In this episode, we were joined by Senior Trainer and Content Development Lead at VetLed, Helen Silver-MacMahon MSc, CerVNECC, DipAVN(surg), CertSAN, RVN. We were honoured to share space with Helen, and learn more from her about situational awareness, non-technical skills and the field of Human Factors.  It was fantastic to hear Helen's story, from becoming an RVN thanks to her inspiring next door neighbour, to following and developing her passion, with a "nothing is impossible" mindset.

Useful Links that Helen mentions in the episode:
Interview with Robin Arzón: VP and Head Instructor at Peloton, Ultramarathoner, and Best-Selling Author. Listen here.
The "It Couldn't Be Done" poem by Edgar Albert Guest, read here.
The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors

Our Recommended Links:
Find out more about VetLed
The Veterinary Human Factors Conference 2022
Keep an eye on the VetLed Facebook page for the campaigns they are running throughout 2022. If you're listening to this episode as it is released, be sure to check out Veterinary Human Factors Awareness Week!

Thanks to our amazing sponsors: Boehringer Ingelheim.

About Helen:
Helen is a veterinary nurse and Senior Trainer and Content Development Lead at VetLed. Having worked in general practice, referral hospitals and nursing education over the past 21 years, she has extensive professional  experience and understanding from a wide range of  settings.

Helen is passionate about developing the veterinary professions understanding of Human Factors as a powerful aid in improving patient safety, enhancing performance and supporting the wellbeing of the veterinary team. She is a RCVS Knowledge Champion for her role in the sustained training and use of a surgical safety checklist within the small animal theatre at the former Animal Health Trust.

In 2021, Helen completed an MSc in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors at the University of Edinburgh. For her dissertation project Helen researched situational awareness in the veterinary operating theatre, she is has recently embarked upon a PhD at Lincoln university to explore non-technical skills in the veterinary profession. In her role at VetLed she enjoys applying this knowledge to develop and deliver professionally relevant training for all members of the veterinary team.   

In this episode we chat to VetLed’s Head of Collaboration, Cat Auden, to discover more about her passion for veterinary human factors, the challenges of leading change and the joy of team working. Cat shares with us some behind the scenes insights and her highlights from the 2022 Veterinary Human Factors Conference.

Links:
https://the-veterinary-human-factors-conference-2022.heysummit.com/

With thanks to our Sponsors:
https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.co.uk/

 About Cat:
Cat is a veterinary surgeon and Head of Collaboration at VetLed.   After working in general practice for a number of years, Cat joined the growing team at VetLed. Keen to combine her experience in practice with a passion for optimising clinical performance, Cat now works to develop and deliver specific, industry-relevant Human Factors training for veterinary teams across the country, with a view to improving both clinical performance and patient safety.​

Cat is keen to see how we can grow and develop as a profession through learning from and collaborating with other caring yet safety-critical professions and has a particular interest in the concept of psychological safety in the workplace and its impact on team performance.

Cat strongly believes that equipping the current generation and educating the next generation of veterinary professionals in Human Factors is essential to continuing to move forward and develop as a profession. Drawing on her experience in practice, Cat understands how the characteristics that make us human can be deemed to limit our performance, but with a grasp of these Human Factors they can be harnessed to truly enhance our performance as clinicians. Cat believes that learning how to perform best as individuals and as teams will only serve to strengthen the wider veterinary profession going forward.

About this episode:
In episode 5, we were pleased to welcome Lawrence to give a variety of insights from industry and innovation, covering topics from mentorship, shadowing, and high-performing teams. We loved his reflections on joining the dots in his career and beyond.

About Lawrence:
Lawrence is a qualified veterinary surgeon, business consultant, and innovation advisor, working with organisations to develop solutions and advance technologies for animal health and sustainable food production.

Resources referenced by Lawrence:
https://hbr.org/2017/03/bursting-the-ceo-bubble

With thanks to our sponsors Boehringer Ingelheim:
https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.co.uk/

Resources from Boehringer Ingelheim:
Jez Rose: https://tedxgreenville.com/portfolio/2016-jez-rose/

Resources:
http://www.vetled.co.uk
It's not too late to catch up on the Veterinary Human Factors Conference 2022:
https://the-veterinary-human-factors-conference-2022.heysummit.com/

Enjoyed this episode? Why not leave us a review.

About this episode:
In episode 4 we explore limiting beliefs, personal identity and the power of coaching with our guest, Liz Somerville. Liz shares with us her practice management journey and insights, and a beautiful example of high performing teams from outside the veterinary profession.

About Liz:
Liz Somerville - BSc (Hons) PgCert VBM, Loch Leven Equine Practice 

Liz is the Managing Director and one of the founding partners at Loch Leven Equine Practice. She is a Director for the VMG and works as the Congress Lead. In 2018 Liz completed her Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Business Management and is currently completing a Diploma in Personal Performance Coaching with The Coaching Academy. Passionate about all aspects of practice management in the veterinary industry, and keen to support others in leadership roles, Liz is particularly interested in the wellbeing of the whole practice team and creating a culture where the team can thrive in their individual roles.
www.lochlevenequine.co.uk
https://vetmg.com/

With thanks:
To our fantastic Sponsors, Boehringer Ingelheim:
"When we heard about the details of Liz's talk we automatically thought about another guest that was invited onto the High Performance Podcast in 2021, and that was the Mel Marshall, the coach of Olympic gold medallist, swimmer Adam Peaty. Mel's amazing strength is her ability to coach members of her team, and flex her style to both the individual person and individual circumstance. All of the leaders within the animal health team at Boehringer Ingelheim were encouraged to listen to this podcast episode, to not only be inspired but to learn from her incredibly practical tips. If you're listening to this and being inspired by Liz and want to learn more we can really recommend this High Performance podcast episode as supplementary listening, it's episode number 74 and is titled The art and science of great coaching. We hope you enjoy it."

