Communication Tips from the Titanic

Calvin Sun
April 15, 2010 | COMMENTS

Most people, when they think of the Titanic, think of tragedy. They think about icebergs, the lifeboats, or the band. Rarely though, do they think about Titanic in terms of business communications. For a number of years I have studied the Titanic. A few years ago while running my consulting and training programs on customer service, I thought about incorporating stories from the disaster into my presentations. As someone once said, “Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”

What can the Titanic teach us about communications? Here are some examples:

The Interrupted Warning

Wireless operator Jack Phillips couldn't have received the message at a worse time. Here he was working with a lighthouse at Cape Race , Newfoundland , processing other messages to and from the Titanic passengers. Now, this bothersome ship was trying to contact him, and because they were so close, its signal hurt his ears. In irritation, he replied, “Shut up, I'm working Cape Race !”

Little did he know that the message he cut off was warning him of icebergs.

No one suggests, of course, that this missed warning is the sole reason the ship sank. Still, it most certainly played a factor. What can we learn from this incident? Be careful about interrupting people. Also, to ensure that you are listening correctly, try to get involved with what the other person is telling you, by paraphrasing or otherwise reacting. This will strengthen your own understanding, plus the other person will react positively.

The Nurse Who Failed to Tell

Riding in first class, the Allison family of Montreal awoke after the collision. Husband and father Hudson Allison, an investment banker, was traveling with his wife, Bess, and their two children: three-year old Loraine and one-year old Trevor. Also traveling with them was their nurse, Alice Cleaver.

Without explanation, Alice suddenly took Trevor and left the stateroom. She and Trevor later entered a lifeboat, which was lowered from the ship. Hudson, Bess and Loraine, however, not knowing this fact, spent the rest of the time looking in vain for Trevor. Bess and Lorraine , in fact, turned down at least one chance to enter a lifeboat. As a result, they all died when the ship sank, with Loraine the only first-class child to perish.

Failing to keep people informed, especially if they are your members, can kill your reputation for member service. Even better, try to set their expectations beforehand, so when bad news does arise (and it will), it will be less of a shock.

The Insensitive Letter

All of the band members perished when the Titanic sank. The father of one of them, violinist John Law Hume (whose body was recovered and is buried in Halifax , Nova Scotia ), received a letter shortly after the sinking. The letter came from the company that managed the band, and it requested payment for the younger Hume's band uniform.

Things we say and do may sound perfectly reasonable to us, but can be very offensive to others. For example, Chinese is a highly tonal language. The same sound, said in a different tone, has a different meaning. If I say the sound “ma” in a high-level tone, I am addressing my mother-in-all. However, if I say that sound in a falling and rising tone, I'm calling her a horse. Therefore, be careful and think before you speak.

Following these tips can improve your communications, both personally and professionally.

Calvin Sun works with organizations in the areas of customer service, communications, and leadership. Reprinted with permission from the Texas Credit Union League.