Today marks the 15th anniversary of a day the United States of America will never forget.
I remember it like it was yesterday. I was in my fourth-grade class when all of a sudden our principal came on the loud for a special announcement.
“A plane just crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Please keep those involved in your thoughts and prayers.”
At the time, I had no idea what the World Trade Center or South Tower was but once we turned on the TV — I was in shock. Firefighters and police officers flooded to the scene of a building engulfed in flames. All of a sudden a second plane hit the North Tower and my class gasped. Not soon after we watched both buildings tumble to the ground, realizing that thousands of people were in the iconic New York skyline landmark.
As I continued to watch the coverage, I noticed something that really made me feel as if everything was going to be okay — the firefighters and police officers risking their lives for those injured in the terrorist attack. They are the reason we are all okay.
But what contributed to the success these heroes had when our country was in a time of turmoil? Effective communication strategies.
If it wasn’t for the quick response and good communication skillsof these heroes, more lives were saved.
What made the 9/11 rescue so successful? Here’s a few effective communication strategies that our heroes used that you can use in your office.
When our country was under attack, the heroes of 9/11 had to be quick and respond. When the call came in, they all hurried and rushed down to the World Trade Center to try to save as many lives as possible. They were ready for the challenge and succeeded in doing their job.
Your team can be quick responders too. When the job needs to be done, it is important to start right away but make sure the job is not done too quickly. Like our heroes from 9/11, it’s important to be quick AND efficient. If they weren’t efficient, many of the survivors that day may not have lived.
One of the most effective communication strategies the heroes of 9/11 had was teamwork. When receiving the call, over 2,000 police and fire departments were called to the scene of the attack. Because of this, different departments throughout New York City had to work together and do everything they could to save as many lives as possible.
The ability to work as a team is crucial in any situation, which is why it can be another effective way of communicating with your office. No matter what the job, it’s always important to collaborate and try to finish the job with a group effort. I know at many of my jobs when we have all worked together as a team, our product came out perfectly and it probably would not have been as successful as if we all worked alone.In a recent survey done by LinkedIn, it was found that 77 percent of Americans find working in a team to be a very successful form of communicating.
Teamwork can also help boost your office moral as well. For example, the way the heroes from 9/11 worked together really boosting our country’s moral when we needed it the most. Learn from the heroes--teamwork is dream-work!
The act of being selfless is one of my favorite effective ways of communicating. Looking back on 9/11, selflessness was one the attributes our country really found inspiring during a time of turmoil. Being selfless means giving up something of your own so other people can succeed or in 9/11’s case--survive.
The firefighters and police officers put the American people before themselves that sunny morning in early September. They sacrificed their lives to make sure everyone came out alive and well. For this, we will never forget the sacrifices they made when our country needed it the most.
Your office can be selfless too. I know during work I have put others before myself especially when they might need help or even need someone to talk to. This communication strategy could really be geared toward supervisors and CEOs. Maybe if you notice someone struggling at your office, reach out and make sure everything is going ok and see if they need any help. This will definitely make them feel good and become happier in the workplace!
Want another effective communication strategy? Try VING today and change the way your office communicates. So be a hero and start communicating effectively today!