Crew Resource Management
BEHAVIORAL STYLES
Behavioral Styles
The purpose of behavioral analysis is to provide you with an awareness of your individual behavioral style. With this awareness, we will have a better understanding of why we react in a specific way to people or to situations. Our reactions also affect the people around us, and in turn they react to us. This human interaction can be either healthy or dangerous in the flight environment.
A knowledge of your behavioral style will ultimately benefit aviation safety.
Behavioral Styles and Leadership
All individuals have inherent leadership qualities which are manifested in their behaviour. It is a matter of how these leadership qualities are utilized that gives us the strength in our leadership abilities.
List some qualities which can make a person a "Good Leader."
List some qualities which can detract from "Leadership" ability.
Knowing our own behavioral style will also help us to understand others. This will lead to:
- Mutual respect
- Mutual trust
- A willingness to adapt
- Better communication
- Safer flight
BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS
Assertiveness
Psychologists divide behavioral styles into two basic categories:
Relationship Oriented - first consideration is the feelings of others which rank high in the decision making process. A person who is high relationship oriented and low task oriented is considered to have a caring or nurturing style of behavior.
Task Oriented - first consideration is given to the task or goal in the decision making process. A person who is high task oriented and low relationship oriented is considered to have an aggressive style of behavior.
Combinations - Low relationship oriented traits combined with low task oriented traits are individuals considered to be loners or autonomous in behavior style.
The person who is both high in
Relationship and task
Orientation is considered to have an
Assertive
Style of behavior
The definition of "assert"
- To put into words positively and with conviction
- To defend, maintain, or insist on the recognition of one's own rights
- To state to be true
It is interesting to note that the weaknesses in behavior styles indicate an excess use of a strength. We must do less of our weakness to achieve the desirable assertiveness behavior style. Developing the strengths of the three styles allows for a high degree of task orientation in conjunction with a high degree of caring.
Behavioral Styles - Body Language
Non-verbal behavior in relation to the various behavioral styles:
Aggressive
- General: exaggerated show of strength, flippant and sarcastic style, air of superiority
- Voice: tense, shrill, loud, shaky, cold, deadly quiet, demanding, superior, authoritarian
- Eyes: expressionless, narrowed, cold, staring, not really seeing you
- Stance: hands on hips, feet apart, stiff and rigid, rude, imperious
- Hands: clenched, abrupt gestures, finger pointing, fist pounding
Non-Assertive
- General: actions instead of words, hoping someone will guess what you want, looking as if you do not mean what you say
- Voice: weak, hesitant, soft, sometimes wavering
- Eyes: averted, downcast, pleading
- Stance: lean for support, stooped, excessive head nodding
- Hands: fidgety, flutter, clammy
Assertive
- General: Attentive listening, assured manner, communicating, caring, strong
- Voice: firm, warm, well-modulated, relaxed
- Eyes: open, frank, direct, eye contact without staring
- Stance: well balanced, straight-on, erect, relaxed
- Hands: relaxed motions
Assertive Behavior
Assertive behavior is intended to be the middle ground by taking the best of aggressiveness (without the put-down negatives) and the best of non-assertiveness (without loss-of-self.) The action is genuine, complete and a direct communication of ideas, wants and needs. It is the conviction that one's position can be expressed strongly without dominating the other. Social grace can be maintained without weakening the position or request.
Assertive behavior is based on the fact that every individual has rights and can act on behalf of these rights:
- The right to have and express your own feelings and ideas
- The right to be listened to and taken seriously
- The right to ask for what you want
- The right to get some of your own needs met
- The right to be treated with respect
- The right to say "no" at times and not feel guilty
- The right to ask for information from others
- The right to make mistakes
- The right to be assertive
- The right to choose not to assert yourself
When we act assertively, we recognize these rights as legitimate. Assertive behavior becomes easier the more an individual recognize these rights. When we respect these rights in ourselves, we are also more likely to act in a manner that respects these rights in others.
Aggressive behavior denies the rights of others, and non-assertive behavior overlooks these rights in ourselves.
