Whatever the Mistake, It’s the Lie Afterwards That Hurts More

Whatever the Mistake, It’s the Lie Afterwards That Hurts More

From Mind the Gap by Michael Comyn

February 14, 2026 · 12 min · Season 4 · Episode 5

About this episode

Michael Comyn explores the impact of honesty and concealment in high-trust professions.

This week, during a leadership course, a participant shared a line from her father that stopped the room: “Whatever the mistake, it’s the lie afterwards that hurts more.” In this episode of Mind the Gap , Michael explores why that simple sentence holds up across high-trust professions and high-pressure environments. From medical errors in hospital settings to cockpit decision-making in aviation, from financial oversight to corporate governance, the issue is rarely the original human error. The more serious damage often comes from concealment. This episode examines: • The difference between human error and reckless behaviour • What Just Culture really means in healthcare and aviation • Why psychological safety determines whether truth surfaces early • How fear of punishment drives cover-ups • Why timely honesty strengthens trust rather than weakens it Drawing on insights from leadership coaching, aviation training and emotional intelligence, Michael reflects on why cultures collapse not because people are imperfect, but because people feel unsafe admitting imperfection. If you lead a team, work in a regulated profession, or simply care about integrity in relationships, this…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Comyn

Topics covered

  • leadership
  • human error
  • trust
  • psychological safety
  • integrity
  • cover-ups

Keywords

  • mistake
  • lie
  • trust
  • Just Culture
  • psychological safety
  • human error
  • leadership
  • integrity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: healthcare, aviation, corporate governance

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