Just last week, Jim Collins published a monograph: Good to Great and the Social Sectors: Why Business Thinking is Not the Answer

(Taken from a review I wrote for amazon.com)
As a non-profit leader, I've been waiting for this monograph to be published for several months, and Collins did not disappoint.

In a lucid style that only Collins can deliver, he masterfully explains the subtle (but seismic) concepts of good to great for the social sector. Similar to his previous books, he effectively uses a broad array of real-life examples (e.g. the NYPD, a church, the Girl Scouts, the Cleveland Orchestra, a high school science dept), helpful graphics, and a very readable, conversational tone. Even though the monograph is only 31 pages, he contributes his clear thinking on numerous issues that will be very familiar to social sector leaders:
- how to measure success in non-$ metrics
- how to recruit and motivate a passionate (and poorly-paid or unpaid) staff
- how to think differently about "restricted funds"
- how to transcend systemic / external problems.

I particularly enjoyed his discussion on "legistative" leadership (versus "executive" leadership in the business world). Collins predicts a dramatic reversal - that one day non-profit leaders, who have mastered legistative leadership, will be wooed away to lead for-profit businesses. Also, he says that the true difference is not between for-profit vs. non-profit, but good vs. great - regardless of organization type.

This monograph does stand on its own. However, I think you would have to be fairly familiar with the concepts in Good to Great to fully appreciate the value of this monograph.

Regardless, I would recommend this to every hospital leader. For $9-10, you really can't go wrong.

Book Review: Healing Words by Dr. Michael Woods
(4 of out 5)
An impassioned and thoughtful plea from a doctor to doctors to say "I'm Sorry"

Given all that has been recently reported on physicians saying "I'm sorry," this short, straightforward book couldn't have come at a better time. Dr. Michael Woods has written a practical, motivational book directed at physicians on the why's, how's, and what's of apologizing to patients. Drawing from personal experience, stories from other doctors, examples from other industries, and research data, Dr. Woods does not hold back in making an impassioned plea for physicians to master this tricky part of the patient-doctor relationship.

At ~82 pages, you can probably read this book in one or two sittings (In fact, I read most of it in the waiting room as I waited to see my doctor. Luckily he didn't have to apologize for anything that day). Dr. Woods moves quickly from topic to topic, breaking down just about every psychological, cultural, and emotional aspect of "I'm sorry" - why it's so difficult for physicians in particular to apologize, what a meaningful apology entails, what the patient is thinking/feeling in apology-worthy situations, how to build more authentic relationships with patients, and even what exact words you could say in difficult situations. He even advises to apologize for: "(1) being late for a scheduled appointment; (2) receiving a patient complaint about poor service from hospital or office staff; and (3) Interrupting a patient who is speaking - even if you must take an emergency call."

Overall, doctors should apologize appropriately (and probably more often)- it's the right thing to do, it's the compassionate thing to do, and if that's not enough, it might even prevent some lawsuits.

Definitely this is a book written by a doctor for doctors. For the admin readers, something to read and then pass along to your clinical leadership (and risk management dept).

I'm just sorry that I didn't read this book sooner.

Book Review: If Disney Ran Your Hospital, by Fred Lee (5 out of 5)
This book is the "Space Mountain" of hospital management books

Many of you have been following my 8-part series on Fred Lee's book, If Disney Ran Your Hospital.

(adapted from the review I wrote on amazon.com)
Like many Disney rides, you have to wait a bit to get this book on amazon (I purchased mine directly from the publisher). But it's worth the wait. I attended the ACHE Conference in 3/2005 where the book was named the "2005 Book of the Year."

Fred Lee has written a fantastic book in "If Disney Ran Your Hospital." Not only is it a well-written book (Lee uses memorable examples, stories, and graphs to illustrate his points), but also he has chosen an outstanding topic. We need more books like this - learning from the best from other industries. Lee effectively builds the bridge, taking Disney corporate realities and turning them into approaches and strategies that hospital leaders can easily digest and apply in their hospitals.

