Are You A Good Communicator?

Imagine this scenario, you get home from work and you find your significant other on the floor, face blue, gasping for breath. You call 911 and give your address as "6969 Dee" street. 10 minutes later, there is still no response, because the ambulance was sent to "E" street. By the time the error is corrected, it is to late. While this is an extreme example, it shows the importance of proper communication.

In the Nuclear Industry, we have used three-way communication and the phonetic alphabet for years. It is starting to catch on in other industries as well. When you have important communication to make, please use the human factor tools below to make sure you are successful.

Three-way communication

Three-way communication occurs when a message is spoken, repeated aloud, and then verified that the message was correctly received. When using three-way communication be sure to use the receiver’s name to get his or her attention; slow down and speak clearly; the receiver should repeat the message back to the sender in his or her own words; then the sender acknowledges the message was received correctly.

Phonetic alphabet

Many letters in the English language sound similar. The phonetic alphabet uses standard words for letters to limit confusion.

A = Alpha

B = Bravo

C = Charlie

D = Delta

E = Echo

F = Foxtrot

G = Golf

H = Hotel

I = India

J = Juliet

K = Kilo

L = Lima

M = Mike

N = November

O = Oscar

P = Papa

Q = Quebec

R = Romeo

S = Sierra

T = Tango

U = Uniform

V = Victor

W = Whiskey

X = X-Ray

Y = Yankee

Z = Zulu

Here is the example commonly used in human performance training:

Sender: “Dan, I am going into the primary zone.”

Receiver: “I understand you are going into the primary zone.”

Sender: “That’s correct.”

Everyone benefits from clearer communication. Try using three-way communication and the phonetic alphabet with co-workers and see what a difference it makes.