Airsoft team organization
Airsoft team leadership and organization day 6
Don’t work, Supervise.
The biggest mistake new leaders make is they involve themselves in the work. The job of the leader is to supervise the people under them, higher up the food chain you have supervisors who supervise supervisors. An example is a section commander supervises team leaders in the section, a platoon commander supervises his section commanders.
Airsoft edit. If you have a large team of thirty this is practical advise, if your team is smaller, say five people this isn’t as useful in all situations. If your team is loading equipment, guess who is helping, that right you.
Monitoring is important.
When you recruit someone new its advisable to place them on what I call “proper adult supervision”. Everything they do should be supervised no matter how simple the task. Does this mean you as Airsoft Club leader should be doing this? no its doesn’t. That is what squad and team leaders are for. The main reason for maximum supervision for the new guy (aside from the chance the person could be as dumb as a post) is that every Airsoft Club has a way to do things. By placing the new teammate under constant supervision they will learn the Airsoft Club dynamic. The final goal is that the person is no longer required to be under constant supervision. The training should go like this. Constant adult supervision, Occasionally supervised, Spot-checked, then promoted to be a team leader (team as in two people). The process will start again, this time with the section commander placing the new team leader under constant supervision.
Private “Somebody” has not joined your team”
Another mistake is people assume there is a guy named Somebody on a team. You hear it all the time. “Somebody” grab this, “Somebody” do that. If your name is Somebody I would suggest legally changing it before joining the military or an Airsoft Club or you will be doing all the work. Remember to use a specific name or group when giving orders. “two section grab the coolers” is better than “Somebody grab the coolers”, guess what, Somebody went home and the work isn’t getting done.
More details on the Command words for airsoft leaders.