1. Team Leader Training Human Factors
Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association

2. Human Factors Objectives Leadership and supervision Risk management
Team safety
Psychological health and safety
Transportation

3. Leadership A team leader must be able to
Supervise Team in a safe and efficient manner
Direct
This involves recognizing hazards due to physical or psychological demands, and taking into consideration the different personalities and skill sets present within the team

4. Leadership and Supervision
The team leader must be able to be both a
Leader
Supervisor
They must be able to
Coach
Manage
Resolve conflict
Counsel

5. Communication
The team leader must have a thorough understanding of effective two-way communication skills including
Body language
Appropriate language – written and verbal
Active listening
Giving and receiving feedback

6. Tabletop Exercise Break into groups
What are 10 POOR ways of communicating information (write out your responses on flip carts provided)
Then discussion – how can these poor communication skills be corrected?

7. Team Leader The team leader must understand
Characteristics of an effective team
Principles of conflict management
Coach skills
Ability to address inappropriate actions by team member
Group discussion question – How, as a team leader, can you address a team member regarding inappropriate behaviour?

8. Tabletop Exercise Break into groups
What are some attributes of a good leader? (Write out your responses on flip carts provided).

9. Leadership Attributes
Knowledgeable, competent and relevant experience
Ability to Delegate
Mentor
Interpersonal skills
Safety mindedness
Compassion and empathy
Decisiveness
Respect
Good judgement
Credibility
Problem solving – adaptability
Motivator

10. Leadership Styles Four Behavioural Types
Directing – decisions made by the leader and passed to the team
Coaching – the leader seeks ideas and listens to suggestions from the team
Supporting – the leader facilitates and supports the team’s efforts and decision making
Delegating – control is with the team. The leader assigns a task and the team makes the decisions

11. Coaching Coaching is a form of guidance, and is an interactive process
How to Coach
Team leaders can provide constructive feedback by
Describing specific and changeable behavior
Using “I” statements (less accusatory than “you”)
Being respectful
Emphasizing strengths as well as weaknesses
Checking for understanding
Not dwelling (once feedback has been given, move on)

12. Coaching
Coaching is most effective and relevant if given soon after the behaviour is observed
Guidance can occur anywhere
However, while praise can be given in public, constructive criticism should always be delivered in private

13. Conflict Management
As a team leader you will have to deal with conflict and this will require a blend of different approaches to keep the team focused on carrying out assignments
It’s important to be flexible when dealing with members with different personalities and past experiences

14. Approaches to Conflict Management
Avoidance approach – “tomorrow” or “no way”
The issue is of low importance
It’s necessary to reduce tension in the situation
It’s necessary to buy some time
The immediate needs of the mission outweigh the need to resolve the conflict

15. Approaches to Conflict Management
Compete approach – “my way or the highway”
The situation requires quick action
An unpopular decision needs to be made
The issue is of vital importance
It’s necessary to protect self-interests or safety of others

16. Approaches to Conflict Management
Accommodate approach – “it would be my pleasure” or “your way”
It’s necessary to demonstrate being reasonable
It’s important to create good will
The goal is to keep the peace
The issue is of low importance

17. Approaches to Conflict Management
Compromise approach – “meet me halfway”
The issue is of moderate importance
There are time constraints requiring a temporary solution
There is a strong personal commitment to resolution
There is an equal power relationship with the other party

18. Approaches to Conflict Management
Collaborate approach – “two heads are better than one” or “our way”
The issues are too important to compromise
Attempting to gain commitment
The situation requires a merging of perspectives
The conflict is important to those trying to find an integrated solution
Trying to improve relationships

19. Tabletop Exercise Break into groups
Scenario 1-You have a team member that is posting pictures on Facebook of an active search
Scenario 2: Two team members are going through a divorce and are not working well together
Scenario 3: A team member continuously interrupts a training exercise to demonstrate they know more about the topic than you do
Within your group decide which approach will work best for each scenario. Then we will discuss together

20. Counselling
A team leader must initiate corrective action when performance within the team is adversely affected
They must also be prepared to respond to a request for assistance to solve a personal issue
The team leader should assist the member to discover the solution to their problem

21. Risk Management
The team leader plays a key role when it comes to identifying, assessing and managing the risks to which team members may be exposed
At any time the team leader can suspend or terminate the assignment if the safety of the team would be compromised

22. Risk Management
In order to assess risk, the team leader must understand potential hazards on a search such as weather, wildlife, terrain etc.
They must also know how to anticipate and assess level of risk and strategies of dealing with risk
Further details and steps to identify hazardous environment/situations will be covered in Section 10

23. Team Safety
Team safety should be given first priority in the implementation of search assignments from beginning to end
Safety information needs to be provided when briefing the team
Team members’ capabilities need to be considered
Monitor physical conditions throughout the assignment
Ensure the safe operation of vehicles and equipment
Ensure health breaks and rests

24. Tabletop Exercise
Team leaders can do many things to ensure safety during an assignment
Break into groups
In groups, let’s brainstorm and come up with lists of ways leaders can accomplish this during search operations

25. Psychological Health and Safety
Personal issues may affect a searcher’s ability and effectiveness
It is important to be familiar with how to assist team members who may be affected by an incident and suffering from stress
The team leader should be able to recommend resources available post-search

26. Questions