In this episode, we discuss the challenges teams face when speaking up, especially in the presence of authority figures. A German research study found that in 72% of cases, team members chose to remain silent even when verbal intervention was necessary, and only 40% of those who did speak up were assertive. Reasons for silence included deference to authority, lack of confidence, and failure to recognize the situation’s urgency. This highlights the need for effective Non-Technical Skills training, which helps individuals practice assertiveness without confrontation, improving safety and communication in high-stakes environments.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/authority-gradient-why-people-don-t-or-can-t-speak-up

Links: Tenerife crash 1977: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenerife_airport_disaster

Surgeon who removed wrong kidney: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1398408/Surgeons-who-removed-the-wrong-kidney-are-cleared.html

German research paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/231210745_Do_residents_and_nurses_communicate_safety_relevant_concerns_Simulation_study_on_the_influence_of_the_authority_gradient

Improving Anesthetists’ ability to speak up: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26703413

Tags: English, Gareth Lock, Healthcare