SUCCESS AFTER SETBACKS… IT CAN HAPPEN Meanwhile, Scott passed his Level II skiing exam, despite feeling like the odds were initially against him. Donny can barely contain his excitement to continue working
How you prepare and participate during the exam itself, and what you do with your feedback afterwards determines your long-term success.
HOW TRAINERS AND EXAMINERS CAN HELP INSTRUCTORS BOUNCE BACK
If you’re a trainer or examiner, you obviously play a huge role in the examination process; trainers in the lead-up to the exam and examiners during actual assessment of the candidate’s skills. But you can also be a huge factor after an unsuccessful certifi cation bid. Here are eight things you
toward his goals. Kevin is pondering the timing of his next exam, and he won’t leave it to the chance of a late-season snowpack. After passing her Level II alpine on the fi fth try, Kathy wondered, “If I did that, hey, what else can I do?”
Alicia has used her love of skiing to
rebound from her disability. “I skied myself out of my depression. First I did a 180 in life, and now I can do a 180 on skis,” she said. And Bill soldiers on with unfailing persistence and enthusiasm. “Just being in the game puts you head and shoulders above most other skiers,” he observed. “Even though I haven’t passed my exam yet, I know I’m a better skier for it.”
Karin Kirk is a Level III alpine instructor, staff trainer, and Ridge Guide at Montana’s Bridger Bowl. Off snow, she works in science education and curriculum design. Websites: karinkirk. com,
Karin@kirkframeworks.com
REFERENCES
Finlay, S. J. and G. Faulkner. “Actually I Was the Star: Managing Attributions in Conversation.” Forum: Qualita- tive Social Research, v. 4, number 1 (Jan. 2003). Available at
http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/ article/view/745/1612
Flanagan, L., “Why Understanding Obstacles is Essential to Achieving Goals” MindShift, KQED News, (December 2014) Accessed online at
http://ww2.kqed.org/mind- shift/2014/12/26/why-understanding-obstacles-is-essen- tial-to-achieving-goals/
Rees, T., D.K. Ingledew, and L. Hardy. “Attribution in Sport Psychology: Seeking Congruence Between Theory, Research, and Practice.” Psychology of Sport and Exercise, v. 6, number 2 (March 2005), p. 189-204
can do to help candidates in the aftermath of an exam that doesn’t go as he or she had hoped: Q A person’s explanations for why a failure occurred are likely to evolve over time. Immediately following a setback, a response may be negative or emotional. Allow instructors to have some breathing room, then work with them to understand their reality and work toward a clearer understanding of causes and eff ects.
Q As instructors are processing the causes for adverse events, they may “try out” diff erent explanations. Guide them toward accurate, productive lines of thinking.
Q Attributions may vary with audience. When a person debriefs with peers who have suff ered a similar setback, the conversation may turn into a “blame game.” However when talking to you, the instructor may trend toward a safe answer, such as the ubiquitous, “It’s OK. It was a learning experience.” Try to suss out the most honest emotions.
Q Pose follow-up questions and specifi c queries to try to get past the initial, gut- level reaction. Note that how you phrase questions can aff ect the outcome. Be aware of your own biases.
Q Be alert to your own role in the person’s success or failure. It’s possible that your coaching or strategy was inaccurate. This can put instructors in an awkward position when discussing outcomes with their trainers or examiners. Allow for third-party involvement so that instructors can debrief with someone other than their primary coach or trainer.
Q Observe how attributions are carried out in a person’s actions. If the agreed-upon plan was for the instructor to slow down and clean up inaccurate movements, but you see him or her charging sloppily down the hill every day, something’s amiss. Does the instructor not understand the plan, disagree with it, or lack the self-awareness to stick with it?
Q Whenever possible, give feedback in terms that are controllable and changeable by that instructor. Be as accurate and specifi c as you can be. Vague feedback can lead to the tendency for a person to generalize that the problem is a lack of talent or some mysterious defi cit that prevents success. Point out examples of when a candidate met expectations and provide details for improvement in a way that can be acted upon. Remember to check for understanding to make sure you are both seeing things the same way.
Q Be encouraging. Every instructor interviewed here mentioned the impact of encouragement from trainers and examiners. Your voice carries a lot of weight, so use it to help people regain confi dence and motivation.
— KK
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COURTESY OF CHRIS ROGERS
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