Safety Speaker Drebinger Reminds us: How You Say Something Matters

As a safety speaker, I get to fly quite often. While waiting for a flight, I was reminded of how important to be aware of “how” we tell people something. A gate agent was walking through a special section of the waiting area with the purpose of removing anyone who was not flying first class or who did not have special needs. While this is an important task as there is a limited area for these people, the gate agent’s tone of voice was very abrasive. You could tell as people got up from their seats they were displeased by having to move and they also felt mistreated.

In the field of safety, we are often tasked with telling people things they need to know. From my experience as a safety speaker, I can tell you how you tell them matters. Doing so in a cheerful and positive way will at least make the message more palatable and increase the likelihood they will comply. In addition, it keeps your reputation solid as someone who cares about people in contrast to someone who is just out to throw their weight around.

Also, remember whenever possible, to let people in on the “why” of whatever it is you are sharing with them. Given a good enough reason why, people are willing to give a little extra effort.

I could speculate why the gate agent was using this tone of voice. Maybe they were having a difficult day, or they were tired or even sick. No matter what the reason, the customers they addressed felt they had been mistreated and as a result had a poorer view of this particular airline.

How do people feel when you give them safety information? Do they feel helped or annoyed? How you share the information with them can make a huge difference.

Have fun sharing safety with others. If you would like me to share with you the latest techniques on how to communicate safety give Diane Weiss a call at 209-745-9419 and she will be glad to help you.