ARE you a good communicator? Well according to Thales Training and Consultancy you shouldn’t be running a company if you aren’t.
Thales has come up with a series of top tips for leaders if they are on the one hand to climb to the top of the tree, and on the other inspire their workforce.
Most of us can count good bosses we have had on the fingers of one hand, and that’s allowing for several missing digits.
Building trust, communicating clearly, actively listening, developing an ability to read people and being empathetic are the five main attributes for a good leader, Thales says. Having just spent this week chairing ACI’s Maritime HR and Crew Development Conference, the issue of leadership is indeed at the forefront of our mind. STCW now talks about it but we all know it’s important anyway.
Helping mariners develop leadership skills is therefore firmly on the agenda. Another attribute of a good leader, not mentioned by Thales, is consistency. Consistency is not easy in the maritime world where Captains and Chief Engineers may be on 8 week rotations at sea while their ratings are on board for 4-6 months. This make it all the more important for shipowners to provide seriously good management training and to make their expectations clear and their appraisal systems transparent and consistent. It’s not easy!
