I just posted this on discus:

Years ago I listened to a lecture on communication in which Korean Airlines was used as an example of how cultural differences can influence communication--and endanger lives. In Korean culture, it is offensive for a junior officer to imply in any way that a senior officer is in error. Polite silence is expected- the hierarchy is very rigid and impertinence results in termination from the flight program. According to the lecture, lives were endangered when junior pilots noticed problems in the cockpit but failed to inform the senior pilot. In other words, they would rather die and take the lives of all on board than to violate the rules of their culture.

Could it be possible that this first time pilot did, in fact, notice the mistake but could not bring himself to bring it to the attention of his superior, the co-pilot?

According to the lecturer, Korean Airlines recognized that their culture was dangerous in the cockpit and implemented an element of cultural deprogramming to make pilots in training less submissive. They conditioned them by rewarding them for pointing out the mistakes and oversights of their superiors.

Maybe this pilot was absent that day.

******end****

After I posted this I got to thinking. How do you think the Mormon hierarchal system affect the communications of the members?


Anagrammy

The leaders are ofcourse always right even when they are wrong. This reminds me of when I was kinda newly out of the closet and my tbm mother figured I was suddenly someone she could share her frustrations about the mormon leadership with. Weird, and yet it kinda makes sense since it's very difficult to vent such frustrations within the mormon church, then it must be something wrong with you for not agreeing with the party line e.t.c.

...Asiana Air stewardess to Thomas S. Monson;

...Sir, shall we start the emergency evacuation now?

...what a bunch of teleprompter-reading idiots.




http://gawker.com/terrible-intern-reportedly-behind-ktvu-ho-lee-fuk-blu-762761835

It appears to me that Mormon culture created various layers of hierarchy- no definite markers, but you always know where you stand. One sort of graduates upward naturally over time based on: age, time, callings, amazing kids, wealth, basketball skills, and rolling a motor boat into your extra wide driveway. Don't forget having a pretty wife, and of course owning a business marketing local Mormon goods and services, obtaining Ut Jazz box seats, making a run for local political office or actually being an employee of the corporate church. Once there, that enviable spot of stake pres is in sight, after that its a mission presidency - cant get there? Fine, pay your own way at 55 with your cute wife upon early retirement and bypass some steps as an older missionary couple.

Problem is networking; you have to HAVE TO build a strong network of upward climbing would be power brokers like yourself. If you are too divergent at all, say like having a degree in public education or working at the power company, you will only rise so high.

There surely is a pathway within any Mormon community to become a power broker, and narrow is the way. However, unless you fall in line 100% you will NEVER be part of the elite.

My TBM father is a brilliant scholar and writer. He is a mad genius. At 30, in 1975, he was a bishop of a huge SLC ward. He worked as a "mad man" in SLC and the church was a major client. Life was stellar for that eager young man, he had 7 kids, semi noteworthy (but poor) family. Something went wrong though; he would readily complain about the stupidity of others, his peers, and the other aspiring poor douchebags. Advertising floundered and disappeared by 1995 when he was 50. He couldn't make big money; he would slander and offend. His communications were not in line with the proscribed way of doing things, he couldn't fall in line. He is still very much a TBM and a good man, but the corporate church doesn't have his name waiting in the wings for something grand.

There's a subtle pecking order. Power in TSCC comes to some but not to others. Deviate one iota from that checklist and find yourself, at best, responsible for the wardhouse cleaning schedule, like my dad at 67.

Old news.

THAT was it! Thank you-- I absolutely give credit to Gladwell.

Thought it was a seminar, but you're right-- it was his book.


Ana

For example, if you report a member for financial misdealings, for example, unless you have a higher status than a Dreaded Single Adult Female, your report will be ignored.

If you report a priesthood holder who is molesting his own children, your female-originated report will be ignored.

If a male reports another male, at least an inquiry will be started.


The result of this is that low status members don't bother to complain about anything. THey know nothing will be done.

When the church holds those focus groups to find out what changes could be made, trust me , those are being held in the Monument Park stake not the West Jordan stake.

Anagrammy

There was a brief discussion of this (the Korean cockpit part, not the LDS part) on the news (I think CNN) the other day.

I like this, and the similarities are interesting even beyond what you layed out. This would make a great SM talk, LOL.

In the case of the crash (KAL 8509), the first officer was trying to tell the captain that he was in an over-bank situation. The FO's instrument was correct, and the captain's was wrong. But they both had instruments. The FO tried to tell the captain he was over-banking, but the captain either ignored the FO (who had good instumentation) or just looked at his bad information and pressed on.

TSCC tells people they are all entitled to "personal revelation." But only senior leaders are entitled to revelation for their areas of responsibility. An underling isn't entitled to that. So even if the SP's instruments are all out of whack, it's his that matters.

The difference is that MOs are smiling and ingratiating, while being deceitful and passive aggressive at the same time. And they would NEVER question an authority figure (read: man)!

All of these discussions occurred after the Guam crash. It was totally avoidable if not for these cultural issues. We will wait for the investigation but the flight recorders and interviews with the pilots will definitely show whether this was a cultural issue or an "oh sh1t, I forgot to look at the airspeed indicator" issue.