COMMUNICATION

The first cockpit tool that tends to suffer from stress is communication. When several tasks have to be performed simultaneously, especially when these tasks require a lot of conscious attention, people tend to reduce communication, because communication also uses up mental resources. Communication is the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information by various means, including speech.

Officially, around 80% of all communication is achieved by factors other than words, otherwise known as metacommunication, which consists of those tools, other than the words, which complement them in order to communicate. The fact that somebody is not talking does not mean they are not communicating. It is said that 7% of communication is accomplished verbally, 38% by unconscious signals, such as tone of voice, and the remainder 55% by non-verbal means, such as body language.

Non-verbal communication can accompany verbal communication, such as a smile during a face-to-face chat. Body language can be very subtle, but powerful – for example, the word “no” with a smile will be interpreted quite differently from one accompanied by a smack in the mouth. Non-verbal communication may also include written information or notes.

Unfortunately, the side-by-side seating arrangements in the cockpit tend to lessen the effects of body language, so the choice of words (and their packaging) assumes a greater importance.