| I recently read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. In his | | | | not listening to your words, select words that will |
| book, Gladwell tells us how poor communication | | | | resonate with that person. Change the way you |
| crashes airplanes. In other words, it's neither the | | | | are communicating to grab the other person's |
| weather nor mechanical difficulties that cause | | | | attention. |
| crashes, but poor communication and misguided | | | | Pay attention to the other person's nonverbal |
| teamwork. When the pilot and the first officer do | | | | messages. Filler words, "I think, maybe, I believe, |
| not communicate clearly, when they do not act | | | | probably," suggest a lack of confidence. When you |
| like a team, airplanes go down. Imagine that! | | | | hear that lack of confidence, share your message. |
| This led me to think about all the mishaps we | | | | Don't doubt yourself. If you have something |
| have that result from communication errors. Think | | | | to say, say it. You may be wrong, but it's better |
| about the number of times we've hurt someone's | | | | to get it out and to allow someone to consider |
| feelings by not listening or by sending the wrong | | | | the option, than to never say it. |
| message. Think about the number of times | | | | Say what you need to say with confidence |
| projects in the workplace get botched because | | | | but without aggression. When others reject your |
| teams do not communicate well. Think about the | | | | ideas, do not take it personally. If you shared |
| number of sports events where stellar teams | | | | your suggestion or idea and it was dealt with |
| lose because they can't act like a team or | | | | openly, you've done your part. |
| because their coaches forgot the basics of | | | | If someone counters your idea with their |
| communication. | | | | own knowledge, listen. Don't rebel because the |
| As human beings, we relate to one another | | | | idea was someone else's, even if that person is |
| through our communication-both verbal and | | | | not your superior. Do not let "rank" cloud your |
| nonverbal. In the cockpit, those messages - when | | | | listening. |
| misinterpreted - result in disaster. Sometimes, | | | | Use good listening skills to force yourself to |
| outside the cockpit miscommunication can kill as | | | | hear what the other person is saying. Paraphrase |
| well. For example, imagine a doctor in the | | | | what they said or probe with good open |
| operating room. When the surgeon asks for an | | | | questions. Don't simply process the information in |
| instrument, he must do so in just the right way | | | | your head. |
| and that message must be interpreted correctly. | | | | Communication is interrelated. To achieve success |
| The physician monitoring a heart patient must | | | | with communication, we must recognize that we |
| communicate in clear and unequivocal terms. | | | | need each other, i.e., I need you and you need |
| When I teach workshops related to | | | | me. We cannot communicate alone. |
| communication and teams, I often hear people | | | | Gladwell points out in his book that successful |
| say, I don't care what the other person thinks. | | | | people must practice ten thousand hours to |
| We become angry or annoyed with the other | | | | become successful in whatever it is they do. He |
| person and we give up. Communication takes | | | | also notes that it's not practice alone that makes |
| practice and patience. It takes more energy than | | | | a person successful. It's the right kind of practice. |
| most of us give it. | | | | I would venture to guess that most of us have |
| Gladwell gives several examples when the first | | | | communicated much more than ten thousand |
| officer knew the pilot was making a deadly | | | | hours. I would also note that most of us have not |
| mistake, but he did not communicate that | | | | practiced ten thousand hours of good |
| message. Instead of saying, "This is an | | | | communication. That's the challenge we face. |
| emergency. We must abort." The first officer | | | | Those of us, who lead others, must take |
| said, "I think we might need to change course." | | | | communication seriously. We may not be flying a |
| Notice the difference. Often, a slight change in the | | | | plane or performing surgery, but we are trying to |
| way we communicate both verbally and | | | | get through our days successfully. Good, effective |
| nonverbally will drastically change the meaning. | | | | communication takes practice and a lot of it. |
| Here are a few tips to help you communicate | | | | I pray that my pilot and first officer on my next |
| your message with confidence: | | | | flight will have logged in many more than ten |
| When you recognize that the other person is | | | | thousand hours of good communication! |