Communication and Cooperation — Page 267, Lesson 434

I want to walk you through a set of communication tools that are essential for managing conflict and maintaining good teamwork in the cockpit. These are specific techniques you'll use to keep information flowing clearly and to defuse tension before it becomes a safety issue. Let's start with the idea of active listening. If someone gives you a long piece of information, your attention can drift. To stay engaged, you can use a technique called summarizing. You stop the flow by saying something like, "In summary, are you saying that...?" This does four things: it keeps you actively listening, it confirms you understand the information, it clarifies any misunderstandings, and it reassures the other crew member that you are still with them. Next is advocacy. Advocacy means arguing for or against a cause. In flight, you rarely need to advocate except to support another crew member's view when the group is reaching a decision. You should use tact and diplomacy when you advocate, and you might use it to clarify or emphasize a point someone else has already made. Then we have feedback. You should take the trouble to obtain feedback to make sure what you're trying to communicate has been fully understood. And if there's any possibility of a misunderstanding, you should volunteer feedback yourself, without being asked. Metacommunication is about your tone and body language. The way you present something can go a long way toward defusing conflict. If you have to make a forceful point, it becomes more acceptable if you accompany it with tactful, non-aggressive body language and tone of voice. Negotiation is a tool for handling conflict on the ground, but it should rarely be used in flight. Negotiation implies that you give concessions to gain something. The Commander's role, if circumstances require it, is that of an arbitrator, not a negotiator. The Commander is responsible for the ultimate decision. Arbitration is the clear duty of the Commander if there is conflict in the cockpit. After making a decision, the Commander should always communicate the reasons for that decision to the crew. If there isn't time to give that feedback in the air, the Commander must ensure the crew is informed of the reasons during a post-flight brief. Finally, culture. Research into cultural aspects of aeronautics shows that differences between pilots from different cultures depend very little on technical knowledge and far more on communications and personal relationships. Things like face-saving, the role of gender, and a background in a hierarchical society can hinder the passage of effective information. A gesture or body signal that is acceptable in one culture can be deeply insulting or incomprehensible in another.