Super Yacht Crew Management Evolution
Shifting duty of care paradigm in yacht crewing today
The Super Yacht Industry is facing its greatest challenge and change as it comes to terms with its public visibility, increasing changes in regulatory authority and a younger generation with differing ethos from the previous generations brought up within the sector.
The industry has always lacked a fully recognised professional body and regulator. Simply make a complaint about an Airline pilot and the answer is instant and definitive. Instant recognition of a pathway of full regulation and accountability. A yacht Captain holds the absolute authority over the Yacht but ask the same question you get a flimsy set of possibilities depending on your circumstances and the area you may be in and the lack of regulatory control has never truly posed a tangible problem within the industry until now.
Granted we have a set of codes laid down but Google will expose its flaws. Suddenly the truth of life for crew is being exposed and a lot of it is not pretty. This has been compounded by its coincidence with a very different generation coming to the career market. Individuals who are not in alignment with previous norms, goals and accepted practice. The industry is at a tipping point, from Crew Agent to Owner, how do we make the changes?
The current youth, for which the industry actively discriminates, are posing some serious questions about what a career can deliver or indeed if they really want a long term career. Yachts seems an adventure but it also delivers much hardship in their view, especially when they arrive believing this is a flashy quick buck and lots of partying.
The industry and the employee market must find a balance. Enforced Regulations, a Definitive Expression of Industry Requirements and a Pathway of Life Long Learning. Due to the Industry’s lack of fully accountable regulation the ethos that pervades is one of protectionism and a total lack of open communication. Although in a Crew, all individuals including Captains are forced into certain inactions in order to protect their position or even a future position.
Speak up and risk the ramifications, you are putting yourself up for replacement. If a new paradigm of learning, feedback and regulation was in force, the high degree of protectionism and sycophancy would automatically be reduced across the Yacht. Captains will only ever be replaced by those who will Captain in exactly the same manner and full dialogue and communication suddenly becomes acceptable and imperative.
Although bringing in full regulatory accountability is the key stone and will change the face of Yachting to one of Accountable Professionalism and in turn drive the narrative for attracting talent and putting them on a path of education prior to joining the industry, it is a complex and long winded exercise as the wheels of governmental authority turn at glacial pace.
Therefore, we must make those changes ourselves. Our route is life long learning and a 360 degree Feedback society onboard. The HELM course provided only for those of certain rank, has been altered in order to address areas where the previous model failed. It is purposefully open ended about what it wishes to see taught and has placed some guidance on learning outside of the HELM classroom, it now understands that a classroom is no substitute for continual learning. It draws upon the other professions to guide and create greater outcomes. What it hasn’t yet grasped is that leadership and personal characteristics are grown from day one for everyone and a bottom up, open approach to grow our leaders in all departments, is the way forward.
Look at the other professions and ask ‘what are they doing that we are not?”. The lesson of ethics and professionalism start on day one. Other professions approach to attaining the right candidates relies on a very clear and precise description of the next few years, what is entailed and what is expected in the way of continual learning in and around the subject and not just the ‘day job’.
Any professional training has to include continual assessments or examinations, with and involving a tutor and or mentor. No one student is left alone to figure it out as they go. And currently yachts can be very isolated places. We need to create a long term vision of a career on yachts for everyone in every department, There is no one individual or department that is less important or that does not require tuition in the Human Element onboard.
Green crew require constant support, continuing their development with a tutor or mentor. Journalling and feedback, such a dynamic part of any training, means that their day to day running of deck or interior or laundry suddenly becomes a whole new avenue of personal discovery and character building exercises. Slowly you grow the talent you wish to see.
Dr Emma Gillett DC
CEO of Crew Solutions UK and Sea Feedback