Some of the concepts definitely stretch my current mindset on customer service (and after reading the book, you might even stop using that term). Lee talks about why perceptions are more important than reality, patient loyalty is more important than satisfaction, courtesy is more important than efficiency, and experience is more important than service. He also spends some time addressing the shortfalls of patient satisfaction surveys and competitive incentives for employees. All for the sake of his true focus of the book: to "bring out the best behaviors in workers and provide the best emotional experience for patients."

For those that are experts in services marketing or world-class hotel corporate culture, some of the concepts will be old news. Nonetheless, the way Lee specifically applies these concepts to the hospital setting is truly magical and novel.

Book Review: Winning by Jack Welch (4 out of 5)
this time Welch nails it

Many of you have been following my leadership series from Welch's new book, based on the Newsweek excerpt. Turns out the rest of the book is just as good as the excerpt on leadership that I covered in depth.

It appears that (after a couple of misfires) Jack Welch has finally written a book to match his legend. It probably also helps that his new wife Suzy (and co-author), a former editor at HBR, knows a thing or two about writing. No matter what you think of either Welch (to put it mildly, they're controversial), this book is worth the price of admission.

Put "Winning" on the top shelf next to "Good to Great" and "Built to Last." In fact, Welch's "Winning" is the perfect complement to Jim Collins' two-some. Collins' work is dramatically research-based, Welch's is utterly life-based. In particular, I enjoyed his 8 leadership principles that balance soft skills (communicating vision, building trust, motivating others) and character attributes (making the tough call, being positive, being nurturing to the core). I also enjoyed how Welch answers his critics on the infamous 20-70-10 rule and his hiring frameworks.

One strength of "Winning" is in the breadth of topics covered - both in the realm of organizational leadership as well as career development. Lots of books do one well, but Welch manages to excel in both without being superficial or glossying-over (though most other books aren't 350+ pages!).

Make no mistake about it - the ideas presented are not new. For example, two of Welch's leadership principles: "exude positive energy" and "push and probe with a curiousity that borders on skepticism" sound a lot like Collins' "confront the brutal facts, yet never lose faith" principle. But it's Welch's down-to-earth writing style that helps you understand these timeless principles in a fresh way. As you're reading, you can almost picture him speaking the words in some business school auditorium or some Fortune 100 management retreat. The words are deceptively simplistic, but it's Welch's wisdom at its best - boiled down to the very essence from four decades of rough-and-tumble managerial experience.

Book Review: Hardwiring Excellence by Quint Studer(5 out of 5)
Clear, Inspirational, and Thought-Provoking

Quint Studer ain't your ordinary hospital consultant. In fact, he probably wouldn't call himself a consultant at all; he's a "Fire Starter" and a "Coach." From a high school GPA of 1.3 to Special Ed teacher to hospital President to Founder of the Studer Group, this man has a genuine passion to make a difference in healthcare and on society. In his first COO role at Holy Cross Hospital, he took his hospital's patient sat scores from 5% to 94% in one year. At his first Administrator position in Baptist Hospital, he decreased employee turnover from 30% to 12% and also founded the Baptist Leadership Institute. It's hard to argue with results like that.

The basis of his book and his work is this flywheel:

which is essentially a much more thoughtful way of saying "success breeds success." Start with passion - a passion for what you do, a passion for making people's lives better (lots of folks take this step for granted). Then implement their 9 principles (the book dedicates one chapter for each principle). And these principles lead to results in the most important areas - the pillars: people, service, quality, finance, and growth (can anyone say "balanced scorecard?"). This in turn leads to more passion, and momentum starts kickin' in. And all of this is founded on the fact that when people are given a worthwhile purpose, watch out what they can do.

In my view, this book is well-balanced between motivation and practical to-do's. In fact, I think the magic of this book is how well Quint covers both issues: the heart (the emotions/psychology, human nature) and the mind (hard-nosed focus on hard-core results). I think most hospital leaders could pick up this book and actually put some or all of the principles into practice, even in difficult working environments. And that is exactly Quint's intent.