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Making!Waves!Consulting!Group!
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Proposed(for:(
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Katie!Thomas,!Aquatics!Director
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Prepared(by:(

Sinclaire!Cheong,!Lead!Consultant!
May!13,!2014!
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Executive!Summary!
Objective)
Imagine!staring!at!a!pool,!constantly!moving!your!eyes,!looking!at!every!person!in!the!water,!and!
assessing!their!situation.!It!is!vital!to!avoid!taking!your!eyes!off!the!water!and!people.!Doing!this!
task!for!a!mere!30!minutes!is!practically!exhausting.!It!has!an!enormous!effect!on!the!brain!and!the!
ability!to!remain!alert.!After!some!time,!effective!visual!scanning!declines,!and!the!capacity!for!
lifeguards!to!maintain!attention!on!swimmers!reduces.!To!safeguard!both!employees!and!
community!members!of!the!San!Mateo!Athletic!Club!(SMAC),!Making!Waves!Consulting!Group!is!
proposing!a!more!efficient!method!of!utilizing!lifeguards!to!establish!safer!procedures!on!the!pool!
deck.!
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Goals)
Our!goal!is!to!assist!in!the!implementation!of!the!new!strategy!and!to!communicate!to!SMAC!about!
the!positive!effect!it!will!have!on!the!organization.!Should!emergencies!arise,!we!want!employees!
to!be!prepared!to!act!and!patrons!to!feel!safe!in!the!hands!of!certified!professionals.!!
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Solution)
The!solution!we!propose!is!a!threeQguard!rotation.!Under!this!new!procedure,!guards!receive!
multiple!20Qminute!breaks!throughout!their!scheduled!shift.!This!provides!time!for!them!to!rest!and!
maintain!focus!when!watching!over!the!pool.!!!
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Proposal)Outline)
The!proposal!includes!information!that!answers!the!following!questions:!
1. How!does!the!new!system!work?!(i.e.,!where!are!the!lifeguards!located,!how!long!are!
breaks,!how!many!guards!are!necessary,!etc.)!
2. How!does!it!affect!staff!members!and!patrons?!
3. How!can!it!appeal!to!staff!members?!(i.e.,!how!can!we!make!employees!open!to!adopting!
the!new!system?)!
4. What!are!the!additional!costs!and!the!expected!return!on!investment?!
5. How!is!success!measured?!
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Making!Waves!Consulting!Group!will!provide!continued!assistance!and!feedback!after!
implementation!to!ensure!that!the!new!system!remains!practical!and!beneficial!to!the!organization.!!
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Introduction!
Rotating!lifeguards!is!an!effective!procedure!that!gives!guards!the!rest!they!need!and!ultimately!
helps!them!stay!focused!on!the!job.!Guards!must!be!ready!to!detect!and!respond!to!changes!and!
emergencies!that!may!occur!at!any!time.!Constant!visual!scanning!of!the!pool!requires!this!kind!of!
vigilance;!therefore,!close!attention!to!all!patrons!in!the!water!and!on!the!pool!deck!is!essential!to!
effective!scanning.!However,!there!is!evidence!that!over!a!30Qminute!period,!vigilance!declines.1!The!
American!Red!Cross!advises!supervisors!to!implement!periodic!rotations!from!one!stand!to!
another,!as!well!as!breaks.!These!strategies!will!decrease!their!fatigue!and!improve!concentration.2!
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Proposed)Strategy!
Our!proposed!strategy!involves!switching!from!the!current!two!guards!on!duty!to!a!threeQguard!
rotation.!Under!the!threeQguard!rotation!system,!one!guard!will!be!located!at!station!one,!the!
second!will!be!located!at!station!two,!and!the!third!guard!will!be!located!at!station!three.!The!
following!notes!the!location!of!the!stations!and!the!assigned!duties!of!each!guard:!!
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Station(One:!lifeguard!stand!placed!at!the!west!end!of!the!pool!deck!
Guard!overlooks!western!half!of!the!Olympic!pool!and!instructional!pool!
Station(Two:!lifeguard!stand!placed!at!the!middle!of!the!Olympic!pool/the!east!end!of!the!
instructional!pool!
Guard!overlooks!eastern!half!of!the!Olympic!pool!and!instructional!pool!
Station(Three:!chair!and!table!placed!at!the!pool!entrance!
Guard!is!on!break,!greets!patrons!as!they!enter!the!pool!deck,!assists!with!any!
inquiries!(see!Appendix!B)!
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Rotations!will!occur!every!20!minutes,!with!guards!moving!through!each!station.!Within!a!single!
hour,!each!guard!scans!the!pool!for!a!total!of!40!minutes!and!receives!a!20Qminute!break.!Under!the!
current!method,!guards!are!only!given!a!single!20Qminute!break!over!the!four!or!five!hour!shift.!
With!the!new!procedure,!guards!get!a!total!of!80!minutes!of!break!time,!where!they!can!rest!and!
reset!their!brain.!They!have!a!better!ability!to!maintain!vigilance!and!stay!alert!throughout!their!
shift.!Furthermore,!scanning!the!pool!from!different!point!of!views!(west!end/east!end)!sustains!
their!attention!span!and!teaches!them!the!various!conditions!of!the!facility.!!
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Impact)on)SMAC)Employees)!
Implementing!this!strategy!has!a!positive!effect!on!SMAC!employees,!because!they!can!rest!their!
eyes,!recharge!their!brain,!rehydrate,!and!be!out!of!the!sun/rain!multiple!times!throughout!their!
shift.!Being!well!rested!will!improve!their!concentration!on!the!pool,!and!this!contributes!to!
establishing!a!safe!and!secure!environment!for!SMAC!patrons.!!
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1
!http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.usla.org/resource/resmgr/lifeguard_library/lifeguard_standards_final_re.pdf!
2
http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3240080_LifeguardManagement.pdf
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Impact)on)SMAC)Members)!
Moreover,!creating!a!third!station!at!the!entrance!of!the!pool!will!allow!SMAC!employees!to!deliver!
additional!customer!service.!Guards!have!the!ability!to!get!to!know!regular!swimmers!by!greeting!
them!at!the!door,!answering!any!questions,!directing!them!to!open!lanes,!providing!them!with!
swim!sets!and!techniques,!and!reassuring!them!that!they!are!safe!under!the!watchful!eyes!of!the!
guards.!
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In!total,!the!proposed!strategy!will!serve!the!SMAC!mission!to!create!a!healthy!environment!for!
students,!staff,!and!community!members!in!pursuit!of!health!and!physical!fitness.!3!

