Push-To-Talk
On a recent liveaboard scuba diving adventure in the Bahamas, our Captain explained that he loved working with small teams and cross-training the staff in various areas of responsibility. He also shared specific coaching considerations for his Gen Z staff including instruction on proper etiquette in radio communications.
“Do you see that button there? And the red label with ‘PTT’ right next to it? That means Push-to-Talk, not Push-to-Think.”
- Captain Tim, All Star Liveaboard’s Aqua Cat
Photograph of the Aqua Cat in the Exumas taken by George
Capt. Tim employed a combination of softer communication skills to build team relationships when speaking in person with his crew, but in two-way radio communications and emergencies, he encouraged factualness, brevity, and clarity.
Capt. Tim’s radio communications protocol applies to all professional land or sea situations. Keep your messaging concise, speak clearly, and relay the necessary information only. Clear and succinct communication is also critical for efficient teamwork.
Capt. Tim also told me something important for two-way radio communication: only speak in the affirmative. If static interference or battery failure happens, the recipient won’t accidentally do the opposite action because they missed the word “don’t.”
Think in terms of what needs to happen, instead of what should not happen. (This is a good practice to implement in crisis communications - or with an audience fond of multi-tasking on their devices.)
Unless it’s an open brainstorming session at the office, most of the time, the standard rule applies: think before you speak. In work settings, keep your innermost thoughts at any given moment to yourself. Strategically communicate your brief, affirmative message to capture your audience’s limited attention span and encourage the desired action.
The average attention span of adults has declined from approximately 2.5 minutes to 45 seconds in the last two decades. This statistic conveys the urgent need for short, to-the-point communications, especially in a crisis.
Respect your team members’ time and efforts, pause to think (PTT) before speaking in the affirmative, and keep your communications succinct. In two-way communication, only one person can speak at a time. Leverage the limited time you have to capture your audience’s attention by communicating a clear, affirmative message that results in the desired action or outcome.
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