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Group Dynamics, skiing with irregulars...
- Koda
- [WayneH]
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But then there is the others... the rest of the people you know who tour but you dont ski with as often. Often not always in agreement as the tour/day unfolds and decision’s are made and differences are discovered we spend more time talking about it. It adds up to slower travel, altered plans or route, less accomplished, less skiing and often bailing on the objective for various reasons mostly due to running out of time. Typically I often default, as a courtesy, to accommodating the most conservative member of the group… I feel that risk factor comes to play in this and I don’t want to influence someone to do something they are not comfortable with especially with stability considerations. How does everyone handle this scenario?
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- Koda
- [WayneH]
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- kamtron
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- SKIER-X
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- mikerolfs
- [mikerolfs]
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If we aren't equals, if someone is along for the ride and just trusting that I won't get them in trouble, then I'm going to be the alpha and point out hazards and I'll be an instructor. These tours are less satisfying to me. Its not skiing with a partner, its just taking someone on a tour.
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- peteyboy
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- Charlie Hagedorn
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Regulars or irregulars, I'm now becoming convinced that a proper morning meeting that addresses most major concerns, airs everyone's goals, determines plans and alternates, and comes up with an emergency plan actually lets you have a better time and go faster once you're in the field. If someone isn't a team player enough to give a fifteen minute meeting over coffee or a McMuffin a try, we probably don't want to tour with them anyway.
When conditions and the plan are simple, a morning meeting goes fast. When they're not, it's more efficient to chat about it when you're warm, rested, and happy than cold, tired, and cranky.
Also, you can't reasonably expect to push your own performance envelope with a new partner.
Streamline effective communication, ski more pow, have better adventures.
On the conservative point - ya gotta roll with the most conservative party member's concerns. It might save your life, and will certainly help the conservative party member feel like they're on a team and build some mutual trust. You can always get rad tomorrow with a different partner.
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- mikerolfs
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On the conservative point - ya gotta roll with the most conservative party member's concerns. It might save your life, and will certainly help the conservative party member feel like they're on a team and build some mutual trust. You can always get rad tomorrow with a different partner.
Amen to that! I always feel grateful when I say "I don't want to ski that", and my partner says "Then we won't ski that". And since I appreciate it so much when others do it for me, it's easier for me to do it for them. Even when I really want to ski it.
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- Koda
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- T. Eastman
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If I wouldn't ski something by myself...
... why would I want to drag anyone else along?
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- NWAC
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Tickets here: www.rei.com/events/going-deep-series-a-v...ation/seattle/160850
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- Charlie Hagedorn
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- Koda
- [WayneH]
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NWAC is holding an evening of continuing education on exactly this topic on Thursday, Jan. 12. All of the workshops in the Going Deep Series are designed to improve decision making for those with experience in the backcountry - but this one will focus specifically on Teamwork and communication.
Tickets here: www.rei.com/events/going-deep-series-a-v...ation/seattle/160850
Wish you had one of these in Portland....
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