Fog and Failure
Insights from the Sinking of the Andrea Doria
"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity."
– Sun Tzu
Fog and Failure
Chasing Influence: Transformational Coaching to Build Champions for Life
On July 25, 1956 an Italian ocean liner, the Andrea Doria, was en route to New York City with over 1,700 people onboard. The ship soon encountered dense fog near Nantucket Island, but only reduced its speed slightly. Meanwhile, another smaller Swedish liner, the Stockholm, had left New York earlier that day headed in the opposite direction.
Due to a series of mistakes and a lack of direct communication between the two ships, they ended up on a collision course. The Andrea Doria continued at a high rate of speed through the fog, aiming to pass the Stockholm on the starboard side (right). The Stockholm intended a port-to-port passing (left side for both ships) but miscalculated the Doria’s position, steering directly into its path. At 11:10 p.m. the Stockholm's reinforced bow cut into the Andrea Doria. Fifty-one people died.
There are lessons born from tragedy. The collision between the Doria and the Stockholm offers significant lessons underscoring the importance of clear communication, taking decisive action, and the role of leaders during crises.
Importance of Clear Communication: The primary cause of the collision was a black of communication. Each ship misinterpreted the other’s position and intentions. Leaders must take great care to ensure all team members are on the same page. Assumptions can lead to disastrous outcomes and in this case, the significant loss of life.
Updating our Learning: The Andrea Doria disaster showed the need for better training in new technologies like radar. After the collision, regulations were updated requiring ships to make radio contact when passing each other. Learning from past mistakes while staying current with the latest tools and practices is key to effective leadership.
Responsibility and Accountability: The captain of the Doria made significant, disasterous errors. He also shouldered accountability for those mistakes. He refused to abandon ship until everyone was evacuated. Servant leaders with the best intentions will still make mistakes. Leadership is more than making right decisions, it is also about owning up to mistakes to recognize opportunities for growth and preventing the same mistakes from happening again.
Nearly 70 years later, the collision of the Andrea Doria and Stockholm shows the vital roles leaders play in ensuring safety, maintaining communication, and steering their teams through crises. These roles do more than prevent potential disasters, they also build teams capable of impressive futures.
"In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable."
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
Connecting this quote to the story. Diligent planning and preparation fosters an adaptable mindset needed during crises and moments of decisive decision-making.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: Protocols are important. However, effective leaders must not rely on only protocols to adapt swiftly and communicate transparently in critical moments.
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2024