Beaky's Blather

The best advice I ever received came from a dog. This surprised me as up until that moment, I had assumed that he was non verbal. however, it transpires he’d not spoken previously because everything he thought, was ok; he’d simply had nothing to say. 

This reminded me so much of an experience of my own. Whilst in the RAF for 16 years, I was employed for a great deal of my time as coach and leader of adventurous expeditions where my objective for the participants as members was to develop personally – building their tolerance for distracting factors impacting and disrupting their attitudes, and behaviour. Personal tolerance related to resilience – remaining calm and task focused, even when impacted and inhibited by fatigue, fear or time pressure. 

I sought to amplify the value of their main technical and leadership training – provided by their formal training  specialist syllabi. I aimed my message – (stay calm and carry on) – at the expedition participants by employing challenges embodied in my medium of adventurous activities. I was well aware that no aircraft technician requires competence in

canoeing or ice climbing however, he or she will be expected to deliver – whatever is their technical or leadership expertise whilst personally under intense pressure. It might be fatigue, fear discomfort – an obstruction or obstacle, physical, mental or emotional. There are many types of pressure that stretch one’s ability and requires them to keep their shape while under duress. 

The sad thing for me personally, was those people whose role it was to stand back and appraise the value of what I did, seldom saw past one extraordinary thing in what I offered – (they thought it extraordinary) that my fellow instructors and I did our stuff skilfully whilst also driving to and from the field of adventure – river or mountain – travelling and accommodated with the participants, on a vehicle adapted to be an 18 person camper van. It was a converted double decker bus. 

Beaky’s Bus – 18 person camper van<

Beaky’s bus on canoe trip

I’d show my critics how valuable was the total experience the participants gained, and the participants would describe to them that the total adventure they enjoyed as ‘one of greatest experiences of their RAF career’. All I ever received back from the appraisers sadly, was – “fuck me, ‘Beaky’s got a bus!”

So, what’s the connection with my wise dog who gave me the best bit of advice that I’ve ever received? Well, when I asked my wise canine to share his extraordinary wisdom with them, all these people ever said in reply was “fuck me, a talking dog.”