Podcast #320 – Skip Steward on Deming, Wheeler, Metrics, and More

Skip Steward, the Chief Improvement Officer at Baptist Memorial Health Care in Tennessee, was a guest on Episode #314 of the podcast talking about TWI and Toyota Kata in healthcare (he was joined by Brandon Brown).

Today, I've asked Skip to come back and chat 1×1, in Episode #320, about his experience with Don Wheeler, learning from W. Edwards Deming, and more. I hope you enjoy his reflections, our discussions about healthcare, and connections to my book Measures of Success (Skip undoubtedly has a book in him too). Check out the fantastic “Baptist Management System” channel on YouTube.

Streaming Player:

For a link to this episode, refer people to www.leanblog.org/320.

For earlier episodes of my podcast, visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS, through Android apps, or via Apple Podcasts.  You can also subscribe and listen via Stitcher.

Topics and notes for this episode:

• How did get introduced to Dr. Deming's work and philosophy?
  • 1992 – IE / quality engineering role, statistics
    • Was sent to Dr. Wheeler's workshop
    • Took me under his wing
    • Talked on a regular basis, going to Knoxville
    • Wheeler talked about Deming, Out of the Crisis
    • NBC program on Dr. Deming
• Statistical Process Control
  • How we should treat people
    • Deming and psychology, theory of knowledge
    • Deming's 14 points
  • Brian Joiner – Fourth Generation Management
  • Peter Scholtes
• Why do I believe in what I believe in?
  • Philosophical
  • Purpose, people, process
• Russell Ackoff – YouTube videos
  • Him and Deming talking
• Deming – theory of knowledge
• What's the current-day relevance of Deming?
• How do Deming and Wheeler connect to Lean?
  • Violate Lean thinking??
    • Batch teaching?
    • TELLING people to do kaizen?
    • Motivational Interviewing

Videos of Skip on Strategy Deployment:

Thanks for listening!

• About
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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. His latest book is Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. He also published 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.

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