Masterly inactivity

I heard about the term ‘masterly inactivity’ earlier this week which apparently is used commonly in the medical world particularly at times of high stress in emergencies.  I plan to do some digging around this weekend to learn some more about it.  But it’s been swishing around in my head since I heard about it.  Although I know very little about it, what I have heard, it seems there is much to be said for the concept and it may have many advantages in other applications, driving too.

I can think of both personal and business situations where deciding to do nothing has proved to be very beneficial.  I don’t believe we’re talking inactivity as in ‘still rabbits in headlights’, but deciding to wait, do nothing at this precise moment in time for a certain period of time, has definitely worked for me in the past.

There are some mental skills when driving that are absolutely key, being assertive, confident, forward planning, anticipation, decision making.  And keeping calm and methodical is way up top of any list that I would make – let me give you an example from yesterday:

My pupil was approaching a 4 exit roundabout, and I asked her to take the 4^th exit on the right.  Rather than looking at the sign that was slightly obscured by branches, she asked “What.... back on ourselves?” to which I said “Yea” as the 4^th exit was at 5 o/c on the clock face and we were approaching at 6 o/c. 

So she then set up the approaching speed and gears beautifully, she ‘read’ the roundabout well, and as such she entered it without pausing, she then counted off in her head the exits, at exit 3 did lovely obs, signalled at the correct time, moved over and was just about to exit on the 4^th exit when she suddenly jerked the steering wheel to the right and made moves to come off where we had started.

We pull over later on, and she tells me that she was confused as she thought we were going ‘back on ourselves’ as I had said we were. 

All the planning on the approach, the execution of the roundabout, everything was spot on, then rather than following through to complete that sequence of following the instruction “4^th exit on the right”, suddenly a little gremlin in the back of the head starts questioning, and confusing matters. 

‘4^th exit on the right’ is sufficiently accurate enough of an instruction to not be confused.  ‘Back on ourselves’ is not a good description of direction and will NOT be used by Examiners on Test.    If there are branches obscuring the view of the sign on approach it strikes me you have two choices – you either slow down so that you have more time to view that sign, or you go with your instinct and follow the logical sequence – following the instruction word for word. 

An Examiner on the Test will not appreciate questions from a candidate like “What.... back on ourselves?”, or “What....not that one there, but the other?”, or “Do you mean over there?” – getting a system that you can apply independently AND HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO STICK WITH, is key.

Needing constant confirmation of intended junctions to exit, or where a turn is, or where to pull over, or what the speed limit is, or whether to wait for a bus to pull out, or whether a green filter arrow is intended for us – are all signs of someone not being truly independent yet..... not a crime, just a symptom.

And sometimes when we are faced with those odd little moments in driving when we are questioning ourselves, I rather suspect ‘masterly inactivity’ will be the order of the day for a split second – mirrors, off gas and wait (that wait enables you to digest information around you, it enables others to be aware of you, and that time often lets things naturally unfold).