Many people in the industry of Outdoor Recreation are faced with the question- “What is my job description?” Friends and relatives see the career choice as continuously low-stress, high-fun.
The idea of guiding groups into the wild lands, summiting peaks, and mastering hard technical skills is exhilarating. This is very true in a lot of ways. Many choose the this path in life to avoid cubicle stress, corporate ladders, and unfulfilling workloads.
Behind of facade of the ‘dream job’ however, is a myriad of unspoken mental stretch. I’m writing about the great skill that an adventure coordinator learns, The Art of Empathy.
To be an Outdoor leader, you must assume that you will be around people. What a lot don’t realize, though, is that they should have the personality trait of friendliness. If that does not come readily available, they should excel at faking it, or “pretending to care”. This may seem a harsh way of saying it. I believe that I’m realistic when I say that to be a great adventure trip leader, guide, outdoor educator, or instructor, you must be a good people-person.
I’m going to give some guidelines that should be very beneficial to a leader planning any sort of trip, whether it be backpacking, white-water rafting, mountaineering, or climbing.
Paul Petzoldt said it well when he stated, "I have three rules for leaders in the outdoors: You have to know where the people you're leading are coming from, you have to know what you want to do with them, and you have to love them."
Humans are as diverse as possible. These differences can be avoided, hidden, or appear similar when in the comforts of your own environment. But a group of customers, or students, will be coming from all corners. The polarities will inevitably be pushed to the surface by the simplicity of being in nature.
Trying your best as leader of understanding your group is essential to the happiness of them, and you.
At the beginning of a trip, possibly the pre-trip meetings, is the time to open up on these differences.
Start with a few ice-breaker games to get relaxed and comfortable.
~Get to know each other.
~Find out similarities.
~Celebrate Differences
Next, you want people to feel confident that A) they are in a positive environment to learn new skill,
and/or
B) they have the tools to succeed. To do this, try to discover individual strengths. Build these up by placing people in roles that are somewhat challenging for them.
~~~Allow room for many mistakes.~~~~ :)
~Understand that men and women have extremely different views on comfort levels, strengths, and skills. Know that to make a successful co-ed group perform at it’s peak, each person should feel valuable. This can be done in many small ways. Remember to avoid outdated terms that downsize women.
~Understand that although men generally have more body strength, women are typically better at soft skills, such as facilitating, and comforting.
~ Try to erase (as much as possible) borders in gender, such as lighting the stove, cooking, or map-reading. Learn to recognize when a passive member of the group is afraid to speak up, or when an overly-dominant member is contributing more than others.
There is much more to cover on this, but most can only be learned experientially. The best takeaway is empathy. Be a good listener, and you will be great leader.
“Good leadership consists of motivating people to their highest levels by offering them opportunities, not obligations. That is how things happen naturally. Life is an opportunity and not an obligation.” (p. 135) Tao Of Leadership, John Heider 1985, Paperback, 6th printing, 1990
***For a beginning- adventurer wanting to get outside and play, here are a few helpful points:
Get Started:
1. Gather information. Read Backpacker Magazine, any of the many books available, and talk to people whose experience you admire.
2. Join a local outing club. Almost all cities have some kind of club and starting with people who know more than you do is always helpful.
3. Take some specific skills classes. For example, REI has stores everywhere and they usually offer weekend clinics and programs throughout the year. See if you have a local outdoor store as they may offer the same. Practice the skills on your own. I guarantee that you won't learn how to use a map and compass in one clinic but it will give you a basis for practicing on your own.
4. Make a list of equipment and clothing that you know you will need, and then start looking at sales, Craigslist, discount website etc. Don't focus on gear but know what you need and get decent quality that will last a long time.
5. Once you have some basic competence, take an extended wilderness trip. It could be backpacking or canoeing or kayaking. Yes, you will make mistakes. But that is how you will learn and those are the lessons you will never forget.
6. Ignore all these steps. Just get out there and do it.
*sources for good tips: Women’s Coalition of Outdoor Industries Blog
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