The Importance of Rapport & Coaching across disciplines.

A little look into how i use reflection, to show me how i progress, and understand some key coaching skills outside of my work.And help me with my driving lessons around Banbury and Daventry

Let’s start with Rapport. My son is learning to swim at the moment and just had his 3 one. The first was with a guy called Luke. Just watching for the first 5 mins, told me he would do well with my son. His body language and the way he gave encouragement mad my own intuition say YES. Fast forward 1 week, and the coach changed, just her opening statement and her own body language screamed NO!!! Very traditional, with no enjoyment for the kids, more like BOOT camp. On the way home his whole attitude had gone from wow daddy that was cool to, I do not want to go swimming anymore! We missed a week due to illness, but I found out there would be a new coach there for the next session. Straight away the old intuition screamed YES she is very good indeed, my son completely relaxed and so did all of the other kids, she made the learning fun, therefore building a good rapport with them. He loved it and wants to go again, let hope she stays.

Now my own ADI style is coaching, I didn't realize this until I did my BTEC 3 with Kev Field. Nearly 1 year on since my course and journey into more coaching,

I have realized why I did well in the Scuba Diving/tourism industry, and have now realized my strongest areas. Empathy, Intuition, Patience without the three of these, I would have come unstuck under water with panicky divers, as an ADI they allow me to gauge the same things with panicky drivers, but just behind the wheel. I believe this is why people would come back to MALTA time and time again to dive with me and why I am starting to do well as an ADI My BTEC gave me more tools and help me enhance what I was already doing. It is my belief that this way of coaching in any industry that has learners would benefit from taking a second look at how they do it.

Daventry Switch

Lack of RESPECT!!!!

It’s no secret I love my job and have met some amazing people. But one thing keeps raising its ugly head. The complete lack of mutual respect, and I do not mean just giving a polite wave one the road.

I’m talking about certain people on Facebook forums! Over the last couple of week’s there have been a number of post, that for some of superior beings seemed blatantly stupid, and comments like are “are these people really teaching” or “sweet Jesus is this real” and more besides.

Now for all of you who seem to be some kind of super ADI or have complete mastery of everything, and do not need to ask any questions what so ever, because you are a proper smart ass, and even give God advice. The people asking these questions genuinely do not know the answer’s yes they may be just a little green or naive, but there is no reason to insult them, and make them feel stupid, as they may have another question of more importance but are afraid to ask.

Do you teach like this, if so god help the nervous ones. It would be more constructive just to say nothing at all. Let them ask the questions, there are some of us who are willing to help even if the answer is obvious, we help, give advice and stay supportive no matter what, above all we do not JUDGE them.

A safe little box.

Do we as drivers once we have past our test decide to ignore the rules taught to us? I believe this may to true to an extent. I witness this on every day whilst carrying out my job as a DVSA Driving Coach. Speed limits tend to be the biggest offence followed closely is inpatients.

This year alone there have been 4/5 serious accidents between Banbury and Daventry, an 18 mile stretch of road. Two of witch on the same corner, one sadly fatal!

So where is the safe little box? When we are in our car most of us feeling safe, and some feel as if they cannot be hurt, true to an extent, we are safe from the elements, and our surroundings. When we are safe we gain confidence and then here is where it turns into a problem. We are also so busy in modern life that we race around and make not extra time, then again we can speed.  If this is you then the percentages say that at some point you will be involved in an accident.

For some they seem to feel they are right and the speed limits are only there for show, or the rules of the road are only for learners, this type of driver I feel is the most dangerous of all, and sadly the one I see the most of daily!

All I would say is that in the end the speed will get you or someone close, please slow down and enjoy life.

It is true to say that there is not enough enforcement of traffic laws, i.e. police officers, speed camera’s etc., to slow people down.

My Standards Check

Well after missing three check tests for whatever reason I finally sat the new DVSA Standards Check. I found the Examiner very approachable and helpful, I had heard so much hearsay at test centres from other ADI’s over the last couple of years that I thought I was sure to fail because of nerves. From “he downgraded me for wearing sunglasses” to “He didn't like me from the start so I only got a 4”.   All of their comments could not have been farther from the truth as to my own experience.

In February I decided to complete my BTEC3 in driver development, this gave me some new skills that I am sure helped me achieve my GRADE A on my standards check. I now am now putting into place what the examiner said after, by doing this I hope to again achieve an A but without dropping 5 points as I did last time.

