When looking at promotions to head guard or manager what qualities do we like in that person and what do we not like in that person?
What are the things that other people do that annoy you? Try to eliminate those tendencies from yourself. What are the opposite of those things? Try to emulate that. (ex. coming on time to shifts vs. late)
Use skill charts/guides from the Red Cross book at stations during in-services (match the language it uses) in order to prepare for audit
Have headguards lead training stations with the managers, but are designated to be in the water to demonstrate the skills at the training, because they are the “experts” at lifeguarding
Assign lifeguards who earn guard of the week or month a section with a headguard or manager at the next week’s inservice: give up to two hours of planning time outside of their regular schedule
If headguard opts in to prepare an inservice use up to two hours outside of regularly planned shifts to:
Choose one topic skill based area, incorporating activity, activity, challenge with repetition using the Lifeguard Manual
Submit plan in writing to a manager or LGI for review
Make any edits to the plan that are needed
Lead the inservice
If we know that someone is not doing well, send them home
Informing, Educating, Enforcing
Feet first please rather than no diving →positive rather than negative
How to deal with an unruly patron:
Know how to stay calm to defuse the situation, take deep breaths because they are not mad at you, but at the situation
Restate their frustration so that they feel seen and explain what will happen next
Don’t overreact
Find neutral ground and maintain nonthreatening posture
Focus on behavior, not the individual
Show respect for the patron
Be firm and friendly
Use suspension or dismissal as last resort
Recognize situation as a learning experience
Next Steps
Expand the rest of the topics that I want to communicate
trim or cut items from notes that are not applicable
write script – put something on the screen and expand with words not written on the screen