The “ Socialtruistic ” Lifeguard!

How to Achieve & Maintain Authentic Positive Work Relationships and be a Socialtruistic Lifeguard

 

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A lifeguard is essentially a customer service worker, only this time they are the super heroes standing between a person and the bottom of the pool or ocean. A lifeguard is needs to maintain a positive energy while at work, regardless of how hot the sun or how gloomy the day. This can be an uphill task sometimes, especially when it requires co-existing in the same space with other life guards. With this in mind, the eLifeguard team have pieced together a few tips to help lifeguards maintain a genuine positive work relationship.

  • TIP 1: Mutual Respect – As a lifeguard you must respect the people that you work with. IF you value their input and ideas, then they will value yours. Working together, you can develop solutions based on your collective insight, wisdom and creativity and in turn make your job easier. As a lifeguard, having a mutual understanding and respect for your colleagues is essential to maintain a positive work relationship.
  • TIP 2: Practice Open Communication – We communicate all day, whether we’re sending emails and IMs, or meeting face-to-face. The better and more effectively you communicate with those around you, the richer your professional relationships will be. All good relationships depend on open, honest communication. Maintaining fluid communication makes lifeguarding much easier
  • TIP 3: Trust – This is the foundation of every good relationship. When you trust your teammates and colleagues, you form a powerful bond that helps you work and communicate more effectively. If you trust the people you work with, you can be open and honest in your thoughts and actions, and you don’t have to waste time and energy “watching your back.”
  • TIP 4: Stay Positive – Positivity is attractive and contagious, and it will help strengthen your relationships with your fellow lifesavers. No one wants to be around someone who’s negative all the time. If you exude a negative energy towards your colleagues, it will trickle into your relationship with your clients, and no lifeguard wants that.
  • TIP 5: Understand and Manage Your Boundaries- Make sure that you set, understand and manage boundaries properly – all of us want to have friends at work, but, occasionally, a friendship can start to impact our jobs negatively, especially when a friend or colleague begins to monopolize our time. This could lead to loss of focus and eventually prioritizing that friendship over job requirements. It’s pertinent that as a lifeguard that you are particular about your boundaries, and that you know how much time you can devote during the work day for social interactions.
  • TIP 6: Accept Responsibility – This means taking responsibility for your words and actions. Don’t let your negative emotions impact the people around you. The importance of a positive work relationship cannot be stressed enough, and the respect of your coworkers will be earned by acting responsibly and with integrity.
  • TIP 7: Avoid Gossiping- Spreading rumors and gossiping are major relationship killers at work. If you’re experiencing conflict with a fellow lifeguard, talk to them directly about the problem. Gossiping about the situation with other lifeguards will only exacerbate the situation, and will cause mistrust and animosity between you. Distrust amongst lifesaving personnel can lead to lack of coordination, which can be a fatal mistake in lifeguarding.
  • Lifeguard,Social,TopTIP 8: Listen and Respond – When speaking to customers and colleagues, be sure to listen and respond politely. People appreciate those who truly listen to what they have to say. Focus on listening more than you talk, and you’ll quickly become known as someone who can be trusted. It would give a drowning person great relief if they saw a person they trust reaching out to help save them. In the same way, people are keen to taking advice and admonition from people they feel they can trust.
  • TIP 9: Appreciate People – Understand that you can’t do it all by yourself. Lifeguarding requires a hawk-eyed attentiveness that no one person can provide on their own. By being in tune and coordinated with all of your fellow pool staff, the hyper-awareness need to prevent any injuries is achievable. Therefore, while at work, if you get aid of any sort from a colleague, it’s important to appreciate whatever help you receive. Whether it be a tip about preventing sunburn, or pointing out a victim in your scan region.  Everyone loves to be appreciated
  • TIP 10: In a nutshell – Building and maintaining authentic working relationships will not only make you more engaged and committed to your duty as a lifeguard; it can also open doors to key projects, career advancement, and raises. Devote a portion of your day to laying the foundations of good relationships. Even five minutes a day, if genuine, can help to build a bond between you and a colleague. Be honest, avoid gossip, and try to compliment people on a job well done. After all, the more you give in your relationships, the more you’ll get back from those around you!

There you have it, ten quick tips to Achieve & Maintain Authentic Positive Work Relationships as a Lifeguard.

For another article about lifeguards advancing with Social Media click here!
For future information about lifeguarding related industry topics, visit www.lifeguardtimes.com.

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