in the US, Germany and Austria with emphasis on problems and solutions associated with this field.
Topics discussed included the debate surrounding major sporting events, climate threats, influence of stakeholders, and ethics.
TSV Schliersee
During our time in Munich, we visited a small sports club about an hour train ride south of the city. It was a small ski town with a lot of charm!
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This excursion provided insights into the small sports club business. The president of the club is highly respected and has created a safe, welcoming environment for children and adults to come play sports.
The push for mega sporting events like the Olympics and World Cup has taken money away from small, local sports clubs that have an impact on their community. It was uplifting to see a business like this flourishing because of Schliersee's support and appreciation. We were so impressed by the President's ambition and mission that we made a donation, becoming the club's first international donors.
Site Visit: City of Munich Sports
To get a better idea of the Parks, Recreation and Tourism industry in Munich, I was assigned the sports sector from the City of Munich. My group and I virtually met with Florian Tham, one of the directors of the sports sector to understand the organization better. We learned about his leadership philosophy, which is people-focused and driven by his desire to give back to others.
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It was interesting to learn about what is required to host city-wide sport programs and events. There are a lot more logistical hurdles than I initially anticipated, which made me respect Florian for sticking with City of Munich despite all of the restrictions City Council imposes.
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We also conducted a SWOT analysis of the organization and what might impact them in the future as mega sporting events are dominating the sports industry.
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Values & Ethics
Our interview with Florian from City of Munich Sports was eye-opening. He empowered me to find work that aligns with my values, instead of getting caught up in an organization that encourages cheating, deception and bribery. His decision to step back from mega sporting events and refocus on smaller community events was risky, but ultimately left him more fulfilled and motivated. Although he reminded me of myself and my values, I sense that there are not many people like him in this field, as he mentioned how tempting money and fame was in the mega sporting machine. The past couple weeks have been a wake-up-call that I may find myself in situations that challenge my ethics and values, and I may have to work beside leaders with different intentions than mine.