Useful links:
https://the-veterinary-human-factors-conference-2022.heysummit.com/

About this episode
In this episode we delve into Lacey’s fascinating career story and understand how her vision of success has changed over time. Lacey beautifully describes how she makes decisions, what happiness means to her and the revelations she has made on her journey. We talk about starting conversations, speaking up, feeling safe and being brave.

High Performing Teams Episode resources:
https://the-veterinary-human-factors-conference-2022.heysummit.com/
(Listen to the whole episode for your 10% discount on tickets)
https://www.vetled.co.uk/
Listen to the episode of The High Performance Podcast with James Timpson, recommended by our sponsors Boehringer Ingelheim here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-high-performance-podcast/id1500444735?i=1000517033963

Thanks again to our awesome sponsors:
https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.co.uk/

About Lacey Pitcher:
Lacey is a proud grass roots nurse originally from South Wales who has fully embraced the essence of wiggly careers. She has worked all over the country in a variety of settings and disciplines as a Registered Veterinary Nurse and explored the possibilities of finding her niche. Having pinballed around the country Lacey then settled in the Cotswolds where she was able to have a base away from work allowing her to create and appreciate the importance of boundaries. Until her latest career pivot.

Lacey is a team member, nurse community builder, content writer at Vets Stay Go Diversify, and she wrote a blog on this topic here too:
https://www.vsgd.co/secret-support-blog-home/neurodiversity

Find out more:
https://www.instagram.com/rvnspeaks/
https://www.facebook.com/RVNspeaks
https://bvna.org.uk/
https://www.vetmindmatters.org/

In this episode, we chat to Paul about his vast array of experiences of leadership, both within and beyond the veterinary profession. We ask Paul for his take on what we can learn from other walks of life, and delve deeper into the crucial elements of high performing teams.

About Paul:

Paul has had a varied career so far, initially an Officer in the Royal Marines, Paul left and trained as a vet at RVC, but kept his links with the military, returning to the front line in Afghanistan in 2012 with the Grenadier Guards.

Paul qualified from RVC in 2000, and joined Westpoint Farm Vets, becoming partner, owner and director along the way, before selling to Private Equity in 2015.

In 2017, Paul diversified and set up Sandstone Communications with some other interesting people he had met. Sandstone delivers management and leadership training to professionals around the globe, using his experiences of business, adventuring and the military, and also supports, and mentors, aspiring British Olympic athletes.

Currently working with amongst others, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar-Landrover, Breitling, St James Place Wealth Management, Knight Frank, Snow and Rock, and a number of the top 20 London Law firms.

Paul has a Diploma in Bovine Reproduction from Liverpool University and an MBA from Open University, is a trustee of Vetlife, a council member of BVA, a Mental Health First-aider, a podcaster, and is a founder of VetYou, a financial advice platform for the veterinary profession.

Find out more about Paul:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theleadershipvet/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-horwood/
VetYou - http://www.vetyou.co.uk
Sandstone Communications - https://www.sandstonecommunications.co.uk/

VIP Links:
Are you signed up for the Veterinary Human Factors Conference 2022?
https://the-veterinary-human-factors-conference-2022.heysummit.com/
https://www.vetled.co.uk/

In this episode Dan Tipney from VetLed shares with us his insights into human performance gained from his perspective across multiple fields; formally as Team GB athlete, sports coach, pilot instructor, commercial pilot and human factors trainer. We explore the importance of curiosity and compassion and Dan shares with us his mental model for high performance and reminder to “mind the gap”.

Thank you once again to our sponsors for season 1: Boehringer Ingelheim:
https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.co.uk/animal-health/animal-health

Links:
https://the-veterinary-human-factors-conference-2022.heysummit.com/
https://www.vetled.co.uk/

The Fearless Organisation: Amy Edmonson (aff) https://amzn.to/3u8Llbp

About Dan Tipney:
Dan’s role at VetLed primarily involves providing insights into human performance gained from his perspective across multiple fields; formally as a semi-professional athlete, sports coach, pilot instructor, cabin crew member and currently as a commercial pilot and human factors trainer.

Across all fields Dan has consistently observed positive change as a direct result of non-technical factors such as leadership, communication, wellbeing and in particular positive organisational culture.

He has written and delivered training courses to cabin crew and pilots, combining non-technical skills with systems and processes such as checklists and safety reporting. As such, the power of a just culture and the associated growth mindset forms the basis for much of his work.

Dan greatly enjoys developing his knowledge across a wide range of subjects which he believes contribute towards human performance. He has recently completed courses in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Positive Psychology and Process Communication Model.

Welcome to the very first season of the Veterinary Innovation Project Podcast – we are looking forward to be sharing with you the stories, experiences, and wisdom from innovators, leaders, movers and shakers within our veterinary profession. Our mission is to inspire, and to create a community that champions positive change, collaboration and innovation.

Our theme for Season 1 is High Performing Teams, in the lead up to the 2022 VetLed Veterinary Human Factors Conference. We will be delving into our guests’ definitions of High Performing teams, exploring their stories, and asking why this topic is so relevant to the veterinary profession.  

Find out more about the Veterinary Human Factors Conference:
https://the-veterinary-human-factors-conference-2022.heysummit.com/

Thank you once again to our sponsors for season 1: Boehringer Ingelheim:
https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.co.uk/animal-health/animal-health