When something breaks, does your team get truth and fixes—or politics and spin?
Most companies oscillate between “be nice” meetings and witch hunts. Both slow execution, burn out A-players, and bury the real issues.
There’s a third path used by high-reliability, high-performance teams: Empathetic Root Cause Analysis (ERCA)—the debriefing approach that surfaces truth quickly without blame, and turns misses into momentum.
I’m hosting Robert “Cujo” Teschner, former F-22 squadron commander, USAF Weapons School (Top Gun) instructor, and bestselling author of Debrief to Win, for a live session on ERCA and the Debrief-Focused Approach™.
Why ERCA, and Why Now?
We all operate in VUCA conditions—volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. In these markets, companies that win don’t rely on heroics or “be nicer” feedback. They install processes for human interaction that consistently produce better decisions and faster iteration.
ERCA is not a soft or permissive approach. It’s a disciplined, repeatable way to run debriefs that:
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Strip out blame and defensiveness, so you get the actual data.
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Identify system and process causes (handoffs, constraints, assumptions), not just the nearest human to the problem.
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Convert lessons into behavior and standard updates—so issues don’t repeat.
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Maintain high standards and accountability without fear-based management.
What You’ll Learn (and Use Monday)
Expect a practical, case-study driven session focused on immediate application:
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Run High-Accountability Debriefs (Minus the Drama): A clear model to surface truth fast and fix what matters.
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Empathetic Root Cause Analysis (ERCA): Shift from “who’s at fault?” to “what happened and why?”—while keeping standards high.
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Cultural Foundations That Make Accountability Stick: How to remove fear, reframe failure as learning, build psychological safety, and operationalize the Debrief to Win core values (vulnerability, empathy, ownership, humility, collaboration, self-awareness).
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Rituals > Personalities: Install simple rituals so accountability is repeatable and not dependent on one strong manager.
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Absolute Ownership in the Real World: Apply the mindset to messy, cross-functional scenarios so lessons become behavior change.
Bring a recurring breakdown from your business. We’ll run it through the ERCA lens live so you leave with a fix—not just ideas.
Who This Is For
Leaders of companies with 25+ employees (typically $10M–$200M+) who want:
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Cleaner execution and faster cycle times
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A culture that self-corrects
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Retention of A-players who crave clarity and standards
About Robert “Cujo” Teschner
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Former F-22 Raptor squadron commander
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USAF Weapons School (Top Gun) instructor and Distinguished Graduate
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Founder & CEO, VMax Group (global leadership development)
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Author of the bestselling Debrief to Win
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Multiple Vistage Speaker awards, including Star Award and multi-year Top Performer
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Known for blending fighter-aviation lessons, humility, and practical systems leaders can use immediately
Event Details
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Topic: Empathetic Root Cause Analysis & the Debrief-Focused Approach™
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Speaker: Robert “Cujo” Teschner
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When: Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 8:30 AM–1:00 PM ET (lunch included)
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Where: Manhattan (exact venue shared upon RSVP)
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Format: Live workshop + Q&A
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Cost: Complimentary guest seat (limited to 3)
→ RSVP: mark.taylor@vistagechair.com
Why This Matters to Your Bottom Line
Every recurring issue you don’t fix taxes margin, speed, and trust. The compounding effect is brutal. ERCA gives you a mechanism to turn failure into throughput—to capture truth, standardize the lesson, and ship faster next sprint.
TL;DR
Elite teams win because they debrief well. ERCA is the fastest, most humane way to get the truth, protect standards, and scale accountability. Come see it live, steal the playbook, and run your first ERCA debrief on Monday.
