Real-Life Communication
Most people love to swim and play in water. They flock to swimming
pools and beaches, lakes and oceans whenever they get the chance.
But
if you're not careful when you're in or near the water, you could drown. Or
you could sustain a spinal injury and develop permanent paralysis. Both tragedies
happen to hundreds of people every year.
Spinal injuries are typically
caused when people dive headfirst or too deeply into shallow water; when they
dive into objects or other swimmers; when they dive from high places; and
when they dive into water of unknown depth. Most serious injuries, about 95
percent, result from dives into water less than five feet deep.
Lifeguards
may be best known for rescuing people who are in danger of drowning. But another
big part of their job involves educating people about water safety. This way,
they don't have to put their own lives at risk in order to save someone who
hasn't taken the proper safety precautions.
Tracy Schiiler is a lifeguard
at a city swimming pool and recreation complex. She's observed all kinds of
situations relating to water safety.
"Sometimes rowdy kids or adults
may be affecting the safety of the rest of the patrons [at the pool]," she
says.
"This is made into an even worse situation when the offenders
are either acquaintances of the staff member involved, or around the same
age or slightly older. In all cases, being strict and being listened to isn't
always easy."
Since lifeguards deal with the public and have to enforce
strict rules, they must be both diplomatic and firm. The way they emphasize
safety rules to adults is different than the way they convey rules to children.
Lifeguards
also have to be good at communicating in other ways, too. For instance, a
lifeguard has to discuss with parents the progress their children are making
in swimming classes. "We send out interim and end-of-session progress reports
for each swimmer. If parents wish to talk with the instructors individually,
we're always happy to call them at home," Schiiler explains.
Lifeguards
also communicate with their co-workers. "Between lifeguards on shift, we communicate
via hand signals to each other as well as passing along messages."
They
also have to communicate with the general public. "With the public, we use
our own PR methods as well as a public address system, used both for emergencies
and messages to the public, or even game announcements."
You're a lifeguard
at a members-only recreational center. One of the members is having an afternoon
birthday party for their twin 11-year-olds, and you're serving as the lifeguard.
The
twins are, quite frankly, little terrors. They never mind you or their mother.
And now, you have a birthday party with 10 little boys and girls who are just
as poorly behaved. You're all alone with them, since their mother has gone
to the clubhouse for a cup of coffee and a much-needed break.
To make
matters worse, the twins' older brother is at the party too. He's encouraging
them to do things they wouldn't ordinarily consider doing. He's your age,
and he doesn't want to listen to you spout off silly rules and regulations.
Before
things get any worse, you need to have a meeting with the children and lay
down some rules. How would you do this? What rules would you tell them? How
would you tell them in a way that would make them listen?