Michael Brodman, MD, professor and chair emeritus in the Raquel and Jaime Gilinski Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, discusses how mutual respect is a prerequisite for any institution developing a culture of safety. Healthcare has an unfortunate tradition of being hierarchical, and this kind of culture is made worse by significant differences in background and training amongst healthcare professionals. The increasing complexity of medical care in nearly every aspect of care delivery, makes optimal teamwork and communication essential. And this is only possible if every member of the team feels respected and is free to speak up when they think something is wrong.