All i did was deliver a normal lesson for my pupil, making sure i was client centred and managed any risks. I do this every day. I would also recommend people to not to listen to the hearsay and find out for themselves, whether or not they are client centred. It is not, all about just asking questions (another thing i hear allot at test centres), but asking the RIGHT questions.

I even reflect after each day, and see where I can improve. All of this can only benefit me and my pupils, thus making them safer drivers.

I feel that some in the industry like to blame others for their own short comings, if they were to ask the right questions to the right people I am sure they would have had a better result/experience.

                                                      

Franchise. Find out the facts

I have recently been contacted by some who would like to train to be an adi, with the company I franchise with RED. He wanted a chat without the sales pitch, so I asked if he wanted to meet for a coffee to ask a franchise ADI any questions about my experience so far.

He came prepared and went away feeling much better about, the training, and what happens after. I could only give him my story but he was happy with the help i gave him.

Will become an ADI? Maybe I gave him no real negatives.
Will I continue to help? Of course, why not. I have nothing to gain or loose by helping someone.

My final thought is, why don't more people ask somone who has beem in a franchise for a couple years, for a bit of advice? Who knows it might stop people coming into the industry wanting to make axquick buck.

Untill next time.

New tricks learnt for my driving lessons in Banbury and Davetry

I recently completed my BTEC3 course in driver coaching. I went in open minded and was not disappointed. I learnt more about myself than I thought. Plus I learned how to help my pupils in a more positive way, and some new teaching skills.

I have been teaching for over 10 years now, and I wish I had known more about coaching when I was teaching scuba diving.

It just goes to show you can never be too old to learn new tricks, and I am looking forward to developing my coaching skills as time goes on.

It has to be said that I have to thank aCCelerate for their BTEC3 course, and Kevin Field for delivering it in a fun and positive way. 

An old dog, new tricks.

There is allot to be said about teaching people who think they know about things, but really do not. I have only been an ADI for a couple of years, but i taught scuba diving for 10. The mechanisms for teaching both were very similar.


We all know that the standards check is coming, and some think they coach already, they may will do, but do they really understand how client centred works, it's not just about customer service, as i have just learnt on my recent BTEC3 course with aCCelerate. Its about knowing your pupils needs, helping them understand, and creating safe drivers after the test.

I am not going to go into it too deep as you can do the course yourself. @ aCCelerate

I will be useingmy new skills Iin my driving lessons, in Banbury,  and Daventry. 

Don't take it personally, but look just a little!!

Isn’t it great when things are going the way you want them, but when thing don’t do you as an ADI’s take the time to make sure that the pupil who has just failed was unlucky and had a “moment” during the test, or it was something you should have taught them.

Now I am going to be brave here and admit, that I have just had a couple of pupils fail, and true to form I analysed how I taught them and asked if I could of done anything different.  In fact I do this every time, as I like to tweek things as needed, but looking back in all honesty I did all I could to make them test standard.

There are many reasons to fail, nervs, other road users, or the one you do not wish it to be, is YOUR teaching or lack of knowledge.

Even if you have done everything you can try not to beat yourself up, but do take 5 mins to think about it, and then book them a cancelation.

The point is do not take it personally, sometimes people fail, you are not the one taking the test. And yes you will get a long run of pass’s too to redress the balance.

But do take a moment to analyse it, just make sure you are still in top form. What harm can it do?

Do you self-critique

Do we as Instructors coaches, self-critique, I certainly do, by taking feedback from other ADI’s, pupils, or even video footage from my in car cameras. I do for my driving lessons in Daventry and Banbury. 

I certainly believe that we can evolve as we go, plus taking courses to help us improve. This is not always the case, and I have witnessed comments like, I don’t need to do it different, it has worked for years, why change it now, or something similar, both on social media and in person at my local test centres.

My question is, how would they feel if Mother Nature didn't evolve them, and they we still in animal skins freezing, using flints to make a fire, while the rest of us enjoy the modern things we have learnt to do.

In short, why not give it a go, you never know you discover something that you’ll like.

To post about passes on social media or not to post....

There is allot to be said for great marketing. One that some people forget is posting congratulation about your latest test pass, not only will people who are friends with your pupil see it, you can boost it too.







But for me the most important reason is to publicly congratulate your pupil on all of their hard work over the past weeks. They have invested allot of time and money and it’s nice to say well done

For me it’s not that important to say I have had this many passes over the last months/year, but to acknowledge my pupils achievements. But the kick back is good marketing.

Your fist lessons