Managing your best: find out how strong your lifeguard management is with this best practices checklist.(RISK MANAGEMENT)

A strong manager can make all the difference when it comes to an effective life-guarding program. It starts with knowing how to hire and retain the right people and goes all the way to implementing the most effective surveillance methods and rescue techniques.

It's not easy. The industry typically has not invested much time in building management expertise. High turnover rates among young, seasonal employees make building strong staffs that much harder.

But when lives are on the line and an organization's reputation rests in the hands of teenage employees, a strong manager is a must. It is not enough to hire and post a work schedule in the office. Lifeguard managers must be visible, vigilant and knowledgeable.

See how many of the top 10 management practices you currently follow. Your lifeguards should:

1 Have a clear and in-depth understanding of what is expected of them. Your lifeguards need to have a complete understanding of their job responsibilities and duties, and be fully aware of the expectations you have for them. Consider implementing contracts for the guards that outline job duties and performance expectations. Making them sign an agreement may help increase their level of commitment.

2 Demonstrate maturity, reliability, effective communication and decision-making skills. Hiring high-quality lifeguards may help decrease employee turnover and improve your facility's safety performance record. Think about adding situational questions to the interview process to test for these characteristics. For example, ask: "Could you tell me about a time when you had to handle a discipline problem while on the job?" Such questions tell you how a potential employee actually behaved, rather than a role-play that deals in hypothetical situations.

3 Hold current certification in life-guarding, first aid and professional-level CPR/AED. Check to make sure the certifications of the guards you hire are valid and that they were trained by a reputable organizations. Also, make testing of rescue skills a standard part of your hiring practice to ensure that new employees are prepared to be on the job.