Counter-Errorism in Diving: Applying Human Factors to Diving

In this podcast episode, we explore the concept of Situation Awareness (SA) in diving. We learn what SA is, why it's crucial for safe diving, and how to recognize when it's compromised. The episode introduces a model by Mica Endsley that breaks SA into three layers: perception, comprehension, and projection. It then discusses why SA matters, emphasizing its significance in avoiding accidents and mishaps. The episode also provides valuable tips on how to improve your SA, such as conducting briefings, gaining experience in diverse conditions, practicing technical skills, and engaging in debriefings for shared learning. Developing habits and routines to maintain SA during dives is highlighted as a key takeaway for enhancing safety and decision-making underwater.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/how-to-improve-SA   Links: You can’t pay MORE attention blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/cant_pay_MORE_attention   Tags:  - English Brief Debrief Decision-Making Mike Mason Situation Awareness

In this podcast episode, we delve into the concept of "Normalization of Deviance" in the context of diving. While it may seem like rule-breaking, it's actually about the social acceptance of deviating from established standards and practices. The episode explores how this phenomenon occurs in diving, where 'safety' is a social construct based on the absence of adverse events rather than legal rules. It delves into examples of drift at various levels, from industry-wide issues to individual behaviors like reducing gas minimums or exceeding depth limits. To address this, the episode emphasizes the need for performance-based standards, psychological safety, leadership development, and a Just Culture to prevent and correct the normalization of deviance.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/normalisation-of-deviance-not-about-rule-breaking   Links: Blog about rule breaking and rule following https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/they-broke-the-rules Cognitive biases and heuristics https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/i-am-biased-you-are-biased-we-are-all-biased Drift https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jud_9k6fTHw Minimums become targets https://humanisticsystems.com/2019/10/24/shorrocks-law-of-limits/ UK HSE CCR report 2011 https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr871.htm Psychological safety blogs https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog?tag=psychological+safety Challenger safety blog https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/challenger-safety-control Tags:  - English Decision-Making Gareth Lock Normalisation of Deviance Risk Risk Management

In the final installment of the series on building psychological safety in instructional and ‘fun diving’ environments, this podcast episode explores "challenger safety." It underscores the importance of creating an environment where team members feel comfortable questioning or challenging unsafe practices, including instructors. This safety aspect encourages open dissent aimed at constructive improvement and urges leaders to welcome disruptive ideas and bad news with a positive response. It also advocates for diverse teams to foster divergent thinking and emphasizes the need for leaders to revisit and explain past decisions, avoiding groupthink and encouraging critical thinking. The episode concludes by highlighting the role of leaders and instructors in setting the cultural tone and ensuring a safe environment where team members can end a dive when necessary.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-4   Links: “If Only” documentary https://www.thehumandiver.com/ifonly Why is it so hard to create a team quickly in diving, especially in classes? Part One: Inclusion Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-1 Part Two: Learner Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-2 Part Three: Contributor Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-3 Tags:  - English Communications Gareth Lock Leadership Teamwork

You might think that students have little to contribute when they are part of a team. However, if you think back to the inclusion safety and the need for a shared purpose of mutual learning, your students can help you improve as an individual and as a team. Look for opportunities whereby they contribute. In the context of fun diving, by allowing team members to contribute, then you can increase the chance of having more fun and using the cognitive diversity in your team to solve problems you face, this includes in an incident or adverse event. Don’t dismiss others, they might have an answer you haven’t thought about. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-3   Links: Why is it so hard to create a team quickly in diving, especially in classes?: Part One: Inclusion Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-1 Part Two: Learner Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-2 Part Four: Challenger Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-4   Tags:  - English Gareth Lock Leadership Psychological Safety Teamwork

Building on the foundation of inclusion safety, the second part of this podcast series explores "learner safety" in instructional diving settings. Learner safety involves creating an environment where students and team members feel safe to make mistakes as they learn new skills and knowledge. To foster learner safety, adopting a "student mindset" is crucial, emphasizing that learning is a lifelong journey and no one reaches permanent competency. Sharing what you are learning with enthusiasm and optimism can inspire others to do the same, while sharing past mistakes and the lessons learned from them encourages a culture of vulnerability and growth. Celebrating failures within defined limits is vital, recognizing that they are opportunities for learning and improvement. Additionally, asking for feedback at the moment of need and encouraging collaborative problem-solving contribute to learner safety, creating thinking divers who continually improve and push their boundaries in the world of diving.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-2   Links: DEBrIEF template: https://www.thehumandiver.com/debrief Why is it so hard to create a team quickly in diving, especially in classes?: Part One: Inclusion Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-1 Part Three: Contributor Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-3 Part Four: Challenger Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-4 Tags:  - English Gareth Lock Leadership Psychological Safety Teamwork

