Comments on: Summer Camp Jobs: The Market for the Truly Exceptional is Better Than Ever

By: Joe Richards

Joe Richards — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:50:49 +0000

“Bill Ford hired someone who knew how to train people to live without a map.”

“In the face of an infinite sea of choices, it’s natural to put blinders on, to ask for a map, to beg for instructions, or failing that, to do exactly what you did last time, even if it didn’t work. Linchpins are able to embrace the lack of structure and find a new path, one that works.”

To live without a map, to find a new path – this is the essence of what we ask our summer camp staff to do. Every interaction they have, every day is different, every camper is different. We need to focus, as camp directors, on giving these opportunities to staff – on encouraging staff to see these opportunities so that when they are older they will be more comfortable without the map, seeking the new way.

By: Joe Richards

Joe Richards — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:15:43 +0000

At Pearce Williams we really focus on building the team with daily teamwork exercises but more importantly getting all the staff to buy into the job description that we have for all staff, “To do what needs to be done to make the campers stay the most amazing ever.” Getting across to our staff that they are all part of the staff puzzle – different people fill different needs – but that only together do they make the great picture.

By: Joe Richards

Joe Richards — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:56:11 +0000

As a camp that offers 8 one week sessions – we really try to get this across to staff that every week there are campers who are having their first week at camp – that the interactions need to be as enthusiastic as the first week.

Keeping staff and camp feeling different and new and better to parents and campers is always the big goal.

By: DavidBetz

DavidBetz — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:13:45 +0000

Godin's reminder on page 57 that we are ALWAYS invited to reinvent made an impression on me: “Every product you make represents an opportunity to design something that has never been designed, to create an interaction unlike any other.”

It sure is tempting to repeat a past success. Before we are even aware, the repetition transitions from Consistency to Boring.

By: jennselke

jennselke — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:51:35 +0000

What steps do you take (which have worked) to help you build, protect and sustain a linchpin culture amongst your staff from pre-hire to closing day?

I find it helps to have regular feedback time with staff so they know exactly what they are going that is indispensable. What you focus on will expand.

By: h2lifesaver

h2lifesaver — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:12:42 +0000

What if we substitute the words “Camp,” “Staff” or “Culture” for the word “job” in the quote about the law of linchpin leverage: “The more value you create in your [camp/staff/cutlure], the fewer clock minutes of labor you actually spend creating that value.” page 51
I'm interested in this specific thought because I think it gets to the heart of the tension which exists between wanting linchpin staff and wanting staff who will comply. My sense is that a staff as a whole perhaps may operate as a linchpin to the camp experience…or they may not. Camp is not made by a single linchpin but rather by thousands of linchpin-like actions from staff all across the camp. This perhaps gets to the root of how good staff and staff who aren't yet fully cooked (to steal a line from Jenn) are indispensible. The scary thought though is this, culture is what encourages this to happen. Culture also can allow mediocrity to exist. I see this especially in more senior staff who also may not yet be fully cooked. Brain development research has led us to the conclusions that most camp staff (simply because of their age) will not yet have reached maturity of judgment…most aren't yet fully cooked. So, it becomes a question of culture which either elevates and encourages the best from all staff, or which tolerates mediocrity because “what more can a person expect…they're just kids leading kids?” I think camp culture is critical to linchpin behaviors across all staff. If culture allows mediocrity, then even a good counselor may stand out…may even look like a linchpin, and in the end mediocrity will win.
I would like to ask the question in the group, what steps do you take (which have worked) to help you build, protect and sustain a linchpin culture amongst your staff from pre-hire to closing day?