Why Silence Might Be Your Veterinary Team's Biggest Threat - And What to Do About it.

When we think of dysfunctional workplace culture, we usually picture chaos: gossip, conflict, frustration. But what if the real threat to your team’s effectiveness is something quieter?

Silence.

Not the peaceful kind that allows for focus, but the kind where people withhold. They withhold ideas, concerns, questions, and mistakes. They stay quiet when something doesn’t feel right.  They don’t ask for help. And that silence, left unchecked, can sabotage learning, innovation, and patient safety.

This isn’t just a hunch. It’s backed by behavioral science, neuropsychology, and decades of research into high-performing teams.

The Cost of Withholding

Every veterinary team has experienced it. A technician who catches a potential error but doesn’t speak up. A new assistant who notices something off but assumes someone else will say something. A manager who wants feedback but hears only crickets.

These moments aren’t about apathy. They’re about risk.

Speaking up in the workplace is an inherent act of vulnerability. It risks judgment, rejection, and social fallout, especially in a profession where undertones of perfectionism and a deeply embedded hierarchical dynamic.

The result? Team members play it safe by staying quiet. And the team misses out on improvement, efficiency, and connection.

The Antidote: Psychological Safety

The key to unlocking better communication, more collaboration, and stronger performance is something called psychological safety, a concept defined by Harvard Business School professor Dr. Amy Edmondson.

Psychological safety is the shared belief that it’s safe to speak up about ideas, questions, and concerns. Essentially, everything work-related is “discussable”.  In psychologically safe workplaces:

• Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities

• People are encouraged to offer dissenting views

• Asking for help is normalized, not criticized

• Feedback flows freely, regardless of title or role

In these environments, people aren’t focused on appearing perfect. They are focused on doing their best work, together.

Why It Matters in Veterinary Medicine

Veterinary teams are expected to deliver high-quality care under pressure. But high standards without psychological safety create an anxiety-inducing environment. When people are constantly managing how they’re perceived, they have less energy for creativity, collaboration, and performance.

Perfectionism may sound noble. And in some cases, it can be a powerful force for good - for example, in predictable, repetitive environments such as manufacturing “widgets”.  In a fast-moving and variable setting like vet med, perfectionism is a harmful trap. What teams need instead is a shared commitment to excellence. That means creating room for experimentation, honest feedback, and learning from mistakes.

Building a Culture of Voice

Psychological safety doesn’t happen overnight. It takes intentional effort from everyone on the team. Leaders play a critical role, but any team member can begin the shift by focusing on these four foundational behaviors:

Model it. Talk openly about your own mistakes and what you learned. Normalize vulnerability.

Invite it. Ask questions like “What are we missing?” or “What would make this better?”

Celebrate it. Appreciate the people who speak up, especially when it’s difficult to do so.

Act on it. Listen to ideas, even if they are imperfect. Follow through when possible, or take the time to explain the reasoning when change isn’t the right option.

These small actions help create a space where people feel valued and heard.

Want to Learn the Full Recipe?

If this resonates with you, we invite you to explore our 60-minute on-demand course: Safe to Soar: The Secret Sauce of Highly Effective Teams

Through this engaging session, you’ll:

• Understand what psychological safety is and what it is not

• Learn how it affects team wellbeing and organizational performance

• Discover the five-step recipe for cultivating psychological safety in veterinary teams

• Explore the business case for building a culture where people can thrive

Veterinary medicine may be unpredictable, but the culture we create within our teams is something we can shape with intention, care, and evidence-based tools. When people feel safe to speak up, they are more likely to thrive, and your practice is more likely to thrive as well.