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Having coaching experience is essential to understand the different types of learning styles . Honey and Mumford looked at four main styles , the activist , pragmatist , the reflector and the theorist . It ’ s essential to identify how people best take in the information and utilise that to enhance their paddling out on the water . You can cover some of this in the pre-trip information , enabling reflective thinking on the water , giving people practical things to do or just allowing the group to play and have fun .
It also helps if people are aware of their competence levels ; however , as a coach , you may recognise some problems in the perception of competence and peoples ability levels . The hierarchy of competence becomes a problem when the two perceptions don ’ t marry up . The leader must manage this with tact and care to prevent the destruction of confidence but not let the person endanger the rest of the group .
Using communication skills in transactional analysis ensure communication channels don ’ t become strained through an over-controlling leader , causing a rebellious child . Understanding the inner chimp , or emotional drivers within us can help prevent the rebellious child , or inner chimp from coming out to play in the first place and keep the peace .
Finally , when pushing the grade and progressing on more challenging water , it ’ s important not to stretch the comfort zone because learning shrinks through fear and anxiety . Mike Brown ’ s ‘ Comfort Zone : Model ’ highlights making the activity mildly adventurous to enable growth and fun out on the water . The problem can be when the leader is inexperienced in the environment and overstretches the group beyond their mental boundaries . This can cause people to snap and make bad decisions or paddlers to become distressed or upset . Let ’ s remember the reason we paddle is to have fun not to scare ourselves to death .