Lessons from a Master Tracker - Just enough competition

Left team vs Right team. Photo: James Linnett

“Mongoose! Mongoose!” I yell, launching myself over the seats in front of me in my enthusiasm. “That makes it 3:4, we’re on our way back, baby!”

We are two teams of two: the left side of the vehicle versus the right side, with the goal of identifying the most animals on our drive back to camp after finishing tracking for the day. It’s an incongruous sight—four men with an average age just under 60, giggling away and teasing each other while fully invested in such a silly game.

There is a purpose though, particularly for me.

Having spent the last two hours trailing a rhino and her calf, I had been in pure focus mode. The danger of trailing an animal is that you get so focused on its immediate trail that you lose sight of the wider context—not least of which is the risk of missing other dangerous animals that cross or even join the trail you are following. The aforementioned guinea fowl whistle from my last post had called me back numerous times over the prior days for missing something like the trail of a hippo crossing our path or a single, old male buffalo now following the same path the rhino had taken.

Simply being told not to overfocus isn’t always effective. As the dove calls in the background “Look harder! Look harder!” one’s natural instinct is to do exactly that (by the way, in the evening the doves switch to “Drink lager! Drink lager!”). A different approach to encouraging what trackers call “diffuse thinking” was needed—one with an incentive strategy that reinforces the learning.

Spotting animals while on the move proves to be a great exercise in diffuse thinking. When you are driving through the bush at 30 mph, you can’t spot animals if you focus on one place alone. You have to be scanning at least 270 degrees, and your mind needs to be alert but relaxed. As a simple exercise, though, there’s no real incentive to learn this skill.

Renias’s decision to turn it into a “left vs. right” contest created just enough incentive for us to invest in our “diffuse” tracking skills. The edge of competition reinforced the adoption and learning of this skill.

Renias extended this idea of “just enough competition” to my broader learning. Or should I say, our broader learning.

“It was the second vervet monkey track that caught me,” says Marius, our first rifle, who is spending the two weeks walking with us as our armed guide. Along with Gert, our second rifle, Marius has been coerced into my tracking assessment by Renias.

Marius is a recently retired Section Ranger in the Kruger National Park, and Gert a seasoned guide with many years of experience guiding in the bush. So there is just enough pressure all around. My goal is to prove I’m learning fast enough not to make a fool of myself: theirs is to prove their status as seasoned experts. Fortunately, we are all mature enough to engage with some humor to balance, just about, the competitive edge.

By creating a team event from my solo assessment, Renias has upped the ante just enough to ensure that the outcome “matters.” And it is amazing how my focus has changed as a result.

What I’m learning is that having something at stake enhances the learning experience. Research shows that low-stakes competition, particularly in a group or team setting, enhances the learning experience. Clearly, it is important to have a low-tariff to the competition, both in terms of cost of entry and the stakes, to avoid excessive stress.

This approach of blending competition with learning has not only made my tracking skills sharper but has also highlighted the importance of keeping the learning environment engaging and dynamic. By leveraging the motivational boost from competition, we can foster a more effective and enjoyable learning experience.

Through these experiences, I have come to appreciate the value of incorporating light-hearted competition into learning. It not only keeps the participants engaged but also sharpens their skills in a more relaxed and enjoyable manner. Whether in the bush or the boardroom, finding that sweet spot of competition can enhance focus, learning, and ultimately, performance.

BTW, for those who are keeping score, my team of Marius and me pulled it back with the last second spotting of a giraffe as we pulled into camp. 4:4 on the day!