How can Marine Engineers improve their communication skills with conflict resolution strategies?

Always listen to what you are being told. Answer only after listening and understanding. Explain in a simple language and sentence. Consider the situation before you give instruction. When correcting a mistake try to do it in a calm atmosphere where the noise is low. Speak politely and don't blame the person.

Dear All, my experience has been that Marine Engineers, by and large, have had v little engagement with administrative people during sailing, quite unlike the Deck Sr Officers who have had to deal with various Port workers, officials and deal with administrative liaisons far more. This leads Marine Engineers to be less diplomatic in their approach to peers, juniors, and v often seniors too. TRAINING of 2nd Engineers and Chief Engineers in the art of Conflict Resolution, Occupational Behaviour and Behavioural Therapy nuances then becomes paramount and should be done as a part of ongoing in-house training of the shipping companies rather than ship management companies as ultimately the impact is most heavily felt by the shipping company.

Always know who your audience is and spent time to understand their position in an organization and even in society. Never assume that they are there for you but you are there for them. Try to engage in a dialogue and establish a 2-way communication. If you talking to customers try to understand the customer of the customer so you are able to put your proposition in the right context. You are part of a value chain and never can do, say or see things in splendid isolation.

The best principle in improving communication is “ Understand Others First before you wanted to be Understood “ . This was given by Stephen Covey in his book called “ Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”.

Communication skills can be used for building up relationships rather than tearing them down with our; anger, words and actions. Effective communication requires; respect, grace, empathy, active listening for adding value to the person being heard.

USE ACTIVE LISTENING When communicating with one another use eye contact, posture/body language, and face the person by sitting nearby to focus on what the other person has to say. This is done without interruptions, fidgeting or looking around the room. Active listening is respectful. It adds value to the person being heard. To check our level of understanding practice paraphrasing what has been said when the person has stopped talking. With practice active listening becomes easier.

Listening is key; as experience accumulates, it's common to overlook the youngest team members. However, for effective leadership and navigation, acknowledging every team member is vital. Each person brings a unique mindset, aiding in understanding complex problems. An active listener not only comprehends but collects diverse ideas, framing them for acceptable and beneficial solutions. Leadership, akin to singing, thrives when every team member's input, regardless of experience, is valued and considered. Without attentive listening, improvement is hindered—just as a singer can't improve without hearing.

SHARE ON DEEP-FEELING LEVEL (ASSERTIVENESS) Be assertive when sharing on an emotional level without being too forceful or too passive. Own your feelings. It also means to be authentically you by being mindful and by holding your peace while maintaining a caring attitude towards others. Make eye contact, admit your own faults and take responsibility. Do not belittle the other person.

NO INTERRUPTIONS EXCEPT FOR CLARIFICATION Use active listening skills as above. Listen carefully to what the other person has to say without saying a word until it is our turn to speak, where there will be room to ask questions. Wait for the right timing. EQUAL TIME TO EACH FOR SHARING Using active listening without interruptions except for clarification, allow for equal time for both sides to be heard. Each individual needs to feel heard and valued.

As a mariner , feedback is our compass, guiding skills and performance. Learning from mistakes propels us forward, adapting based on insights. Understanding perceptions charts our course, meeting diverse expectations. Feedback, from peers to mentors, is our navigational guide. Receptiveness adjusts sails for a smoother journey. Specific feedback is our sextant, offering precise coordinates for improvement. Expressing gratitude echoes crew camaraderie, acknowledging the collaborative effort. Feedback isn't just a tool; it's the compass and sextant guiding our journey amid professional growth.

NO STOMPING OUT IN ANGER Leaving the conversation in anger by stomping out is like giving up that there will ever be a chance to resolve the matter. The trick is to calm ourselves down and listen where possible. NO WITHDRAWING IN SILENCE Even when we don’t like what the other person has to say we need to use assertiveness to communicate our feelings without withdrawing into awkward silence nor going the opposite way by becoming aggressive. Use the ‘I’ statements as below to express yourself rather than using silence to communicate hurts.

Managing emotions onboard ships is genuinely challenging , On ships, you're on a constant ready job, with a thin line between work and personal life. You live in your personal space and work in the control room just a deck away. In a multinational, diverse environment, expressing needs is difficult, and mariners often find themselves alone with a 24x7 workload. Even personal talks involve ship-related discussions, and being away from family for six months is tough. The best approach to handle emotions is to give yourself time, connect with peers, discuss issues and life to gain a better understanding. This practice is instrumental in learning and training oneself amid the demanding maritime environment.

Yes ofcourse , Mariner there is no excuse and no escape for cooperation and collaboration. Not even a single work you can do alone , you need to involve , delegate and monitor to get the job done with compliance to standard operating procedures so tool box meetings and risk assessment with team who are involved in that job is the key . You need to delegate responsibilities as per the competency and work experience of individuals , keeping in mind the safety and hazards related to it . To motivate individuals you have to give them opportunity to speak up and listen their concerns and address whenever you think there is a scope . Tool box meetings and Safety meetings promotes collaboration and cooperation culture onboard ships

1. Take care of people working under you , this is the biggest Mantra , talk to them , have tea with them , know about their problems , I know its not easy and even I did not do this as I learn't very late but have seen my seniors doing the same and that is why I still remember them for the good times we spent. 2. Learn to delegate , trust your team and then just monitor , most of the problems start when team feels that you don't trust them. Trusting has nothing to do with training as training your people is equally important. TRAIN YOUR PEOPLE, TAKE CARE OF THEM, THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF MACHINERY, GOOD MACHINERY WILL TAKE CARE OF COMPANY, COMPANY WILL FINALLY TAKE CARE OF YOU.

Dealing with our own conflicts and confidence is as important as is to work on our body language. It can help you sound more confident and define the intensity of what you are conveying or grasping out of a conversation. How many of us have been in this simple situation of having being asked to present something, for eg. to conduct a briefing explaining some fire equipment. And on the inside we are praying for it not to be our turn. The hesitation is not that we don’t know what and how it works, it is just that we shy away. To be able to communicate effectively we need to blend content with gestures. It adds to the character and persona and helps gaining the confidence needed to nail it.