Equipment, standards, and training have all evolved to help protect divers at every level of engagement. Despite this, incidents and accidents continue to occur, from near-miss through to fatal. One of the greatest challenges to overcome is the psychology of our own perception and response. This presentation will demonstrate with case studies how bias and predisposition can affect our efforts in planning for, managing, and assessing critical events and contributing factors. The goal is to reinforce honest appraisal at every step to help us truly lead with our best selves.