54
LEADERSHIP ON THE OCEAN
WORDS : ELAINE FARQUHARSON : DORSET SUP COACHING AND GUIDING PICS : ELAINE FARQUHARSON & THE RNLI
PEOPLE LAST YEAR MASTERED THE BASICS , AND NOW THE HORIZON AND TASTE OF ADVENTURE ARE WITHIN THEIR GRASP . AS THE FAMOUS OCEAN SCIENTIST AND EXPLORER JACQUES YVES COUSTEAU SAID , “ THE SEA , ONCE IT CASTS ITS SPELL , HOLDS ONE IN ITS NET OF WONDER FOREVER .”
It will also be the more experienced and skilled paddlers who will find themselves in a position of responsibility by default . However , being a good leader is not just based on personal skills ; it requires a lot more tactical paddling experience and coastal knowledge to plan a successful journey for others . Plus group awareness in terms of technical or physical ability is more complicated on so many levels when you are exposing people to the wildness of coastal environments . God forbid if things do take a turn for the worst like the fog come down , or the wind picks up , it ’ s having the experience , initiative and aptitude to get the team out of trouble and into safety that counts the most . Finally , a lot of compassion , understanding of psychology and a love of people are essential to being a good leader . In this article , I hope to help all levels of ability to get the most out of their coastal leadership experiences this year , whether that be a new guide , paddler or experienced salty sea dog .
Trust So ask yourself , who do you trust to take you on a coastal journey ? Let me help you .
Psychology The leader needs to care and understand the team ’ s psychology to keep the atmosphere fun and prevent stress out on the water . According to psychologist Myers Briggs , there are 16 different personality types with differing combinations of thought versus feelings , extroversion versus introversion , spontaneity versus routine , or those that see the bigger picture versus the micro . When taking a group out awareness of these interactions and how a team forms is imperative . Also understanding the roles people take within a team , and how they might interact helps the leader best utilise the dynamics , ( you can read more on this through the work by Belbin ).
For example , some teams bomb bust when they hit the water so utilising a team player , or setting boundaries early on can keep group safety . Equally someone who is a shaper is driven and highly self-motivated this could be utilised to inspire others and keep the team morale high .