BUSINESS EDU
Top 10 Ways to Be a Better Dive Professional – Part 2 by Jeff McNutt , Chief Operating Officer/Owner of Dive BVI
I N PART 1, WE LOOKED at the qualities customers notice first: passion, humility, fitness, relatability, and a well-timed sense of humor. Those traits help a dive pro- fessional earn trust. But the job does not stop with the individual customer. A great professional also strengthens the dive operation, supports the local community, keeps learning, adapts when
ebrate other people’s successes and become involved beyond the boat. Beach cleanups, conservation projects, dive events, training sessions, local clubs, and community gatherings all strengthen diving culture. A strong dive community creates better divers, safer operations, and more opportunities for everyone. Besides, divers are much more fun when they are gathered
plans change, and helps set the tone when things go sideways. Here are the final five qualities that help turn a dive professional into the kind of professional people re- member for all the right reasons. 6. Environmental Awareness: A dive professional should be more than an un- derwater tour guide. You are also an am- bassador for the environment. Divers see things most people will never experience firsthand, and that gives us a re-
around a table telling stories about the shark that was definitely the biggest anyone has ever seen. 8. Be Knowledgeable: You do not need to know everything, but you should know enough to recognize what you do not know. A professional’s knowledge should extend beyond memorizing answers to certification exams. Understand diving physics, physi- ology, equipment, local conditions, marine life, emergency procedures, and the envi-
A certi fi cation card proves that you completed training. It does not prove that you stopped learning. The ocean changes, equipment changes, and best practices evolve. Your professional development should evolve with them.
sponsibility. Learn about the ecosystems where you work, un- derstand local conservation issues, teach responsible interactions with marine life, and explain why buoyancy matters, why touching coral is a terrible idea, and why “it was only one shell” is not a compelling defense for collecting wildlife. Environmental education does not need to become a lecture. Point out interesting behavior, explain what makes the habitat special, share conservation success stories, and encourage divers to see the ecosystem as more than an underwater back- drop. The goal is to create divers who leave the water thinking, “That was amazing, and I want to help protect it.” Remember what Mr. Cousteau said: “We only protect what we love, we only love what we understand, and we only understand what we are taught.” That is a pretty good definition of success. 7. Community: Scuba diving can be an individual activity, but the diving industry is built on community. The best pro- fessionals understand that their colleagues are not merely competitors. They are part of the same ecosystem. Help the new divemaster, share information, support local dive clubs, and recommend another operator when that business is genuinely better suited to a customer’s needs. Cel-
ronments in which you work. Keep learning. Read, train, ask questions, take specialty courses, talk with experienced divers, and learn from mistakes – preferably other people’s mistakes, although the industry has traditionally provided plenty of opportunities for personal research. Most importantly, keep your knowledge current. A certification card proves that you completed training. It does not prove that you stopped learning. The ocean changes, equipment changes, and best practices evolve. Your professional development should evolve with them. 9. Adaptability and Creativity: No two dives are exactly alike. Weather, currents, and visibility change. A diver forgets something important, the boat schedule gets rearranged, or the spectacular animal everyone came to see apparently has other plans. A good dive professional adapts. That does not mean com- promising safety. It means adjusting the plan without falling apart when reality refuses to cooperate. Creativity helps. Perhaps the planned site is unsuitable, but another offers shelter and a completely different experience. A nervous diver may need a different briefing approach, or a group may need to slow down and spend more time observing
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