Creating a team quickly in diving can be challenging due to the litigious nature of the sport, especially in the US, where instructors fear legal repercussions for acknowledging mistakes or deviations from standards. This fear hinders the development of psychological safety within a team. Psychological safety, defined as the shared belief within a team that it's acceptable to take interpersonal risks, plays a crucial role in diving, as every instructional dive is a team effort. To build psychological safety, it's essential to foster trust, humility, and good communication. Psychological safety consists of four stages: inclusion safety, learning safety, contributor safety, and challenger safety. This podcast series explores each stage in detail, beginning with inclusion safety, which involves making everyone feel included, moving to mutual discovery, defining and communicating the team's purpose and values, active listening, following through on commitments, and forbidding personal attacks. These practices promote inclusion and ultimately enhance team cohesion and safety in diving.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-1   Links: Amy Edmonson’s book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fearless-Organization-Psychological-Workplace-Innovation/dp/1119477247/ About Prospect Theory https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospect_theory Timothy Clark’s book https://www.amazon.co.uk/4-Stages-Psychological-Safety/dp/1523087684/ Why is it so hard to create a team quickly in diving, especially in classes? Part Two: Learner Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-2 Part Three: Contributor Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-3 Part Four: Challenger Safety https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-4   Tags:  - English Gareth Lock Leadership Psychological Safety Teamwork

Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams, allowing members to speak up about problems without fear of backlash or dismissal. It hinges on trust, humility, and effective communication. Trust involves believing in your team's integrity, benevolence, and ability. Humility means acknowledging that no one knows everything and being open to listening. Good communication requires understanding and avoiding assumptions in conversations. Psychological safety goes both ways, from leaders to followers and among peers. Leaders set the tone by admitting their mistakes, fostering a culture where everyone can learn from errors. Building psychological safety takes practice, but its benefits are invaluable for strong, high-performing teams.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/HFforD-part-10-psychological-safety   Links: Communication for Dummies:https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/HFiD-for-dummies-comms   Tags:  - English Dummies Jenny Lord Leadership Psychological Safety Teamwork

In this episode, we explore the impact of tiredness, fatigue, and stress on diving performance and safety. We discuss how these factors can lead to errors and potentially dangerous situations underwater. Fatigue, whether short-term or long-term, affects cognitive functions like problem-solving, memory, and alertness, making it essential for divers to prioritize rest. Stress, which can be either distress (negative) or eustress (positive), also plays a significant role in diving performance. We introduce the "three lemons" concept, where any stressor, or "lemon," that arises before or during a dive should be considered carefully. We emphasize the importance of recognizing signs of stress in ourselves and our dive buddies, and we discuss the challenge of calling off a dive due to small issues, known as the "sunk cost fallacy." Ultimately, we highlight the critical role of being well-rested and managing stress in ensuring safe and enjoyable dives.   Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/hf-for-dummies-part-9-error-producing-conditions   Tags:  - English Dummies Fatigue Jenny Lord Performance shaping factors Stress

In this podcast episode, we dive into the concept of leadership in the context of diving, emphasizing that leadership applies to everyone in various capacities. A leader is someone who understands the common goal, communicates it clearly, and fosters collaboration among team members to achieve it, even if they don't possess all the required skills themselves. We discuss leadership roles in diving, including dive guides, instructors, and even buddy pairs, stressing the importance of goal clarity, role awareness, and effective communication. We share a real-life example of an instructor who demonstrates strong leadership by addressing equipment safety concerns and creating a culture of psychological safety within the dive center. We also explore the negative aspects of leadership, such as destructive goal pursuit, where leaders become overly focused on tasks and neglect their team's well-being and learning. Good leadership behaviors are highlighted, including maintaining awareness of the team's purpose, active listening, and fostering psychological safety for open communication. Leadership is portrayed as a dynamic and situational skill that requires conscious practice and a clear understanding of the team's goals. In conclusion, whether you find yourself in a formal leadership role or not, effective leadership in diving involves understanding the why, what, and how of your team's mission and promoting continuous improvement among all team members. Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/HFiD-for-dummies-leadership Tags: - English Dummies Jenny Lord Leadership Teamwork

In this podcast episode, we explore the concept of teamwork in diving, shedding light on its importance and practical application. While team sports like football, rugby, and hockey inherently rely on teamwork, diving often overlooks the team dynamic. We discuss the key elements of effective teamwork, including role clarity, where everyone understands their role and the goals of the dive, and clear communication, which involves using consistent signals and fostering an environment where questions and concerns are welcomed. The briefing and debriefing process is highlighted as a crucial tool for aligning the team's mental model and learning from each other's experiences. Trust, the cornerstone of teamwork, is explored, emphasizing its development over time and its profound impact on team dynamics. Real-life examples, including challenges faced by a married couple in a diving course, illustrate the significance of trust and the possibility of splitting up a team when necessary. Original Blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/HFiD-for-dummies-teamwork   Links: Communication for Dummies blog https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/HFiD-for-dummies-comms All the Dummies blogs https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog?tag=dummies How to create a team, 4 part series https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-1 https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-2 https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-3 https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/team-building-psych-safety-4   Tags: - English Dummies Jenny Lord Teamwork