Positive or Negative instructions ?

A snowHead

So, during your ski school lessons this winter, how many of you received instructions like these from your Instructor:

"positive" instructions - for example "keep you hands forward"

or

"negative" instructions - for example "Don't let your hands drop back" ?

It's something I'm careful of in my teaching, but the question was really prompted by an experiment Derren Brown did with a tight rope walker Shocked

in his 'trick or treat' program on Channel 4 (you should still be able to watch it on 4 On Demand).

A snowHead

When my daughter was leaning to water-ski, there were two instructors at the ski club.

1. "That was a load of cr@p, do it this way."

2. "That was good, but why don't you try to do this you might find it easier."

Needless to say she would not go on the water with number 1, but she thrived with number 2.

In my view negative comments produce negative reactions.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

JP, theyalso open up the minefield of negative goals, as in 'I want to stop myself from doing ______'

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I think with instructions such as "keep your hands forward" the main thing that helps me is if I feel an immediate benefit from following the instructions (that was the case last winter when an instructor pointed out a fault with my use of the ski poles, he used both the positive and negative forms you listed).

However, when someone tells me that I MUST AVOID a patch of ground (either skiing or mountain biking) I always seem to drift towards it (technically I guess that because I'm focusing on the patch to be avoided my body goes towards it).

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david@mediacopy, good topic.

Yes, positive instructions are the key. People are paying and (usually) on holiday, so if should be fun and constructive (not destructive). It's a bit like a constructive v destructive criticism. I think rich.ll brings in a good point too, if you tell someone to get their hands forward, they probably will, and will feel the difference. If you tell them not to let them drop, they'll stop concentrating and start wondering 'well where the hell should I put them' - I know it's fairly obvious that the other option is 'forward/up', but when you're skiing and concentrating, it's not that easy.

Occassionally though... very infrequently, some negative instruction may be necessary. However, I believe this should be done when it is obviously something that the person is not getting their head around, and should only be done when stopped and discussing the problem (not as a quick instruction on the go). It should always be followed up with some more positive/constructive advice on tactics to overcome the issue/problem. It is sometimes required (I've needed it occassionally - usually when I think I'm doing something but am obviously not to the trained eye).

All of course my opinion - the gospel according to Simon. wink

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The example on TV demonstrated the idea quite well. The tight rope walker was a good one, not only could he walk a tight rope, he could skip at the same time. It seems that to be a tight rope walker you have to be able to keep quite a positive frame of mind Toofy Grin

After seeing the guy do his stuff on the high wire, Derren Brown asked him to repeat the performance, BUT while thinking "I must NOT fall". The "Do NOT fall" message was reinforced by adding an inflatable crash mat and Derren Brown repeating the instruction "Do NOT fall" several times before he started.

The same guy who had a moment ago had walked the high wire and skipped with a skipping rope (all without any safety net) seemingly went to pot, his balance was reduced, his movements were less accurate and eventually he fell off the wire to the mat.

Anyway, it seemed to prove how a negative focus of attention can have a real negative effect on what you do.

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I think the original question and the topic of the Derren Brown programme, please correct me if I'm wrong david@mediacopy, was the effect of getting people to focus on a negative (DON'T DO .... ). It wasn't about the difference between destructive and constructive comments as some people have gone onto, as in JP's example

After all it is free

preferably positive but whatever method there must be an explanation as to why do it this way or that.

rich.ll, With regard to the program as a whole I'm sure you are right, but I think that the tight rope walker was a good example of how having a positive or negative focus of attention can change a performance.

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I thrive on positive vibes and support all the above comments. The only time I failed in VT was when I said I can't do that. When I got my head round it and said 'you're being a bloody fool get on and sort it out' I succeeded. I thrived on the bash because, with very few exceptions, everyone said 'you can do it' - that was all it took. I thoroughly believe that positive encouragement should never be forgotten whether you are are instructing a sport or even are just a manager in a job.

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I think destructive comments that threaten confidence and enjoyment should be avoided at all costs, but for for my skiing "don't do that" type comments have been useful from time to time. I tend to turn off if I'm getting too much praise and try to analyse things myself.

