Communication Barriers in Aviation
What is the stake of Hierarchy?
Hierarchy is considered as one of the communication barriers in the aviation field, particularly with junior staff members. Aviation is a complex industry involving great number of professionals, including Pilots, CabinCrew, Dispatchers, GroundStaff, Engineers & Technicians as well as Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) all with different ranks and hierarchies.
“….Blocking of communication threaten all the basic needs”
Abraham Maslow
So what is its stake?!!
It’s like the invisible wall that separates the leader (in our case; the Captain) from the rest of the crew, making communication and teamwork a real challenge.
“Who needs this when you have clear SOPs and proper Chain-of-Command!!
Seriously, hierarchy has been seen for years as a real communication barrier among crew members in the airline industry. It’s all about the power dynamics that exist between the Commander and the rest of the crew, and how that can make it difficult for some people to work together effectively.
Communication is important. After all, if the captain is NOT listening to the rest of the crew, “things can go very wrong very quickly”.
Unfortunately, hierarchy issue has been deeply ingrained in airline culture. Some people think that it’s just the way things are, and may not be challenged. But also a lot of cultures have changed and encouraged crew to be more assertive when they are certain that safety is in jeopardy.
The truth is, effective communication and teamwork require a culture of collaboration and mutual respect. And let’s not forget how important is the role of Safety Departments [SMS] in encouraging and supporting such culture. They should collaborate with crew training departments in ensuring that hierarchy stake is being challenged and overcome among crew members.
So, how can hierarchy issue be challenged in an airline culture?
Well, it’s important to make sure that everyone on the crew is on the same page when it comes to communication and teamwork. That means providing regular training and refresher courses, and making sure that everyone understands the importance of collaboration and mutual respect.
Do airlines have time for this? They barely have enough crew to fly their airplanes nowadays!
Education & Training do not have to in-class nowadays! lesson learnt from COVID-19! Providing ongoing support and resources can be done in many ways to help crews overcome hierarchy stake and work together effectively; and ultimately Support your Safety Culture.
So let’s give a big round of applause to all the crew who are working hard to overcome all communication barriers in a professional manner.
Check out this related accident >> Click
Check out this related video >> Aye Aye Captain!
Greetings from #Frankfurt!
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Hierarchy’s emphasis on aviation has come a long way, to the extent its disruption potential has narrowed significantly. The focus should turn more into building confidence in junior crew to speak up assertively enough when required.
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That you for your comment. That’s is true, but it is still evident in many areas around the world. Sure you would agree that it is related to the attitude of the individual and may not be directly related to the culture.
Fly safe👍
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