Characteristics of Assertive Behavior
- Expressing statements of one's own feelings, needs and ideas
- Standing up for your rights in ways that do not violate the rights of others
- The behavior is honest, direct, expressive and self-enhancing
- The person feels confident about themselves during a situation and afterwards
- A high level of respect is maintained for the other individual
- There is a positive impact on the interaction
- Direct statements of agreement or disagreement
- Direct refusal or statement of "no"
- Compromising behavior
- Statements which communicate what you mean; "I" messages
In a conflict situation, the difference between dealing with the issue and not with the person must be recognized. There is a directness and a problem-solving quality in assertive behavior that is not present in aggressive or non-assertive behavior. Negotiation as a problem-solving tool becomes a method of resolving differences. Ideas, wants, and needs are heard and explored openly. Collaboration and integration are seen as positives, and compromise could be an acceptable position. (Note - negotiation and compromise in problem solving is encouraged, however it is not the recommended option for cockpit decision making. Please note the difference.)
Most individuals are more skillful or at ease with either aggressive or non-assertive behavior. While there are some who are naturally assertive, most need to acquire assertive skills.
If assertiveness must be learned, what needs to change?
Transforming Yourself into an Assertive Person
Aggressive individuals need to learn skills that will allow the strong expression of feelings, ideas and wants without offense to others. This may require some revision of their basic beliefs. The aggressive person feels that they must stay on top, diminish the other person and be on guard, lest anyone take advantage of them. They might also fear that unless they are aggressive, they must be passive or non-assertive. This need not be the case. The aggressive individual needs to begin to trust themselves and their abilities to cope with differences or disagreements without necessarily winning or always having their own way. The aggressive person is entirely motivated by their own self-interests.
Assertive skills allow individuals to achieve results. This helps people to be clear on what they want and to pursue goals in a positive way without demeaning the other person. These skills allow one to be strong in their views while remaining open to other viewpoints and alternatives. The aggressive person need not become more passive. Assertiveness will allow positive parts of aggressive behavior to be continued without the negative consequences of aggressiveness. The result can be strong expression with corresponding effectiveness.
Non-assertive individuals need to learn skills that will allow respect for others to be communicated without a diminishing of one's self, ideas or position. This may also require a revision of some basic beliefs. The non-assertive person feels that they must be condescending to others or overly respectful of the other person's rights at the expense of their own. They fear their behavior may be taken as aggressive unless they act in a non-assertive manner.
Assertiveness is never aggressiveness. The non-assertive individual needs to begin to believe that others can accept and deal with disagreements and candor. The rights possessed by individuals can be acted upon without being offensive to the other. The non-assertive individual must begin to believe that helpfulness at the expense of self may not be helpful at all.
Assertive skills allow individuals to achieve results. They help individuals to be clear on what they want and to act in a positive way without diminishing self. They allow a person to be sensitive to other individual's viewpoints and positions without diminishing their own ideas and alternatives. Non-assertive persons need not become more aggressive.
Assertive skills will allow the positive aspect of non-assertive behavior to be continued without the negative consequences of passiveness. The result can be caring about the other with corresponding effectiveness.
Summarizing Assertive Behavior
- Assertive behavior is the only way to defuse aggressive behavior
- It lessens heavy feelings when dealings with passive people
- It develops the possibility of receiving assertive responses
- Assertive behavior helps you get what you want and need
- It increases self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence
- The assertive individual shares control and responsibility with others
- Assertive individuals are respectful to others as well as to themselves
- They make a strong impression without negative impact on others
- Assertive behavior enables a person to deal with negative and or passive responses
- The assertive individual is seen as a person who can be independent or dependent
- The assertive individual relies on others without loss of self-esteem
- Assertive people have better problem-solving abilities
- They feel good about themselves and others
- They increase the probability of workable solutions and effective decisions
- They produce more good ideas, opinions and feelings
In the Cockpit
As a crew member, you have the right to assure that your life will not be compromised by any action/inaction, miscommunication or misunderstanding. Assertive behavior in the cockpit does not challenge authority; it clarifies position, understanding or intent, and as a result enhances the safe operation of the flight.
Assertive behavior will enhance the effectiveness
Of the Five Elements of CRM
Inquiry
Advocacy
Conflict Resolution
Decision Making
Critique
Copyright © 1996-2005 by Neil C. Krey unless otherwise indicated.
Non-commercial reproduction rights granted if the following notice is included:
"Source: Neil Krey's CRM Developers Forum, http://www.crm-devel.org"