The Chadock Group, LLC

We are hitting the middle of summer. Avoid the mid‑summer meltdown.

You know exactly what I’m talking about. All staff, part-time included, are going to start burning out from heat, long hours, and working more days than they are used to.

And when we are tired, habits slip.

The key to overcoming this is uniting as a team and remembering our values. Helping each other. Staying connected.

July 1 kicks off Parks and Recreation Month and this year’s theme is “The Power Of.”

As professionals, we get the opportunity to make an enormous difference in the lives of so many. It is a privilege. One major point highlighted by the National Recreation and Park Association is The Power of Connection. They focused on fostering relationships and community bonds, which I love and agree with.

But the connection I want to focus on first is the connection within our team. Because when our team is connected, our community feels it.

This is the time our team needs us the most.

Let’s highlight the TEAM Framework:

T – Teach Educate staff on culture, their role, belonging, and commitment to serving the community.

E – Equip Give staff the resources and training needed to be successful.

A – Attract Bring talent to the team and make your culture public and well known.

M – Maintain Even through busy times, maintain culture and standards. This builds expectation and consistency.

TEAM is not just a framework. It is how we protect culture and prevent burnout.

If we follow the TEAM Framework, we create buy‑in to our culture, what we do, and how we serve. This drives us to attract talent by way of referral. If your staff enjoy it, they will tell friends to join, and this builds the pipeline.

And here is the emotional cost when we do not support our team during July:

• Staff feel unseen
• Staff feel undervalued
• Staff feel disconnected
• Staff feel overwhelmed
• Staff lose joy in the work

July is the hardest month of the year. Peak programs. Peak heat. Peak staffing fatigue. This is when leadership matters most.

Each week this month, make it a point to do something so staff know they are appreciated and valued. Here are a few ideas:

1. Ice cream social
2. Team lunch break
3. Friday, July 17 host a team BBQ for lunch, it is Parks and Recreation Professionals Day
4. Visit the pool or summer camp and share boxes of snacks
5. Take a cooler full of water, Gatorade, and popsicles to the parks crew
6. Staff versus summer camp kids kickball for lunch

Most importantly, remember why we got into this field. Yes, heart of service. Also, fun. Go have fun this month one day each week with the team.

Now, as members of our communities, we should all enjoy this month and get out. Enjoy a park. Go swim in a lake, river, or pool. Head to your local recreation center or amusement park and let loose.

We are never too old to have fun, and frankly, sometimes we need reminders that it is ok for us to recreate as well.

Make July a great month. You and the TEAM have earned it. If you need support building connection, culture, or burnout‑proof systems, I am a DM away.