Re: [Paddlewise] How and when to speak up

Bhansen97_at_aol.com wrote:
> 
> When happening upon someone who's clearly putting him/herself at risk, I like
> David Seng's advice when he writes-
> <<  I usually opt for the "teach by asking questions" approach. >>
> And Steve Cramer's advice on using the "I" word rather than "you".
> 
> This approach and the use of fliers/posters in the boathouse seem, to me, to
> have the best cance of reaching people.
> 
> OTOH - My luck at getting through to people using any technique at all has
> been remarkably poor, over a long lifetime of trying to get people to stop
> smoking, reduce alcohol intake, lose weight, exercise - even when they were
> actually suffering in terms of *pain*[snip]

I've been watching this "advice to the clueless" thread with bemusement.  Like
bhansen, I earn a living getting other people to do things (I'm a teacher),
and I have learned that I can not change someone else's behavior
significantly, but ...  *they can*  ...  if *they* want to.  As a teacher, my
most effective tactic is to engage others in a dialog in which they create the
"answer" or revelation which they need to solve the problem at hand. 
Bhansen's example of trying to change the unhealthy behavior of others is
particularly apt here, I believe.

So do I follow my own advice?  Sorta.  When I see people at a putin who are
clearly underprepared I talk to 'em, try to work up as much empathy as I can,
and slide in comments about what the conditions will be like.  Most of the
time someone in the group is uncertain about whether they know what's up or
not, and they are my entry to the rest.  I figure if I sow the seeds of doubt
(that what they are about to do is wise), the group dynamics when they are on
the water are the most powerful tool to get them to reassess.  OTOH, if they
are totally hopeless, I do my best preacher-in-the-pulpit number on them in a
(usually failed) effort to bludgeon them into staying on shore.

Hardly ever do these groups get into massive trouble (AFAIK), so I guess
nature is mainly forgiving.

My best anecdote in this vein was the time I ran into an "official" group from
a university from the Willamette Valley (near Portland, OR) headed up by an
officious sort who was busy directing yak packing as I returned to the ramp
from a day paddle.  The ramp is on a huge, heavily mud-flatted,
tidally-influenced bay (Willapa).  And, the tide was falling, exposing acres
of gooey mud flats, viewable from the ramp.  As I passed this guy on my way to
my rig, I mentioned that they'd better hustle, because they were about to lose
their tide.  His response?  A completely blank expression and the phrase, 
"What's a tide?"

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR

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