Background!and!Necessity!
According!to!Heath!and!Heaths!(2008)!Made(to(Stick:(Why(Some(Ideas(Survive(and(Others(Die(there!
are!six!tenets!that!managers!can!use!when!engineering!stickiness!towards!the!processes!and!
procedures!of!an!organization.!They!argued!that!a!simple!unexpected!concrete!credentialed!
emotional!story!taps!into!the!interests!of!the!audience!and!makes!an!idea!stick!(Heath!&!Heath,!
2008,!p.!18).!!
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For!the!San!Mateo!Athletic!Club!to!effectively!communicate!an!idea!that!sticks!with!employees,!
focusing!on!three!of!the!six!tenets!is!crucial!to!the!business!success.!The!three!tenets!I!am!putting!
particular!emphasis!on!include:!simple,!concrete,!and!emotional.!!
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The!idea!is!simple:!Lifeguards!must!act!professionally!and!be!vigilant.!!
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To!understand!it!more!concretely:!In!order!to!be!more!professional,!guards!should!be!stationed!at!
opposite!ends!of!the!pool!on!elevated!stands,!which!gives!them!a!greater!view!of!the!pool.!They!
must!be!seated!in!the!stand!with!rescue!tube!and!rescue!equipment!within!immediate!access.!They!
must!thoroughly!scan!their!zone!by!constantly!moving!their!head!and!recognizing!how!many!
patrons!are!in!the!water.!These!duties!also!contribute!to!their!ability!to!be!vigilant.!In!order!to!
remain!vigilant,!guards!must!be!given!20Qminute!breaks!after!every!40!minutes!of!scanning!so!they!
can!rest!and!refocus!their!attention.!!
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Tap!into!their!emotions(to!make!them!care:!Heath!and!Heath!claim!that!one!way!of!making!people!
care!is!by!invoking!selfQinterest,!so!it!is!important!to!appeal!to!the!things!that!matter!to!them!
(Heath!&!Heath,!2007,!p.!177).!Management!needs!to!be!conscious!of!the!mental!exhaustion!guards!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Our mission is to create a healthy environment that engages students, staff and community members in the pursuit of health
and physical fitness. With a facility such as this, the emphasis is on enjoying exercise for its own sake and learning fitness
habits for life. This means that students have a place where they can focus on lifetime fitness goals and individual
achievement, and community members can find opportunities to improve their health and well-being.
http://smccd.edu/accounts/smccd/departments/auxiliaryservices/athleticclub.php
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go!through!so!sufficient!breaks!are!necessary.!Guards!appreciate!the!extra!time!where!they!get!a!
break!from!the!sun!and!can!converse!with!members!who!visit!the!pool.!Lifeguarding!is!a!fairly!
solitary!job,!so!they!may!be!less!bored!when!they!are!able!to!interact!with!patrons!during!the!20!
minute!off!time.!Ultimately,!the!extra!breaks!will!make!guards!care!about!what!they!are!doing,!
because!they!will!be!more!focused!on!and!connected!with!SMAC!members.!

