How fear, hierarchy, and role confusion derail communication when it matters most
In 1977, two Boeing 747s collided on a foggy runway in Tenerife.
583 people died.
The root cause?
Not weather.
Not technical failure.
Communication failure—amplified by hierarchy.
The co-pilot noticed something was off but didn’t challenge the captain. The flight engineer asked a question but didn’t press it. Silence prevailed—because the captain was in charge.
✈️ Cockpit Dynamics: Deference Can Be Deadly
Aviation learned its lesson.
They created Crew Resource Management (CRM)—a system that flattens hierarchy in the cockpit when safety is at stake. It trains everyone to speak up, ask questions, and clarify before acting.
🏢 Boardroom Dynamics: Same Power Structures, Similar Silence
Now let’s talk business.
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A VP spots a strategic flaw but hesitates to question the CEO.
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A new manager sees a people issue but “waits for permission.”
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The meeting ends… and the real conversation happens in the hallway.
When hierarchy overshadows psychological safety, communication stalls.
And just like in the cockpit, decisions are made without critical input.
🔍 Why It Matters for Leaders
You don’t need a plane crash to see the damage.
The cost in business is different:
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Failed strategies
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Missed opportunities
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Talent disengagement
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Culture rot
All because people didn’t feel safe or empowered to speak up.
🛠️ What High-Reliability Teams Do Differently
They:
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Define roles—but invite contributions across them
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Encourage pushback, not just compliance
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Respond to questions as signals of engagement, not defiance
If you're a leader:
🔸 What signals are you sending about who gets to speak up—and when?
🔸 Are you unknowingly rewarding silence?
Next week, we’ll unpack role confusion in crisis scenarios—and how to fix it.
💬 Have you seen hierarchy kill a great idea—or prevent someone from speaking up?