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david@mediacopy, If you read what I said you'll see that I'm in agreement with you.

I was once told by an instructor NOT to fall off a T bar in Austria - as was the entire group. We were all put on with a strong local skier who could keep us on if we wobbled. It did focus the mind, being told how the entire morning would be wasted sorting us out if someone fell off, well away from the piste! I was also told absolutely NOT to fall off a button lift on cross country skis, because the bottom of the slope in question was far too difficult for us to ski back to the bottom, if we did (a steep blue, no problem on alpine skis) and we'd have to walk all the way up to the cross country getting off point. That focussed the mind too - nobody fell off! But generally, yes, positive instructions are obviously much better (e.g. "look ahead of you" rather than "don't look down at your skis"). I once saw an irate mother (and incompetent skier) telling off a tearful 6 year old. She honestly did say "I TOLD you not to fall down". He didn't seem to be finding it helpful... I felt like smacking her in the chops.

You know it makes sense.

Try, really hard, NOT to think about a lemon. Don't think about anything else. Just don't think about a lemon.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I totally see the point of +ve vs -ve.

But c'mon folks...are we adults or babies....some of the comments here about their reaction to -ve comments amaze me. Sometimes it is a valid point to say "that was cr@p".

I see The poo-poo Sandwich in ski teaching all the time: "That was good, your hands were well positioned, however you need to pole plant more, but keeping your hands up like they were is a great start".

I always say to an instructor: "no need to mince your words, if it is cr@p just say so and I can get to fixing it quicker"

A snowHead

A snowHead

rich.ll,

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Interesting topic for a discussion.

I think it depends on a lot of factors some of which are the level the person receiving instruction is at (I'd suggest advanced/expert skiers are more able to benefit from negative comments), the type of skier they are (nervous, confident, over-confident etc.), their personality etc. etc.

As with most things there are no set rules and there are exceptions but I'd suggest beginners and early intermediated thrive more on positive comments and need their good bits highlighted whilst an instructor offers them clear advice on what to do to improve. For example when I'm teaching beginners on dry I'll start off with positive comments, look for a single thing I can suggest they concentrate on and pose it as a "how about trying this" or similar suggestion, then go back to another positive and so on. For me it's really about being supportive and encouraging and offering clear pointers for improvement in a way that doesn't undermine a person.

In contrast when I'm training and receiving instruction (yes, we all need it, I don't believe those who say they dont and I've found I'm invariably right if I see them ski!) I usually prefer to be told if I do something sh*t, in fact I get rather frustrated sometimes if the feedback is too positive. I think at the level I'm at I need to have my skiing taken apart warts and all in order to improve and on the whole I can cope with someone telling me I'm doing something completely wrong, however what's valuable then is clear advice on how to improve it. There are times when I'm feeling a bit fragile though and I appreciate more positives, so it's all a matter of timing and what mood I'm in etc. as I'm sure must be the case for many other people too.

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roga, I think that's generally right about the level of skier and the type of feedback that works best for them, although there will obviously be exceptions to that. I think one of the skills of a great instructor is to work out how best to get a skier to make changes to their skiing, whether that be through positive, negative or no feedback at all.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

and there are ways and ways of saying it. I recall the whole bunch of us being told that a particular exercise had been "dire". It was a judgement clearly directed at the way we'd just done the exercise, not the state of our immortal souls, was said with a smile, and he was right. We tried harder..... I agree that mindless positive feedback is not helpful; makes you feel like a 4 year old.

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Of course, adding to the mix of factors... military personnel learning to ski. If they get it wrong, get them out of their skis and beast them into the ground (press-ups, sit-ups, running up a red run in ski boots etc etc). They'll get it right the next time. And if they don't... they'll be fit enough to get it right next time they ski. wink

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skisimon, this is part of your motivational scheme for the October bootcamp Puzzled

After all it is free

A lot of the negative/positive instruction thing is so you are focussing on the thing you are supposed to be doing. It's very easy for your brain to accidentally filter out the "Don't" from an instruction, and stick with the last thing said - "don't lean back" becomes "lean back", especially when concentrating on doing something physical. Possibly more important than the psychological aspect IMO.

Help!!

Positive or Negative instructions ?

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