Re: [Paddlewise] Group Dynamics - Feedback....

I have come to believe as a fact that unless there is a strong and very well
organized leadership, large groups tend to split. And I've found many
reasons for that, which are logical and even natural. But what is "large" ?
5 ? 10 ? 50 ?

One point of reference I use is when even while all the members try to
paddle close to each other, some of them can't listen what the others are
saying, so loosing track of the conversation. When the whole group can not
have a single conversation, then some paddlers feel out of it and start
their own chat with the one who's closer to them. This splitting of
conversations creates subdivisions, with different paddling speeds, building
distance among them and tearing the attention of the members apart of the
rest of the group. One of the responsabilities of the leathers is stay aware
of that despite how interesting the conversations might be.

The main question I ask is was the trip organized by the club or
independently by some of its members ? For what Kirby describes I understand
it was a simply get togeather of some of its members and so with a very
precarious or improvised organization, or perhaps with no organization at
all. Some of them might be very good with they're kayaks but usually none
had leadership habilities. One is a leader only when the group accepts you
and recognices you as that, otherwise no matter how much you know they won't
follow you. In this kind of get togeathers when nobody is designed and
accepted as a leader they simply go the best they can but loose the meaning
of group, they loose cohesion, to put it in funny words, they become "a
bunch of people". Then anything can happen, from having lots of fun to a
terrible dissaster. Basically, to participate there you must understand you
will be on your own, kind of solo paddling with many people.

Wiew under this optic, Kirby you did the best you could, and once you came
to the conclusion that nobody cared about you, you decided to be on your own
and save the day, and I find it perfect. You were never responsible for as
they never asked anything for you. There's no need to put any blame on you.
But they never promised anything to you either, so you shouldn't blame them
by playing with different rules.

I think this kind of get togeathers are not bad at all. Actually is part of
the learning process any complete experienced kayaker must have, wich is
dealing with people. When there is no leader at all, members are all the
same, and remaining togeather under these circumstances is a goal itself. It
can be done but only once the group members learn to accept each others pros
and cons. And this may take years.

Whe I go out with a group I basically evaluate if I am ready to deal with
the conditions as if I were on my own. If I can't I simply don't go.

If I can, then I don't care much how the group is organized. I use to paddle
with the last and I spontaneously take care of their safety (I can't have
fun if I feel someone might be in trouble). So if the group live me alone
and I can't catch them up, I don't care, I save my forces, go at my rithm
and meet them later when they make their stop, at the planned camp or the
get out. If conditions are not safe to follow, then I simply don't go,
landing or turning back as required.

If the group leaves someone else then I stay with them, in case they need
me. But at that point I've usually been designed new leader. If I feel I
wouldn't be able to take care of the group by myself, I go for help.

In one trip I had to "force" two other experience kayakers to help me take
care of some guys, that meaning loosing the rest of the group  forever. All
sorts of fights ... but everybody safe.

Other time, in a middle of a storm during an open crossing, I had to tye to
me by force a guy in trouble who dind't wont to be helped (he was so
inexperienced he was not aware of the danger), but the group didn't wait for
us at all while escaping from the storm. The group was big and very
experienced except for this guy, so I asked a couple of friends to stay
behind with me and let the rest of the group go. We never met the group
again, I had to pull him for 4 hours supporting his insults and finally
released him when we reached calm waters. Days later he called me
appologizing for his attitude.

Any situation is different, but common sense must prevail. Safety first.

A group is a group when all its members want to stay togeather. When this
doesn't happen, then the group doesn't exist as a group no more.

In a group everybody paddles at the speed of the slower, no matter what. By
launching togeather they accept the fact to remain togeather for safety, and
safety goes before fun. When this doesn't happen the group is broken and is
not a group any more.

When a group stops being a group, it becomes .... a bunch of people .... and
then there are no rules at all.

My 2 cents ...

           Fernando Lopez Arbarello
     ---------  Kayak Argentina  ---------
http://home.earthlink.net/~kayakargentina
       kayakargentina_at_earthlink.net

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