Crystol Lasley, Director of Maritime Operations at AP Companies Global Solutions, encourages us to question both the “whys” and “hows” in every situation in order to gain a broader perspective. She emphasizes the importance of leading by example, as doing so inspires the team to follow suit.
Crystol acknowledges the significant influence others have had on her professional journey, mentioning that all of her superiors have imparted valuable lessons—even those who were not successful—since she strives to avoid replicating their behaviors. Regarding the maritime industry, Crystol expresses concern about individuals discussing mental health and wellness topics without proper qualifications. She stresses the importance of expertise from medical professionals in providing accurate statistics, trends, and a comprehensive understanding of the overall medical landscape in the maritime sector.
SAFETY4SEA: How did it come about that you joined shipping industry and your field of expertise specifically?
Crystol Lasley: I originally started my nursing career in the US Navy and US Air Force. After relocating to south Florida, there were no military medical facilities to transfer into and my neighbor suggested I apply to the cruise lines’ medical departments. The medical coverage of crew within the cruise industry is very similar to the military system, and it was a very smooth transition into what became my new career!
S4S: What about your current job/ role most excites you and why?
Cr.L.: The challenge of doing what we do best – provide high-quality medical care at reasonable rates – and adapting it to new situations to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients is the most exciting part of my current position. The base of our service remains the same, but the circumstances are always changing. This is challenging and interesting while definitely broadening our horizons!
S4S: When you think of the word successful who’s the first person who comes to mind and why?
Cr.L.: I think of Natalya Butakova, who at a young age became CEO of AP Companies, providing outstanding service to clients in an ever-increasing number of disciplines worldwide.
S4S: Who is/was the most influential person/mentor to you & why?
Cr.L.: My most influential mentor was my manager while working for a major cruise line. She never hesitated to include me in meetings, calls and discussions in order to broaden my understanding of the process from a higher-level perspective.
S4S: What is the best and what was the worst piece of advice you’ve ever been given and why?
Cr.L.: The best piece of advise I ever received was to include the WHY and not just the HOW when describing what should be done. Everything makes more sense when presented in a way that relates to the ‘bigger picture’. I also would add the advice to never ask your team to work harder, longer or do something that you are not doing yourself. Leading by example is an incredibly effective tool. Rather than a worst piece of advice, I would look more towards what my previous superiors have done that were not successful and try not to replicate these behaviors.
S4S: What is the most worthwhile career investment (in energy, time, money) you’ve ever made?
Cr.L.: My most worth-while investments were obtaining both a degree in Nursing and in Business, allowing me to guide and grow our AP Ports of Call and Home Country Repatriation teams from both a safe (medical) and strategic (business) standpoint.
S4S: If you could give a piece of advice to your 18-year-old-self one thing, what would it be and why?
Cr.L.: I would remind myself to not place the same expectations on others that I place on myself.
S4S: In the last five years, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your business life?
Cr.L.: Since joining AP Companies 5 years ago, I have instituted a new practice – recognizing daily that life is a balance and if you and your team are giving equal attention to all parts of life, productivity improves and our clients are very satisfied. The value, consideration, training and respect provided to our team results in a positive attitude which in turn generates a professional, high-quality product. This is turn yields a high level of satisfaction from our clients.
S4S: What would you like to change in the current maritime landscape and your area of expertise specifically and why?
Cr.L.: Given the number of experienced, knowledgable medical professionals currently within the maritime industry, it always disappoints me to see non-medical panelists/presenters/authors address crew health and wellness topics. For example, within AP Companies all situations – routine or emergency – are managed by a medical professional. Statistical analysis is generated over time from this data and provides a relevant overview of the medical landscape within the industry. It is this unique vantage point that is beneficial to the industry, yet rarely discussed.
S4S: What is your personal motto?
Cr.L.: My personal motto would be the embroidery task my mother assigned me when I was 5! “Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all”. This was instilled in me at such a young age that it is no longer a conscious thought; it has become my work ethic.
The views presented are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
