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The Guides Guide: A
Framework for Guiding Adventure
There are a lot of moving parts involved in
delivering adventures. Some components of guided adventures
are obvious, while others are learned over time. The Guide's
Guide is a simple model that outlines all the elements that
need to be provided to have a successful adventure. The
Guide's Guide is the "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"
for guided adventures. It lays out all the elements, their
order and how they relate to each other. The Guide’s Guide
is built from the perspective of the guide, with participation
and the guide themselves forming the foundation of the
experience.
It is possible that with the right
participants, under the right conditions that some elements of
the Guide's Guide can be missing and the guide can still
achieve an adventure. However for most people, under most
circumstances, to achieve an adventure worth doing again, all
of the elements will have to be met to some degree. Depending
on the activity, the participants and the environment, certain
aspects may be more important than others. Not every adventure
is the same and there is no perfect formula for success.
The Guide's Guide is a framework of what needs
to be done to achieve an adventure. When a misadventure
occurs, it is almost always easy to pinpoint the elements that
were either weak, or missing.
The Guide's Guide operates on the premise
that:
- An experience is an
activity that does not involve risk.
- When an experience involves risk,
and ends successfully, it is called an adventure.
- When an experience involving risk
does not end well, it is called a misadventure.
- Risk can be real or perceived.
- A successful adventure can mean
many things ranging from an adventure that is worth
repeating to simply surviving the experience. It depends in
large part on what the participants goals were going in.
The Layout of the Guide's Guide
The shape of the model is a pyramid, or you
can also see it as a triangular shaped mountain. There are six
main elements that need to be present for an experience to
become a successful adventure. In the Guide's Guide they are
organized into two groups. There are three elements on the
inside and three elements on the outside of the
structure.
The inside layers are the core elements. These
elements are the "what needs to be done" components
to achieve an adventure. The core elements are arranged in
layers that build up from the bottom. Just like a pyramid each
layer must be strong enough to support the weight of the
others on top of it. These layers are: know yourself, balance
risk and build connections.
The second group of components is the
"how to do it." This second group forms the outside
of the structure and connects to each of the other elements.
Develop skills and lead others form the sides of the
pyramid/mountain, while encouraging participation rises up
through the whole model from the bottom.
If you expand the
model out a little farther this
is what it looks like:
The Guide's Guide in Depth:
Know Yourself
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Balance Risk |
Build Connections |
Develop Skill |
Lead Others |
Encourage Participation
Achieve
Adventure
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