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The Power of Communication and CRM

“Communication is key” – you’ve heard it countless times, right? But what does it really mean? Let’s unpack this cliche to understand why good communication is often harder to achieve than we might think.

Unraveling Communication

For a concept that’s part of our daily lives, communication can be surprisingly complex. At its most basic, communication involves exchanging thoughts, opinions, or information. It seems straightforward, but let’s see how things can sometimes go wrong.

When Communication Fails

Let’s dive into some high-profile cases where communication didn’t quite go as planned. Here, the cost of communication failure was far greater than lost dollars or wasted time – it was measured in human lives.

Silos: The Apollo 13 Oxygen Scrubber Story

“Silos” refer to situations where communication between groups is limited. This often occurs unintentionally, but it can be hard to fix even when identified.

Recall the movie Apollo 13? The Command Module (CM) and Lunar Module (LM) used two different designs for their oxygen scrubbing mechanisms, developed by separate design groups. There was no attempt to bridge the communication between these silos, leading to a critical failure during the mission. Fortunately, through a legendary “hack”, the crew managed to survive this incident. Check out this article from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for more details.

Power Differential: Ignored Warnings and the Columbia Disaster

Another obstacle in communication is the power differential. A retired NASA engineer, Don Nelson, had raised serious concerns about the safety culture at NASA prior to the Columbia shuttle disaster. Despite his warnings, they were largely ignored. A lack of communication and listening ultimately led to the loss of the Columbia and its crew. Here’s the story from the Chicago Tribune.

Deference: The Crash of Korean Air 8509

Deference, especially when influenced by cultural dimensions, can also impede communication. In the case of Korean Air 8509, a cargo flight, the co-pilot’s deference to the captain’s authority led to a fatal crash shortly after take-off. An alarm sounded, and the flight engineer called out warnings, but the captain ignored these. This case study delves into the details.

These examples highlight the complexities of communication. Effective communication isn’t just about speaking or writing – it’s a two-way street that requires listening, understanding, and active participation.

Tools for Effective Communication

A great tool to help organizations foster a positive communication culture is the “blameless post-mortem” or “Mortality and Morbidity” (M&M) conference. However, these processes tend to be reactive, taking place after a failure. So, how can we be proactive in enhancing our communication?

Enter Crew Resource Management (CRM). This is a system developed within aviation but now applied in many fields, including IT and healthcare. It helps create an environment where authority can be respectfully questioned – crucial in situations where a communication failure could cost lives.

The diagram above provides a visual representation of CRM, where ‘Timely and Effective Communications’ and ‘Coordinate Actions and Events’ play key roles. These two sectors represent a culture of listening, trust, and understanding. By integrating CRM’s components, we can make communication not just effective, but also second nature.

To sum it up, let’s bring down the silos, respect the power differential, and challenge undue deference. Let’s make our communication count – because it truly is the key!

References

Interested in learning more? Here’s a list of the references supplied in-line above, but in a more convenient format:

• NASA’s Organizational Culture: A comprehensive study on NASA’s organizational culture and its impact on safety measures, which examines instances like the Columbia shuttle disaster.
• The Power of Reflective Listening: An insightful article on the psychology of reflective listening, its importance, and how to master it.
• CRM in Aviation: This report by the Flight Safety Foundation provides an in-depth look at how CRM works in the aviation industry.
• Korean Air 8509 - Investigation: A detailed report on the investigation into the crash of Korean Air 8509 and the role of cultural dynamics in the tragedy.
• Apollo 13 - A Successful Failure: An interesting read on the Apollo 13 mission, where you can learn about the infamous explosion and how the crew and ground control managed to turn it into a “successful failure.”
• Overcoming Organizational Silos: This article from the Harvard Business Review delves into strategies for breaking down organizational silos and improving cross-functional collaboration.

These should provide a deeper understanding of the topics touched on in the blog post and offer some valuable insights into improving team communication. Happy reading!