Great Question from the ThedaCare Weekly Report Out – Respect

I had a chance again today to attend ThedaCare's weekly “report out” where a few hundred people gather in an auditorium to review and celebrate their “rapid improvement events” from the past week.

I think everybody should make the trip to Appleton to attend one of these (as they are open to the public). It's inspiring to see the reflection, the progress, the joy, and the honesty that is demonstrated in these sessions (and I've been lucky to attend six or so over the last four years).

One key question that was discussed as a reflection for each RIE team:

“How is the new process more respectful of people?”

I love that question. It's a very powerful representation of their stance that, as Toyota would say, that the measurable benefits of improvement work are NOT the only thing that matters. Each team was able to explain how the new process was more respectful – respecting people's time, talents, and abilities. It's amazing to see.

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Mark Graban

Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker who has worked in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. His most recent book is the anthology Practicing Lean that benefits the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation, where Mark is a board member. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus. His latest book has been released as an "in-progress" book, titled Measures of Success.