Cost!Analysis!
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Estimated!Expenses!
(per!month)!

*Salaries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!$17,136!
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*Salaries(calculated(by:!
Shift(One((5(a.m.(to(10(a.m.):(3(guards(working(5(hours(at($12/hr(=($180(
Shift(Two,(Three,(and(Four((10(a.m.(to(2(p.m.,(2(p.m.(to(6(p.m.,(6(p.m.(to(10(p.m.):(3(guards(each(
shift(working(4(hours(at($12/hr(=($432(
o total(salary(cost(per(day(=($612(
$612(*(7(days/wk(*(4(wks/month(=($17,136(
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Expected!Return!on!Investment!
Employees:!
Increased!vigilance,!professionalism,!satisfaction!!
Members:!
Increased!customer!service,!customer!loyalty,!and!customer!retention!
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The!predicted!return!on!investment!in!implementing!a!threeQguard!rotation!involves!both!SMAC!
employees!and!SMAC!members.!The!lifeguards!will!acquire!an!increased!awareness,!perform!duties!
in!a!professional!manner,!and!show!more!care!towards!their!work!due!to!the!additional!breaks.!
Patrons!will!receive!more!personal!attention!when!greeted!at!the!pool!entrance!by!the!guard!on!
break.!Excellent!customer!care!will!improve!customer!loyalty!and!result!in!higher!retention!rates!for!
the!organization.!!

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Assessment!
Evaluating!the!success!of!the!threeQguard!rotation!system!will!require!both!immediate!feedback!
from!employees!and!patrons!and!continued!assessment!of!their!duties!over!time.!!
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Immediately!after!implementation,!survey!employees!and!ask:!
Has!your!ability!to!concentrate!on!patrons!in!the!pool!improved?!
Do!you!prefer!two!guards!on!deck!or!the!threeQguard!rotation?!Why?!
Do!the!additional!breaks!help!or!hurt!your!ability!to!focus?!
How!do!you!feel!after!taking!a!20Qminute!break?!!
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Also!survey!patrons!and!ask:!
Do!you!feel!more!safe/less!safe/the!same!with!the!change!in!guard!rotations?!!
How!could!our!lifeguards!better!serve!your!needs?!
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Over!time,!management!should!evaluate!the!performance!of!employees!by:!!
Measuring!timing!of!opening!and!closing!procedures!(e.g.,!unlocking/locking!doors,!pool!
covers,!time!clocks,!etc.)!
Continuing!evaluations!of!lifeguard!skills!by!testing!them!out!on!skills!of!the!week!
Assessing!perceived!level!of!professionalism!and!providing!employees!with!their!feedback!
(e.g.,!how!they!can!improve!their!onstage!image)!

