A rookie's laugh flipped how I handle pre-dive talks

I used to believe that dive briefings had to be all facts and no fun. Last job, a new diver was so tense you could see it through his suit. I tossed out a goofy line about watching for singing clams, and he burst out laughing. He later told me that silly moment helped him focus and shook off the jitters. Now I get that a little humor can ease the whole crew's stress. I'm mixing in light jokes with the safety points from now on.

2 comments

2 Comments

olivia_lopez1615h ago

My old boss drilled into us that jokes had no place in a safety check (said it would make people stop listening). One day, a student was fumbling with her gear so bad her hands were shaking, and I made a dumb joke about the buckle being shy. The whole group cracked up, and she instantly relaxed. After that, I noticed they all remembered the safety steps better because the mood was lighter. Turns out a bit of fun makes the serious stuff stick.

the_brooke14h ago

The shy buckle line? Genius for nervous students.