Knowledgeable Sounds of Silence or When Silence Is Not Golden

Silence via storytelling in its multiple dimensions is explained in this chapter, as one of the two pivotal communication phenomena of this study. Ideal flight and actual flight situations are analyzed, experientially, in stages that emphasize silence as a knowledge factor for the flight. Periods of silence are part of the communication process, but the duration of these periods, the way silence breaks into messages, and the consequences of different manifestations of silence are the topics objectified. The protagonists narrate their experiences commenting on scenarios and questions, and the text develops in a dialogic format with conventional alias names: Ikaria Ikaros and Oia Santorinis as ATCs for pilots’ behavior, Eleftherios Venizelos with Ioannis Daskalogiannis as fighter pilots, and Ippokratis Koos as helicopter pilot for the military point of view. All fighter pilots underlined (briefing and) debriefing as an integral part of any mission in the (preflight and) postflight phase. The debriefing is a meta-communication process which retracts the whole flight, provides a mechanism to evaluate human error and safety culture in a systemic way, and cultivates collegiality and leadership. The magic of silence may be needed in some cases, whereas organizational culture and communities practice mindset may dictate corporate fame protection and professional face to be defended. Leadership traits in speaking up and openness in a trusting atmosphere, as well as checklist mnemonics and monitoring with the two-layer redundancy, are explained. Safety culture and situation awareness are also part of the narrative. Knowledge manifestation flows from what is communicated, and actions are knowledge-worthy only when communicated under the circumstances.