Зал №19: Mukhtorov Boburmirzo, Jamshid Botirov, Laziz Alimov, Rakhimboyev Begoyim, Atajonov Ilxom

What really killed the Titanic? Death Factor #1: Ignored Warnings

Most of us know that the Titanic’s crew was warned about the area’s dangerous icebergs. But how many times were they warned? At least six!!! The last and most specific of the six was not passed along to the captain because the radio operator interpreted the message as non-urgent, and returned to sending passenger messages to the receiver on shore at Cape Race, Newfoundland before it went out of range.

The radio operating team was so concerned with keeping the high-paying customers — 1st class passengers — satisfied, that they told the passing ship Californian, “ Shut up, shut up, I am busy; I am working Cape Race”, when interrupted on-air by his counterpart warning of the upcoming ice field.

Customer satisfaction is all the rage. But killing it for the wrong whim of the customer might accidentally kill your business.

Death Factor #2: Over-Reliance on Past Success

On the night of the collision, the captain had already gone to bed. First officer William Murdoch was in charge. At 39, Murdoch had 16 years of maritime experience and was known for his masterful record of averting ship collisions.

For instance, prior to the Titanic, he had served on the Arabic, when a passing ship came bearing down from out of the darkness. Murdock overrode his superior’s command, and instead rushed into the wheelhouse, pushed the quartermaster aside, grabbed the wheel and held the ship steady. As a result, the two ships passed within inches without damage.

The Arabic incident was one of many Murdoch mastered in his career. In the 37 seconds between the first sighting of the iceberg and its collision with the Titanic, the officer fully relied on his past successes to make executive decisions in the present. We all know how that turned out.

What got you here won’t get you there. Instead, your own previous success might actually destroy your every dream.