How to be a good communicator…

Working as part of a superyacht crew means you’re generally working in a fairly small crew. Whether it’s three of you working on a 20m or twelve of you on a 50m, over the course of the season you’ll become a tightly knit single entity hopefully working together seamlessly like a well-oiled machine. Trouble is, what happens when one of the cogs in that machine gets stuck or doesn’t move like the others? Well it all falls to bits… so make sure you’re not that cog.

Firstly let’s make sure you’re a good communicator. I’m always banging on about this but in any relationship, communication is key. Yachting is super fast paced, it’s dynamic, and it’s fast changing too. So be politely direct. Don’t faff about and expect people to guess what you’re feeling, we don’t have time for that when the boss is on his way a day early and it’s literally all hands on deck!

Being a good communicator is such an awesome skill to have, both professionally and personally. Effective communication involves more than just speaking, it includes listening, understanding and getting your message across clearly. So here are a few tips to help you develop your skills:

Be an ACTIVE listener. When someone’s talking to you, give them your full focus and attention. Put your phone or radio down. Make eye contact and engage in the conversation. Don’t interrupt, let them finish their thoughts before responding even if you’re in a rush.

Be clear and concise. If you can, take a moment to organise your thoughts before talking to the captain about your concerns (for example), this will help you express yourself more clearly. And get to the point, don’t beat around the bush, just tell us what’s on your mind.

Eye contact is everything. It shows confidence and as above, that you’re engaged. Look people in the eye when you’re talking to them and when they’re talking to you – be that a friend, a captain, a guest. Be open in your body language, don’t fold your arms, scowl or close yourself off – smile and nod if that’s appropriate. Look interested. Even if you’re not…

Be an empath. Put yourself in other people’s shoes for a moment. Let’s say you’re a deckhand and you’ve no idea why the chef is so upset that the boss isn’t coming back for dinner tonight, saves you setting up all the furniture outside but hang on, she’s been prepping all day for this. She’s worked her fingers to the bone making it all look fantastic. So be kind, her day just got ruined even if yours got better!

Adapt your communication style depending on who you’re talking to. Don’t talk to the owner like he’s your mate down the pub. Also watch your tone, the way you deliver your message can greatly affect how it’s received.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re unsure what someone wants from you. It shows you’re invested in the conversation and want to understand.

In this modern age, think about whether that text message you’re about to send might be better said face to face to avoid any misunderstanding. Oh I love this one… how many times have we received a whatsapp and read it in a way that the sender totally didn’t intend?

Avoid blame, especially in a small team. Rather than “She didn’t put the right wine in the fridge” maybe think about your phrasing and be a team player “we don’t have that wine ready but we have an alternative you might like to try?”. Don’t throw each other under the bus, neither of you come out of that one looking great.

Finally I’d say be open to feedback on your communication. Welcome it. It’s the best way to learn and if someone feels the way you said something wasn’t well received, be that empath we just mentioned and put yourself in their position to understand why. And then figure out how to do better. Every day is a learning opportunity.