Leadership Quality #4:Remain calm in a crisis
UK MCA has issued a guide to help leaders and senior officers in the maritime industry improve their leadership and people management skills in order to ensure safe operations.The guide contains tips and best practices for ten core leadership qualities for effective safety leadership, split into five categories.
Today’s article is about confidence and Authority.
People need strong, clear leadership in a crisis and rely more on their leaders than would otherwise be the case. Calmness in a crisis situation is a core requirement and will rely on many of the other leadership qualities described in this booklet including commanding authority and drawing on knowledge and experience.
In particular, it is important to have confidence and trust in the crew’s abilities and emergency preparedness. Attendance at safety training and at response drilling is essential for all crew.
Why is it important?
Calmness in a crisis is particularly important in view of the additional
complications of different languages and nationalities that make up the
crew. These complications tend to be emphasised during emergencies.
What can I do?
Things that tend to work
- Develop excellent knowledge of, and confidence in, the crew’s abilities
- Implement a firm policy on compulsory attendance at emergency safety training and response drills.
Things that tend not to work
- Infrequent or inconsistent emergency drills
- Failure to address language issues in emergency planning
Above article is an extract from UK MCA’s Leadership for Safety Guide