Maybe you’ve seen it, maybe you haven’t—but either way, Parks and Recreation remains one of the most iconic TV series of the 2000s. For those unfamiliar, the show is a political satire sitcom set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, following the quirky employees of the local Parks and Recreation Department. Their leader and department deputy is an exceptionally optimistic lady named Leslie Knope. She has many notable qualities, but the one that shines through the most throughout the series is her true passion for leadership.
Now, this might sound like a strange comparison, but hear me out: The Parks and Rec Department of the Pawnee City Council actually shares some similarities with student body governments (including ours here at BCIT). Think about it—both have appointed leaders and follow a basic hierarchical structure. Both are concerned with representing and advocating for the members of their respective communities. Both are responsible for setting policies and making decisions. Leslie herself even resembles our acting student executives, with their shared commitment to leading and representing their respective communities. While it is admittedly a funny concept, there are valuable leadership lessons to be learned from a character like Leslie Knope.
E for Enthusiasm!
In both a city council and a student government setting, I would argue that enthusiasm, ambition, and overall drive are key traits of a successful leader. Leslie very much embodies these characteristics—just one of her many goals is to eventually become President of the United States, so I’d say that’s about as ambitious as you can get. In nearly every episode, Leslie’s enthusiasm toward her position and for serving her community is apparent, even though all odds seem to be against her.
Leaders in student government should also strive to be passionate about their roles. A leader without enthusiasm is basically just a regular person—that extra level of commitment is necessary to lead a group. Members of the BCIT Student Association (BCITSA) must balance academics with their government duties, much like Leslie going above and beyond her listed responsibilities.
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Having an enthusiastic attitude is great, but it will only get you so far. An effective leader must be able to work well under pressure and adapt to any circumstances. Leslie Knope’s unwavering determination to overcome challenges and pursue her goals really exemplifies her strength of character. Her first goal in Parks and Recreation is to fill a very large pit in town to build a park for the community, which sounds simple enough. But with each episode, she faces more and more obstacles, making it quite the drawn-out task. Despite all of this (and a few injuries sustained by other characters), Leslie eventually achieves her goal and fills the giant pit with dirt.
Her resilience is one of her most enduring traits, and the same can be said about our BCITSA leaders. Bureaucracy is no joke, and bringing about change on campus requires a ton of effort. Members of student government perpetually face this challenge, while Leslie’s trials are a bit more whimsical (but challenging nonetheless!).
A Voice for the Community
Strong determination and resilience often go hand in hand with a sense of devotion to community service, which can absolutely be said about both Leslie Knope and student government leaders. Leslie is a voice for the Pawnee community, while members of the BCITSA speak for the entire student population. This is no small task. Leslie has outpouring empathy for Pawnee residents, and she values inclusivity. Her goal as Parks and Recreation Department deputy is to advocate for her community and bring about positive changes that will benefit the majority. The same can be said about our BCITSA leaders, as BCIT has a very diverse and relatively large student population. Thus, meeting everyone’s needs is just as important to them as the happiness of Leslie’s community is to her.
Leadership can take on a variety of different forms. In the case of Parks and Recreation, that form is best portrayed by Leslie Knope. Despite being a fictional (and over-the-top) depiction of a leader, Leslie could still be used as an inspiration for our devout BCITSA executives. Move over, Machiavelli—a new gold standard for leadership hails from Pawnee!
