Source : Google Image
Source: Google Image
“As a Master, I have to be polite when the crew ask some question or suggest something. Like when a Junior Officer asks “Sir, what is this?” I say “Okay, come here, I will teach you back to the basic”. But if I say “What? You don’t know this? You are already an officer!” then later on, when he is on navigation duty at night, because of my actions he is afraid to call me up to the bridge even in a situation where it’s already dangerous. This is not safe, not safe for the vessel. It is better that I motivate him to safety by speaking calmly and accepting his reason for asking me.”
Leadership is an utmost important trait to make the crew members comfortable enough to communicate with their officers. It is a well known fact among the seafarers that all crew members, on their different work stations on board, at all times possess information that may guarantee the safety of the vessel. A recent research has confirmed that crew members very often hesitate in approaching ship management with questions or reports of safety issues, near misses, incidents and accidents because they are afraid of sanctions and bad reactions. In other words, when ship management are too strict or otherwise behave in ways that make crew members feel afraid of them, safety communication closes down.
Source: Google Image
Source: Google Image
Relational leadership refers to the presence of trust, mutual respect, and a willingness to openly discuss and accept different points of view between individual senior officers and crew members. Also, when two people demonstrate open communication and harmonious relations like this, the whole work group will be influenced to copy the same behaviour. Indeed, when the ship management also displays such open and flexible leadership behaviour, the crew will not be afraid to be proactive and to approach them to discuss safety issues and action plans. This is how good leadership motivates safety on board.
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| Source: Google Image |
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