Kurt asked how to prepare: I don't know how relevant this is to Paddlewise but will attempt a very brief summary. If anyone wants to followup, I suggest we do it privately unless you are more innovative than I am in tying it back to Paddlewise topics. Key elements include 1) having a shared objective If one person is there to try to win, another for the experience and the remainder determined to finish, disaster will ensue. 2) sticking to your goals Keep reminding yourself of your objectives. Don't be distracted by what's happening with other teams or the fact that you find yourself first or last 3) enjoying yourself Having this as a key objective and injecting humor to keep the group spirits high (towards the end of the race which teams seemed to be enjoying themselves ?) 4) the experience is more important than the finish place Don't take stupid risks, be sensible in your decisions, never forget your original objectives 5) letting go of the ego Studs (of either gender) have a tough time asking for help (cf performance of military teams in such events). You need to give and receive. 6) high levels of trust and care My usual spiel is 60 minutes plus on this - so pardon the terseness. Now back to your regular discussions. RN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Robert J. Nagle http://yuri.harvard.edu/~nagle *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
At 08:07 AM 4/22/98 -0400, Robert J. Nagle wrote: >Kurt asked how to prepare: > >I don't know how relevant this is to Paddlewise but will attempt a >very brief summary. If anyone wants to followup, I suggest we do it >privately unless you are more innovative than I am in tying it back to >Paddlewise topics. > >Key elements include >1) having a shared objective >If one person is there to try to win, another for the experience and >the remainder determined to finish, disaster will ensue. > >2) sticking to your goals >Keep reminding yourself of your objectives. Don't be distracted by >what's happening with other teams or the fact that you find yourself >first or last > >3) enjoying yourself >Having this as a key objective and injecting humor to keep the group >spirits high (towards the end of the race which teams seemed to be >enjoying themselves ?) > >4) the experience is more important than the finish place >Don't take stupid risks, be sensible in your decisions, never forget >your original objectives > >5) letting go of the ego >Studs (of either gender) have a tough time asking for help (cf >performance of military teams in such events). You need to give and >receive. > >6) high levels of trust and care > >My usual spiel is 60 minutes plus on this - so pardon the terseness. >Now back to your regular discussions. > >RN >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- >Robert J. Nagle http://yuri.harvard.edu/~nagle Robert The same could be said for a paddling group of any kind, having a shared objective, sticking to your goals, enjoying yourself, the experience is more important than the finish place,letting go of the ego, and high levels of trust and care. That would make a good paddle Dana *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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