In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab, Andi and Josh explore one of the most inevitable—and emotionally charged—parts of veterinary medicine: mistakes. Grounded in research on error management culture, psychological capital, job satisfaction, and wellbeing, this conversation examines why the way a team responds to mistakes may be just as important as the mistakes themselves.
Rather than asking how to eliminate every error, the research encourages a different question: What kind of culture do we create when mistakes happen? Through personal stories, practical leadership strategies, and evidence-based discussion, Andi and Josh explore how our responses to mistakes shape trust, learning, resilience, and the willingness to speak up in the future.
You'll hear:
- What the research reveals about error management culture and its relationship to wellbeing
- Why mistakes are powerful cultural moments that shape trust, learning, and psychological safety
- The difference between an error prevention culture and an error management culture
- Practical strategies to replace blame with curiosity, learning, and accountability
- How leaders and team members can create environments where people recover, grow, and continue contributing after mistakes
Whether you lead a veterinary team or simply want to help create a healthier workplace, this episode offers a hopeful, science-backed perspective on turning inevitable mistakes into opportunities for stronger cultures, better learning, and more resilient teams.
Resource Links
Episode Article:
Title Embracing Errors at Work – How Error Management Culture, Psychological Capital, and Job Satisfaction Relate to Individual Well-Being:
Authors: Birgit Stephan, Matthias F. C. Hudecek, Dieter Frey, Eva Lermer
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41042-025-00265-7
Flourish Academy - Certificate in Positive Veterinary Leadership
Florida Man This Week - Bank Mistake
Reef Retreat
What Do You Think? Reach out to us and let us know at Info@flourish.vet
Your Hosts:
Andi Davison LVT, CAPP, APPC
Josh Vaisman MAPPCP, CCFP
At Flourish Veterinary Consulting we renovate veterinary cultures. We diagnose what’s working, blueprint what’s next, and train every team member - blending positive psychology with real-world experience - so thriving becomes the norm, not the myth.
Timestamps:
00:00 Mistakes Shape Culture
08:42 Lessons From Leadership
16:16 Culture Gets Smarter or Scarier
17:16 Paper and Key Concepts
21:01 Study Design and Findings
24:32 Coddling vs Correction
26:17 Why Leaders Struggle
35:33 Curiosity Not Blame
40:33 Recovery Pathway After Errors
43:27 Choose What Teams Learn
43:57 Florida Man
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