From Plane Crashes to Career Success: The Power of Communication

Organizations don’t collapse because people are incompetent. They collapse because people don’t communicate clearly. I’ll tell you a story to prove my point. On March 27, 1977, a plane with more than 300 passengers was about to take off from Tenerife Airport. There was heavy fog that day. The captain asked for clearance from Air Traffic Control. That day, instructions were given by radio because the airport was crowded and chaotic. The instruction received was: “Position and hold.” The co-pilot had some doubts about the clearance, but he didn’t express them firmly or confidently. Everything seemed normal, but there was a problem. At the same time, another plane with more than 200 passengers was taxiing slowly on the runway, preparing for takeoff. Everything seemed planned, but something was missing. The two planes reached the runway at the same time and collided. More than 500 people lost their lives — not because of faulty engines, bad aircraft, or lack of skill, but because words were unclear and doubts went unspoken. Just imagine how things could have been different for those passengers, and for the aviation industry, if:

• The captain had asked for clear instructions, realizing that “Position and hold” did not mean take off.
• Air Traffic Control had used clear, unambiguous words to communicate this crucial information.
• The co-pilot had assertively voiced his concern to the captain. 
• None of them had assumed that the other person understood what was to be done.  

      This huge disaster of a minor miscommunication does not limit itself to the aviation industry but it goes to workplace and even life of you and I. This disaster caused by a minor miscommunication does not apply only to aviation. It applies to the workplace, and even to our everyday lives. Communication gaps are one of the biggest reasons we lose clients, why good employees leave, why great talent doesn’t get promoted, and even why personal relationships fail. In life, a lack of confidence or poor communication can stop love stories from beginning, cause breakups, or even lead to divorces. So, remember: when you give your time or money in learning or improving your communication skills, you are not wasting anything. In fact, it’s an investment. Clear communication is not a soft skill. It’s a survival skill.