“Never judge someone by the way they look or a book by the way it’s covered; For inside those tattered pages, there’s a lot to be discovered” Stephen Cosgrove. How are your language skills? In the United States 75% of the population speaks one language – English. One of the front and center areas for all people at work and in their lives now is diversity and inclusion. Everything begins with the ability to communicate. To accomplish this everyone involved must be open and willing to … [Read more...]
Is Your Communication Open or Guarded?
“Wise people speak because they have something to say; Fools speak because they have to say something.” Imagine if aboard a ship at sea if the Chief Engineer ran the engine room as a fiefdom. All of the engineers knew not to speak with anyone who are not part of their engine room team about anything going on in the engine room. Unless it was absolutely a safety to the ship and/or the crew issue even the Captain of the ship might not be kept informed about anything going on in the engine … [Read more...]
Do You Have A Lookout?
If you have ever worked aboard a merchant ship you know about the responsibilities of the lookout. A lookout is a person most often stationed on the ship’s bridge who maintains a constant watch of the water to report any kind of hazard that can be an obstacle in the navigation and cause harm to the ship. According to COLREG, a lookout is required to give his uninterrupted attention at all times to the ship’s navigation in order to inform the officer on watch (OOW) about other ships, shipwrecks, … [Read more...]
How Well Do You Communicate?
What would others say? Like the people you work with... The people you live with? What would they say? When aboard a deep sea ocean going ship traveling internationally you will stop at a variety of ports. Each one having its own culture, architecture and language(s). When the ship first arrives at the port the first contacts are made with people from there. A majority of people initially helping the ship into and at the port speak English. This would be the Pilot, the Docking Pilot … [Read more...]
Do You Listen First Or Speak First?
When you speak first is it in the form of a question? So you may listen to the other person first? “We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say.” ― Zeno of Citium, as quoted by Diogenes Laërtius Ever notice how certain people feel they must be the one speaking for the majority of the time when you are interacting with them? When it is your opportunity to speak, they cut you off and interject or finish your thought the way they want it to be finished? The point is … [Read more...]
Are You Talking To Me?
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” ~ George Bernard Shaw We have ALL been on both sides of this quote. In our business and career, or our personal life and relationships. You expressed something and in your mind it was a clear and to the point statement. Either right then or at some point later it becomes obvious your message was heard differently by the person you were speaking with. This is not a new phenomenon. Communicating effectively … [Read more...]
