The Deadly Consequences of Poor Communication

I would dare say that most reasonably informed people alive today have a more than passing knowledge of D-Day, the attack that was launched by Allied Forces on the beaches of Normandy, France which was ultimately a turning point in World War II.

The attack, launched on June 6th, 1944, combined the military efforts of more than 150,000 troops from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada was the largest seaborne invasion in history, resulted in over 10,000 Allied casualties, but laid the foundation for the thwarting of the Nazi advancement across Europe.

As with the execution of any strategy this massive, with so many variables to take into consideration, as well as the coordination between thousands of different troops, extensive planning and rehearsals were absolutely crucial and they were already occurring months before the actual invasion event. One such practice initiative was code named “Exercise Tiger”, which took place in April of 1944.

The idea was to simulate the planned, seaborne Normandy landing, giving soldiers the chance to experience the sights, sounds, challenges and dangers of such an invasion from ship to shore, using Slapton Sands, a beach of the coast of Devon, England as a stand-in for the French shoreline. A decision was also made to station troops, meant to represent dug-in Nazi soldiers, across the coastline, that would be firing live ammunition over the heads of the men storming the beach, so that they would be truly prepared for what they were about to imminently face.

On the morning of April 27th, 1944, the plan was to launch this practice assault at 7:30am in the morning, however, one of the ships that was going to be used for the was experiencing operational issues that required repairs. The decision was made by the generals to postpone the practice run an hour…but the communication of this decision broke down and therefore the majority of watercrafts being used to drop troops didn’t get the message. They proceeded forward at 7:30am, letting their troops out, resulting in bullets and shells beginning to fly from the shoreline.

Confusion was running rampant.

The soldiers on the shore that had received the message about the postponement may have thought that the boats that appeared and started expelling invaders were actually enemy troops. The men jumping out of the landing craft and slogging to shore saw the live rounds actually taking down their fellow soldiers and believed that they were actually under attack from Nazi regiments, so they began to actually shoot back.

It is said that close to 450 men of our own Allied forces lost their lives that day, all as a result of friendly fire.

Exercise Tiger is a cautionary tale…a deadly serious lesson on the importance of clarity and consistency of communication. It shows us that even the best, most thoroughly vetted, carefully considered plans can go horribly awry and result in devastating casualties if they are not delivered properly to the very people required to carry them through to completion.

Recently I was reading an article that was encapsulating the 8 most common sources of conflict within a workplace, as laid out by psychologists Art Bell and Brett Hart. They not only listed these sources out, but they also explained the common cure for each one as well. Let me give you the very brief, Reader’s Digest version of what they said as they laid these out, understanding that there was much more supportive text with each point, both for the source and the cure:

Conflict source #1 – Conflicting goals.                    The cure – Clear communication

Conflict source #2 – Conflicting perceptions.       The cure – Proactive communication.

Conflict source #3 – Conflicting policies.               The cure – Swift communication.

Conflict source #4 – Conflicting pressures.           The cure – Better communication.

Conflict source #5 – Conflict over resources.       The cure – Proper communication.

Conflict source #6 – Conflicting roles.                     The cure – Clearer communication.

Conflict source #7 – Conflicting styles.                   The cure – Tolerance and patience.

Conflict source #8 – Conflicting values.                  The cure – Consistent communication.

You’re reading that right. The cure for 7 of Bell and Hart’s 8 biggest sources of conflict within an organization centered around clear, proactive, swift, better, proper, and consistent COMMUNICATION.

In every organization, whether you are trying to lead a group of people to accomplish a common goal, or you are part of a team being led to achieve a collective objective, the need for clear and consistent communication is of paramount importance.

When the messaging throughout a community or company, both vertically (leadership to employees) and horizontally (team members to team members) is garbled, fuzzy, inconsistent or non-existent, you can be sure the execution of plans, and the attainment of goals, will be jeopardized, replete with conflict and possibly even result in the loss of valuable people and resources from friendly fire.

This is why it is imperative that communication flow openly, naturally, positively, intentionally and thoroughly…both vertically and horizontally.

When communication lines are damaged or not taken advantage of, people get confused, and difficult circumstances can turn into unnerving moments of mistrust at best or absolute chaotic war zones at worst. People without clear and consistent communication can mistake team members for enemy combatants, generals for dictators, plans for nebulous suggestions, accountability for shame and goals for ultimately fruitless pursuits.

In life, both personal and professional, we can be undone by words we choose not to say, perpetually put off saying, or simply consider not important enough to keep speaking out. It is very much as acclaimed Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky once wrote:

“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment and things left unsaid.”

Not only do you matter, so do your words. No matter what your title, station, or position in the workplace or the community, we are in dire need of more open, honest and consistent communication. We self-destruct from the lack of it, and live in our own version of Exercise Tiger, shooting away in a circular firing squad and watching the casualties pile up around us in the confusion and assumptions.

Speak meaningfully, listen genuinely, ask questions positively and respond to questions understandingly. That progression, done in a persistent fashion, can change lives, can build trusting organizations, strong relationships and alter national dialogues.

Something to consider this week at work and at home.