The Guide's Guide: 
A Framework For Guiding 
Adventure                                  

     - Know Yourself

     - Balance Risk

     - Build Connections

     - Develop Skill

     - Lead Others

     - Encourage Participation

     - Achieve Adventure

Achieving Adventure:
The Book

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Lead Others - Group Management

Guides are people managers. They are constantly managing the risk and the experience of the adventure. At times a guide can wear many hats ranging from friend and counselor to organizer and problem solver. When things are going well a guide’s relationship with their participants is rewarding and amiable. Unfortunately there are times when things are not going well. When risk increases, fatigue sets in or people get grumpy and frustrated the relationship between guide and participant can become strained and tense. No one can be all things to all people and the job of a guide is not to be everyone’s best friend all the time. A guide’s job is to bring everyone back safely and hopefully to exceed the guest’s expectations.

To do this a guide has to be an efficient and confident manager of the people they are leading. They have to know when to exercise a firm hand, loosen the reins or give praise. Managing people is the most demanding aspect of guiding because everyone is different. Each person has different needs and has to be handled in a way that resonates with them. One strategy might work for one person but completely backfire if used on the next person.

People in groups can be especially difficult to manage as people interacting together can form dynamics that challenge the guide’s position.