SAR Fundamentals/Team leader

00:00

2 min

Introduce topic title

Introduce Instructor

Present Objectives

Group goals

• keep everyone safe
• accomplish the assigned tasks

Team attributes

• Technical Skills - technique, knowledge
• Group Management - delegate, coordinate
• People Skills - decide, morale

Need through-out the group.

• Not just Team Leader
• being a good team member creates good leadership
• being a good team member is the first step towards becoming a leader
• Leadership skills are learned through experience and training
• you may end up in a leadership position early
  • e.g. trained person put with untrained spontaneous volunteers

Technical Skills

• have the basics -- this course
• advanced skills
  • as required by situation
  • can be anyone in team
  • better if in the TL

Search Team Leader

• Obtain education, training, and knowledge to be a leader before a callout
• Leadership skills are learned through experience and training
• First and foremost responsibility of a team leader: safety of the team
• Team leader assigns functions to team members (communications, navigation, first aid) and ensures proper equipment for each is available

A Good Team Leader

• Leads by example
• Is always mindful of physical and mental health of team
• Knows the strengths and weaknesses of the team
• Encourages team problem solving
• Understands the quality of search effort is his/her responsibility
• Accepts team assignment from SAR Management and communicates assignment to team
• Ensures the search assignment is completed
• Documents team’s activities
• Briefs and debriefs all team members

A Good Team Leader ensures that:

• Team members have adequate clothing, equipment, and physical conditioning for the assignment
• Team members understand the search assignment and field commands
• Team members are focused and observant
• Capabilities and pace of all team members are considered
• Team members are checked at frequent intervals to ensure safety and physical condition
• Search team is employed to best effect. Search formation is adopted to fit the circumstance
• The area assigned is searched and there are no gaps or omissions (unchecked ground, barriers, obstacles, etc)

00:11

2 min

make decision

Don't sweat the decisions

• the big stuff is obvious
• the difficult decisions are always between near equal choices
• any choice is good enough
• important point is that a choice is made
• defer to your team unless you have a strong opinion

Be clear on what the decision is

• spectrum of clarity: "I think we should", "let's", "I've decided"

Bearing of Leadership

• project your voice

00:13

2 min

Review Objectives

Questions

Group Management

• First and foremost responsibility of a team leader: safety of the team
• goal: coordinated action
• Team leader assigns functions to team members (communications, navigation, first aid) and ensures proper equipment for each is available
• Accepts team assignment from SAR Management and communicates assignment to team
• Ensures the search assignment is completed
• Documents team’s activities
• Briefs and debriefs all team members

A Good Team Leader ensures that:

• Team members have adequate clothing, equipment, and physical conditioning for the assignment
• Team members understand the search assignment and field commands
• Team members are focused and observant
• Capabilities and pace of all team members are considered
• Team members are checked at frequent intervals to ensure safety and physical condition
• Search team is employed to best effect. Search formation is adopted to fit the circumstance
• The area assigned is searched and there are no gaps or omissions (unchecked ground, barriers, obstacles, etc)
• take team assignment and pass to members vs. group briefing
• assign team functions [2]

A/ How did the leader communicate what the team members were asked to do? How not?

  covers:

  2) Did the leader ensure you were properly briefed?

  1) Were the objectives of your task made clear to you as a team
  member?

  7) Was the leader clear about what was required of you?

  14) Did the leader delegate responsibilities to the members?

  16) Did the leader provide clear direction when there was uncertainty?

B/ How did the leader verify that the team members were able to take on their assignments? How not?

  covers:

  3) Did the leader ensure that you were properly equipped for the
  conditions?

  5) Did the leader ask you about your limitations or concerns?

  15) Was the leader focused and observant of your activities and
  performance?

D/ How did the leader demonstrate attention to team safety and comfort? How not?

 covers:

 4) Did the leader make decisions with regards to your comfort and
 safety?

 13) Did the leader keep the team together?

 11) Did the leader set an appropriate pace and take breaks?

People Skills

• Leads by example
• Is always mindful of physical and mental health of team
• Knows the strengths and weaknesses of the team
• Encourages team problem solving
• listen to your members
• Clear Leadership
  • most common problem I see
  • being visibly in-charge
  • people want to see
  • members are willing to defer to clear leader
  • won't be challenged in SAR context
  • except when essential: safety
  • get and keep attention
  • project voice

C/ How did the leader encourage the team members to do their best? How not?

  covers:

  9) Did the leader remain positive and encourage you to do your best?

  12) Did the leader lead by example?

E/ How did the leader make use of input from the team members in leadership decisions? How not?

  covers:

  6) Did the leader share decision making with the team?

  10) Did you have opportunities to provide feedback on the tasks and
  decisions?