Answers = Success when dealing with Paper Tigers.

Can you remember your very first encounter with a “paper tiger”? Nearly everyone can. Paper tigers can be found nearly everywhere in our lives. The trick to managing them is to understand who they are, why they exist and what they need from us.

Rather than being some species of undiscovered urban carnivore “paper tigers” are those people and processes whose job it is to provide the “checks and balances” against the speedy implementation of new and untested ideas. Simply put “paper tigers” are the people who - when faced with your proposal to implement a model rocketry project - say “no” due to a lack of factual knowledge or understanding.

Just like the real thing, tigers of the paper variety need to be treated with respect and the realization that they too have a place in the administrative food chain. In the wild tigers cull other animal herds of the weak and the dying - in the world of business paper tigers separate ideas of proven worth or merit from those that have been proffered on a whim.

In our experience in Model Rocketry Education we also have the occasional encounter with the infamous “paper tiger”. From administrators who read the word “rocket” and assume the word “firework” to parents who are hesitant to let their children work with “random flying projectiles” many of these tigers (once given a chance to review and assess the facts) can easily become some of your biggest supporters.

So what should I do?

If you run into a hesitant administrator or reluctant parent your job is to provide information and confidence. Often those who say “no” are reacting negatively because they do not have enough information to make a informed decision. It is the purpose of the tiger (whether they be parents or administrators) to weed out ideas and proposals that are not well-planned. This is their job and a role that is vitally important.

In addition paper tigers are trying to access your personal level of confidence. Do you really have a solid plan or are you just hoping that “everything will work out”? Do you have the ability to carry on if your plan or goals change? Don’t be offended! What may seem like a personal assessment is really part of a complex process of information gathering.

It is never easy to work with someone after their initial reaction to a proposal has been “no”. Compounding this challenge is the tendency for educators interested in model rocketry science to sometimes forget that not everyone is as familiar with the benefits that can be derived from a model rocketry project.

The following example may help. With nearly 50 million rockets taking to the sky each year it is safe to say that there are at least one million adults and students in the U.S. who have launched (or witnessed the launch of ) a model rocket. While one million is a large number this still leaves 258 1/2 million people who have not seen a model rocket fly. Some of these people may end up being a paper tiger that you could encounter when starting your own rocketry education project.

Answers, not avoidance.

In previous chapters we examined the top three questions posed to us by educators, parents, administrators and the public. These are common concerns of those who have little-to-no experience with model rocketry. If you encounter a paper tiger you should be prepared to answer many questions along the same line. Don’t worry! Model rocketry has a long and proven history of safety and educational value. Just remember that although dealing with tigers can take both time and energy they play a valuable role in weeding good proposals out from those that are ill-advised. The greatest success can be achieved with answers and education rather than avoidance.