Many people actively collaborate in industry discussions – online, in interviews and at events and conferences. That shows solid industry health. These people typically fall into two different categories: those with field experience and the observing/commenting critics, whose experience is based on acquired information (internet, media, personal discussions, events, own observations). Both these categories are totally valid, accepted and necessary.

We are what other people see in us and not the image we see in the mirror each morning. You can believe you are very clever, but if those you meet see you as uninteresting and dull, it will cost you in generating social and professional acceptance. On the contrary, if your achievements, attitude and body language are right in the context you’re participating in, acceptance will be easy to achieve.

When sharing opinions we are biased by our personality and knowledge. What I have observed lately in our superyacht, marina and shipyard sectors are very different examples of this. People with field knowledge or who are directly involved immediately recognise a written story told by a peer. A perfect example of this was published in the recent The Superyacht Report article “The value in crisis”, an interview with Captain Brendan O’Shannassy. Having been a superyacht captain myself, I could follow his tale step by step, and immerse myself in the context, places and situations. It was great reading and immediately understood.

Then comes the dogmatic types: they research, read, listen, discuss. But their transmitted reality is one built in their brain. It is an (often fantastic) intellectual and emotional render, a master’s opera. One critical factor common to both categories is the person’s ability to communicate, to which I attribute half the importance of the sharing. Universal knowledge will be lost if told by a bad communicator. Take someone like Carl Sagan, who turned complicated matters into easily understandable stories to be shared by everybody – the article with Captain O’Shannassy does just so: it’s clear, concrete, concise.

We should exchange opinions and not issue demands, bearing in mind that there is always
‘the other bell’ to be considered and listened to.

One common characteristic of the opinion-sharing folk is a certain patronising tone. Such tone is evident when the writer starts “demanding” this or that action: “industry stakeholders must”, “shipyards should”, “captains have to”.  Never a result of cheap criticism and valid as the reaction to observation, but we should exchange opinions and not issue demands, bearing in mind that there is always ‘the other bell’ to be considered and listened to.

In the world today, complicated issues (like our industry) depend on many inputs and cannot be considered or judged from a single point of view. We must do our homework before emitting opinions that could affect other people’s views. We must learn from observation of other matters and industries where too many opinions are based on hearsay, unresearched myths and wrong assumptions. 

Sustainability and electric vehicles are a good example. The amount of information is such and so varied that it saturates our ability to discern it and form a clear idea on the matter. Our industry is big enough to generate the information, open enough to share a good part of it and small enough to maintain a reasonable and down-to-earth approach.

I like reading articles from people experienced in the field,and in the past, I have criticised articles written by professional nautical journalists who did not have any/appropriate experience on yachts or working in shipyards and marinas. But then, the part of their article that I do not like or agree with is my reaction to my view of our industry or a specific situation. It is not a judgement I made based on the 'Big Truth of Superyachts' and 'Marinas Compendium', as if it existed – and they are entitled to their opinion.

Some processes and situations I can know better because I lived them first hand or was possibly responsible for them or made mistakes about them, but it remains important that the media from which we receive industry news and reporting retain the right to express their views as they see them, being educated people in the profession of journalism. Different views, different styles, different reader targets.

Again, my criticism – and this is something that truly upsets me – is when I read articles that ignore important information about the subject being addressed. A sad example of this was the flow of opinions triggered by the sinking of Bayesian. Most of what was written between the news of the accident and the final report was useless, unfounded, and in some cases insulting and hurtful. I am not going to fall in my own trap and tell the media how they have to go about their business, but I will timidly suggest they stop the sometimes-patronising tones and start suggesting changes or solutions instead of demanding them.

Suggesting invites people to find a balance with which everybody can be satisfied. A suggestion will never be taken as aggressive, and we can all stick to our own opinions and bring positive results. Our rights finish when the next person’s rights start. Let’s remember that expressing our opinion is our right, as much as the next person’s opinion is to be listen to. 

As an open-source platform we offer an industry-wide invitation to anyone and everyone in our sector to share their knowledge, experience and opinions. So if you have an interesting and valuable contribution to make, and would like to join our growing community of guest columnists, share your ideas with us at newsdesk@thesuperyachtgroup.com

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