Conclusion!
Large!facility!pools!throughout!the!Bay!Area!successfully!utilize!a!lifeguard!rotation!system.!Guards!
greatly!appreciate!the!break!period!every!hour,!and!they!believe!it!improves!the!performance!of!
their!duties.!The!simple!message!of!acting!professionally!and!remaining!vigilant!resonates!with!the!
guards,!because!they!are!always!concerned!with!swimmer!safety!and!care.!
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Recognizing!lifeguards!contributions!in!creating!a!safe!swimming!environment!shows!that!the!
organization!cares!about!their!efforts.!By!showing!that!the!organization!cares!about!the!staff,!
guards,!in!turn,!will!care!about!the!impact!they!have!on!the!safety!of!swimmers.!

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Appendices!
Appendix!A:!Email!
To:!SMAC!Aquatics!Staff
From:!Sinclaire!Cheong
Subject:.Three6Guard!Rotation
Date:!May!13,!2014!
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Dear!SMAC!Aquatics!Staff,!
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Beginning!next!week,!we!will!be!implementing!a!three6guard!rotation.!Under!this!system,!instead!
of!two!lifeguards,!there!will!be!three!lifeguards!rotating!through!stations!every!20!minutes.!One!
lifeguard!will!be!located!at!one!elevated!stand,!another!at!a!second!elevated!stand,!and!the!third!
guard!on!break!by!the!entrance!of!the!pool!(Please!refer!to!the!attached!Rotation!Chart!PDF!file).!
The!purpose!of!this!new!system!is!to!allow!guards!to!receive!ample!amounts!of!break!time!
throughout!a!shift.!
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SMAC!strives!to!create!a!professional!environment!where!staff!members!are!constantly!alert!and!
focused!on!the!safety!and!care!of!patrons!who!visit!the!pool.!In!order!to!maintain!this!professional!
environment,!multiple!breaks!throughout!a!shift!allow!guards!to!briefly!rest!and!reset!their!
attention.!!
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We!believe!the!Aquatics!department!will!benefit!from!the!three6guard!rotation,!because!it!
contributes!to!your!focus!on!the!safety!of!patrons.!Moreover,!when!on!break,!you!have!the!
opportunity!to!greet!and!interact!with!members!who!enter!and!exit!the!pool!deck.!
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If!you!have!any!questions!or!concerns!regarding!the!new!system,!please!do!not!hesitate!to!contact!
your!supervisors!or!myself.!!
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Thank!you,!
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Sinclaire!Cheong!
Lead!Consultant!
Making!Waves!Consulting!Group!
500!El!Camino!Real!
Santa!Clara,!CA!95053!
Phone:!(408)!55563433!
www.makingwaves.com!!
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Works(Cited(
Heath,!C.,!&!Heath,!D.!(2007).!Made(to(Stick:(Why(Some(Ideas(Survive(and(Others(Die.(New!York:!!
Random!House.!!
The!American!Red!Cross.!(2007).!Lifeguard!management.!Retrieved!May!9,!2014,!from!
http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3240080_LifeguardMana
gement.pdf.!!
United!States!Lifeguard!Standards!Coalition.!(2011).!United!States!lifeguard!standards.!Retrieved!!
May!9,!2014,!from!
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.usla.org/resource/resmgr/lifeguard_library/lifeguard_standar
ds_final_re.pdf.!!
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