The following is an edited and annotated excerpt from my Shingo Award-winning book Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Engagement. To me, “mistakes” and “errors” are synonyms, so a discussion of “mistake-proofing” is the same as “error-proofing.” A Serious Problem With Large, Unknowable Numbers It is hard to… Read More "Preventing Mistakes in Healthcare – An Excerpt from ‘Lean Hospitals’"
This blog is a collection of stories, quotes, articles, and more about mistakes. Some of it is “director’s cut” material that didn’t make it into my book The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation. I also blog regularly at LeanBlog.org.
A Botched Overtime Coin Toss 25 Years Ago; At Least It Led to Rule Changes
I remember watching this game live on TV, and I can’t believe this mistake happened 25 years ago now! From The Athletic: The Lions, the Steelers and a crazy, botched Thanksgiving coin flip 25 years ago You can watch video of it on the NFL’s YouTube channel. At the start… Read More "A Botched Overtime Coin Toss 25 Years Ago; At Least It Led to Rule Changes"
Happy Accident: “Inverted Jenny” Mistake Stamp Sells for $2 Million
Recently, a fascinating piece of news caught my attention on NPR: the sale of the “Inverted Jenny” stamp for a staggering $2 million. This story isn’t just a quirky anecdote about a philatelic error; it’s a profound illustration of how mistakes can transform into unexpected value, a theme central to… Read More "Happy Accident: “Inverted Jenny” Mistake Stamp Sells for $2 Million"
Embracing the Experimentalist Mindset: Lessons from Wisconsin Volleyball’s Success
This article caught my eye the other day: ‘We’re scientists right now’: Wisconsin volleyball’s unconventional path to success I love this mindset from Wisconsin volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield: “Wisconsin’s coach sees things eclectically. He doesn’t believe there’s a limit to discoverable answers in the game. Think like a scientist, Sheffield tells… Read More "Embracing the Experimentalist Mindset: Lessons from Wisconsin Volleyball’s Success"
Improving Quality and Safety by Learning from Failures: A Strategic Approach in Business
The idea of improving quality and safety by learning from failures is becoming increasingly significant in business and organizational management. Mark Graban’s book, The Mistakes That Make Us: Cultivating a Culture of Learning and Innovation, offers deep insights into how this concept can be effectively implemented to achieve operational excellence.… Read More "Improving Quality and Safety by Learning from Failures: A Strategic Approach in Business"
When Mistakes Lead to Triumphs in Football (Brock Purdy or Peyton Manning); Also in Business or Life
In the dynamic world of sports, just as in business and life, mistakes are often viewed with a sense of dread – tens of thousands (or millions) of people might be watching. However, there are instances where a seemingly poor decision or a blatant error can surprisingly turn into a… Read More "When Mistakes Lead to Triumphs in Football (Brock Purdy or Peyton Manning); Also in Business or Life"