Dr. Donald L. Green, 24 January 2022 (revised from 1 February 2018)
These key identifiers separate professional RiderCoaches from those who refer to it as a hobby or look at their roles differently than most.
Although there are numerous traits, characteristics, and responsibilities associated with being a RiderCoach, the following nine seem to be pertinent in support of all other competencies and abilities. These key identifiers separate professional RiderCoaches from those who refer to it as a hobby or look at their roles differently than most. Authenticity, sincerity, student acceptance, personal appearance, demeanor, safety practices and incident prevention, proper language, self-improvement, and curiosity can define the character of someone who models and takes the responsibility of the profession seriously.
Authenticity
Merriam Webster defines authenticity as genuine, not copied or false, true and accurate. Everyone has been exposed to someone who genuinely is who they profess to be with little pretense or falsehood. Likewise, we have all been in the company of someone we could quickly identify as putting up a front and pretending to be someone they are not. When working with students and other RiderCoaches, we must be who we are and honestly believe and convey the message of rider education and safety. I once heard a Coach Candidate exclaim, “the student does not know how to ride; they shouldn’t be here!” The candidate did not finish the prep. RiderCoaches who give mixed messages or do not know the value of the curriculum could be at risk for being “inauthentic” in how the material is presented. Students see the depth of knowledge even when they may not know the subject based on the authenticity of the RiderCoach.
Sincerity
RiderCoaches must be honest with students and their peers and administration as well. For Students, it is easy to sense hidden agendas or inadequacies during instruction. An off-the-cuff comment not supported by facts or a good example will make it challenging to foster the transactional and authentic relationship used to maintain interest in the Student. Facilitation of Student learning predicates a competent and qualified coach as a teacher with specific expertise in motorcycle operation. Whether natural or assumed, pretentiousness or insincerity will automatically turn off Student confidence toward a coach who should be inspirational to them. A Student’s idea of safety will be short-lived if the coach appears to disregard the same through comment or action. The concept equally applies to the precision and accuracy of riding the motorcycle. A professional must be a model in every way.
Acceptance of the Student
Accept Students for who they are, with all their baggage and potential issues. A student attends the course because they want to learn to ride, and the RiderCoach should be the precise person who can help in the process. Steven Covey (2013) recommends that we “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Introductions begin a course to develop the professional relationship as a cornerstone of mutual agreement that both the RiderCoach and the Student are essential to each other as they work toward the same end. An experienced coach should under no circumstance disparage a Student. Acceptance of the Student will be given without ridicule to encourage learning, regardless of whether the Student is quick to grasp the content or finds it difficult, making them apprehensive. Criticizing a Student is akin to yelling at a patient who is not healing; it has no purpose or value. Acceptance is somewhat unconditional.
Personal Appearance
Physical appearance has a great deal to do with the professional image of a RiderCoach to Students and potential Students. Presenting oneself as a “pro” includes an appropriate dress for riding, neat grooming, and general cleanliness, to include one’s breath. This standard should be met during class and anytime we represent the profession in public. Turn-offs can change the learning environment behaviors like questionable personal habits may be offensive to others, like tobacco use, excessive public use of alcohol, or the telltale signs of the residual effects of alcohol at class time.
Demeanor
Attitude is everything. To a RiderCoach contributing to a positive learning environment, a confident manner supports the course’s primary goals. RiderCoaches should try to avoid strange erratic movements, distracting speech habits, or drastic mood swings in the presence of Students. Although melancholy is probably not a good look, a professional demeanor is calm, disciplined, and thoughtful when communicating with Students. Coaches should avoid reacting differently to similar situations, criticizing Students unfairly, being rude, thoughtless, or inattentive to Student needs. A pleasant and cheerful demeanor can best foster purposeful instruction, like Fitch and Van Brunt (2016) suggested to put the Student at ease, maintain genuine interest, and project a professional image.
Safety Practices and Incident Prevention
A pillar of most rider education curriculums, safety is critical and vital to the overall concept of what RiderCoaches do by displaying outcome value. The riding habits of coaches during the course and in public have a crucial effect on how others observe the profession regarding safety. RiderCoaches are considered a paragon of proficiency, modeling their riding habits, which students will imitate. The advocacy and description of sound riding practices mean very little if the coach is observed violating the same. For this reason, meticulous observation of safety principles is essential; a decent example is the use of sequenced actions to turn on or shut off the motorcycle. Even after departing the course, a student who develops “checklists” is more apt to continue their service. Furthermore, a RiderCoach who can anticipate on-range incidents before they happen and employ timely tips to correct a possible safety issue is acting safely and responsibly. Habitual observance of range rules and safe riding make the coach’s image more professional and effective in influencing Students.
Proper Language
Like most other professional activities, profanity or obscene language can lead to hostile environments, lack of confidence, or distrust within the class. In many people’s minds, cursing is an objectionable lower form of communication, creating an atmosphere that does not support distinct learning or understanding. To that end, a responsible professional must speak ordinarily without inhibitions, relating to others in a confident and descriptive vocabulary without using an obscenity. A beginning rider can be easily confused by riding jargon, so it is essential to use consistent words throughout their reading material, activities, and range cards to ensure understanding develops and associations can form between words and actions. It may help to define new concepts at the beginning of instruction blocks to highlight essential terms as necessary. RiderCoaches should stick to those same terms and definitions during training to maintain understanding and further communications.
Self Improvement
Professional RiderCoaches must never become complacent or satisfied with their current qualifications and abilities. Professionalism stems from continuous growth and activity that improves one’s knowledge, effectiveness, and service to the Students and organizations that they belong to. Since RiderCoaches are considered significant authorities on motorcycle matters, and experts to the many Students that refer questions to, they have a responsibility to themselves and the profession to share procedures and techniques to improve their Students and their peers in the trade as well. I once heard tell it is essential to be a lifelong learner; it seems like an excellent concept!
Curiosity
Curiosity is a late addition to this list but deserves to be a significant final thought included in the list. I differentiate curiosity from self-improvement the way a chef may separate different spices for different kinds of foods or paring the right wine with the appropriate entrée for a meal. Personal growth can be motivated both internally and externally, the latter usually the result of some form of compensation. Intrinsic motivation is unique and very different. It is generally born from a curious mind—the desire to learn something unencumbered for no other reason than wanting to understand something to a higher degree.
Curiosity drives someone to be better, know more, and never stop. Being driven by curiosity is typically a fuel for elite performance in any field of endeavor, including being a RiderCoach. It is the difference between 1000 hours of practice and 10,000 hours of training. Some may do the same thing repeatedly, and others will focus on each tiny detail until improvement indicates otherwise. When faced with nearing the end of a goal, you know how curious you are, only to open the door to 10 more things you didn’t know. Then, of course, it continues focusing on perfecting the goal by adding the following ten things as steps to meet that goal.
Until next time, Ride and coach like lives depend upon it!
Reference
Covey, S. R. (2013). The 7 habits of highly effective people. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Fitch, P. & Van Brunt, B. (2016). A guide to leadership and management in higher education: Managing across the generations. Devon, United Kingdom: Routledge.
