Re: Success stories

Sakuma_at_BDZ.crane.jal.co.jp
Thu, 13 Aug 98 13:32:23 +0900

Dear Mr.Pepehahns :
I am very happy and encouraged to be advised of your comment. I completely
agree with you in that the real objective of CRM training is(should be) to
maximize effectiveness( and resultantly enhance safety ) and not to reduce
conflict itself. I am afraid, however, you are talking about the state of the
art( the 4th or 5th generation ) CRM concept which is being applied mainly for
flight deck environment in western developed countries. In the rest of the
world and in other operational environments than flight deck, I do not
necessarily think the same advanced concept is widely understood and
implemented. In these environments, many people are still working not to
produce unnecessary( in truth, it is necessary ) conflict with their
surroundings (i.e.,management, politics) mainly due to their own egoism and
human weakness, which sometimes defers necessary actions to avoid an accident.
The justice is not the same for different poeple. Such human nature is not
considered unique to Asian culture but common to all nations in the world. I am
not sure something is taught in the decision making process in current CRM
training which aimed to overcome human egoism and weakness. I do hope the time
would come when your concept for desireable CRM covers the whole aviation
industry.
Hidetake Sakuma, JAL

> Mr Sakuma,
> I must now disagree and point out that a key concept in many decision making
> models is the idea of time available to make said decision. you wrote:"I do
> not necessarily think such a compelling behaviour is accepted in the current
> CRM training". by the decision making models that are advocated by CRM such
> "compelling actions" are often encouraged even required if the time available
> dictates such an action. (as an example, consider a flock of birds on short
> final... I don't have time to get opinions, sort through data and make sure
> all are in accord.... I invest instead in a compelling action... i.e. I turn
> the airplane or go around)
> Far more interesting to me however are your statements that CRM is
> primarily about conflict resolution. As I understand the precepts of CRM it
> is about error reduction and maximizing effectiveness. All too often this is
> confused with "conflict resolution" or getting along.... this inevitably leads
> to visions of hippies at a "love-in" singing kumbaya (sp??)
> Reading through the full transcript of UA232, you will find moments of
> conflict that are rapidly resolved, you may also find moments of conflict that
> are not resolved!! the bottom line is that the actions taken and the decisions
> that were made were made to maximize effectiveness, not reduce conflict.