In November, XLVets ran an online festival, offering live sessions from speakers within and outside the veterinary profession, to provide additional support for teams during the Covid-19 pandemic. Talks ranged from clinical topics to sessions on wellbeing and even comedy.  One talk in particular was extremely relevant to the current state of the world – how to be an ultra adaptive thinker. 

About the speaker

Dan Tipney’s diverse career path offers a unique perspective within the veterinary profession. His experience as an athlete for team GB, sports coach and airline pilot led him into the field of Human Factors training in aviation, before diversifying into the veterinary profession. Dan currently holds the position of head of evidence and insights at Vetled, and is head of patient safety and Human Factors at the Ralph.

Life is full of uncertainty, now more than ever before. Dan’s talk provides a refreshing insight into the concept of ‘ultra adaptivity’. We are living in a rapidly changing world, which has inevitably spilled over into the veterinary profession. Roles in practice are likely to have changed or evolved in some way as a result of the pandemic. In his talk, Dan discusses the fundamental strategies for thriving in these ‘ultra adaptive’ environments, drawing on his insight and experiences from healthcare, elite sport and aviation, in order to raise consciousness of adaptivity in veterinary practice.

What is meant by Human Factors?

75-80% of aviation accidents are primarily attributed to Human Factors. The study of Human Factors focuses on individual and team performance, and encompasses everything that fills the gap between technical knowledge and the outcome of someone’s actions. 

“A lot of what happens in veterinary medicine is unpredictable, and you can’t always have a plan or a checklist for every situation,” explains Dan. The focus on ultra adaptivity is based on how likely an adverse event is to occur, which is particularly effective in the setting of a veterinary practice, where members of the team are subjected to high levels of risk within their roles. Take a routine castration as an example – it will of course have predictable moments, but unexpected events during the procedure are also possible. Dan’s talk is interlaced with anecdotes, including analogies of clay pottery and escaped farm horses, which he uses to demonstrate the importance of mindset in accepting that it isn’t always possible to know all of the facts. 

Curious or critical?

A growth mindset, originally coined by psychologist Carol Dweck, thrives on challenge and sees failure as a way of learning and adapting. By considering the language we use to talk about our actions and the actions of others, it is important to ask: why did those decisions make sense at the time? Blame diminishes our ability to adapt. Instead, by not being afraid to learn from mistakes and embrace the unknown, this is considered to be an ultra adaptive way of thinking. 

Asking: who knows?

“Our brains are hardwired to crave certainty, and to be able to see all things as black and white. Being open to possibilities and change, especially when we are dealing with a challenging situation, is a foundation for resilience,” explains Dan. Although it might not be easy at first, it’s a starting point for being able to deal with unexpected scenarios or outcomes.

Communicate with your team

Teamwork, leadership and communication are important pillars for promoting adaptivity in practice. Team briefings can be short, structured moments when everyone can pause and discuss what they are going to do next, both individually and as a team. Encouraging everyone in the team to speak up, and enabling them to feel comfortable doing so, can prevent errors and facilitate learning within the team. Building a structure within practices to create this openness is a challenging but valuable learning opportunity for the whole team.

Accepting the uncertain

Within the profession, we are all too familiar with the mistakes that play on our mind long after the day has ended. Giving a team the opportunity to debrief at the end of the day allows for shared learning and promotes good wellbeing. Ask yourself, and others in your team, the simple question that we often overlook: how are you feeling? By accepting that it’s part of human nature to crave certainty, we can change our mindset to view uncertainty as a challenge, not a threat, and reframe how situations are perceived. 

Dan explains, “acceptance is the middle ground between rumination and repression. Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up or inhibiting your motivation for change, but allowing yourself to acknowledge your emotional response to a situation and to explore this with curiosity. This ultimately leads towards having a more adaptive way of thinking.” 

Through understanding how to apply these principles in practice, as a profession we can promote good wellbeing and employ daily strategies, with the aim of becoming more ultra adaptive thinkers in a world filled with uncertainty. 

Member feedback

Dan Tipney’s talk was the most watched back session of the festival, with XLVets members providing positive feedback after attending the talk.

Colin Mitchell from Scott Mitchell Associates commented, “this is so relevant, especially for those of you with a clinic – you can’t afford to not watch this! Best hour I’ve watched in a while.”

Jane King at North West Equine Vets also said, “Dan Tipney’s talk was fascinating and thought provoking. It is so applicable to our work in the veterinary sector, both in terms of communication and Human Factors within our practices. Learning in these current times how to be adaptive with all that is going on in the world around us is so important.”

XLVets online festival

The online event ran from 2nd – 15th November, and was sponsored by Norbrook Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Zoetis and Pets App. Thanks to the popularity of the event, XLVets will be running an additional Winter Series of events starting in January.

Find out more information about XLVets here.

Read more articles about XLVets here.