Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and Leadership

Former CEO Paul O’Neill on Safety for Workers and Patients, Lessons from Alcoa and Beyond*


Listen Later

U.S. Treasury Secretary from 2000 to 2001 and former CEO of Alcoa.

Show Notes: https://www.leanblog.org/124

Remastered June 2021

I have a very special guest for Podcast #124 –  he is Paul O'Neill, the U.S. Treasury Secretary from 2001 to 2002 and former CEO of Alcoa.

2020 Update: Read my reflections on Mr. O'Neill's passing

Mr. O'Neill shares his thoughts on patient safety and healthcare, including his time spent as the Chair of the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative and his work with Dr. Richard Shannon in dramatically reducing hospital-acquired infections to near their “theoretical limit” of zero. Dr. Shannon will be a podcast guest next month. Mr. O'Neill talks about the leadership required to have such an impact on safety and quality, drawing on lessons from his years as Alcoa's CEO.

This podcast was produced in conjunction with the Healthcare Value Network as a continuation of their previous podcast series.

For a link to this episode, refer people to  www.leanblog.org/124. Scroll down for quotes in readable form.

Quotes and Excerpts:

In summary, O'Neill talks about:

  • Leadership mindsets required for dramatic workplace safety and patient safety improvement, including a near 100% reduction in hospital-acquired infections at Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital
  • Why the United States has accomplished “practically nothing” nationally since the famed 1999 Institute of Medicine report “To Err Is Human”
  • Why society's most lacking skill is “leadership”
  • Alternative ways of compensating patients who are harmed by the healthcare system while ensuring real improvements are made by learning from each problem
  • Why Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) needs to shift his focus from “financial engineering” to visiting ThedaCare to learn about “the real way” we should improve health care.
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and LeadershipBy Mark Graban

    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6

    4.6

    46 ratings


    More shows like Lean Blog Interviews - Healthcare, Manufacturing, Business, and Leadership

    View all
    HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

    HBR IdeaCast

    1,862 Listeners

    The Look & Sound of Leadership by Essential Communications - Tom Henschel

    The Look & Sound of Leadership

    1,167 Listeners

    Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast by Andy Stanley

    Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast

    2,262 Listeners

    Coaching for Leaders by Dave Stachowiak

    Coaching for Leaders

    1,462 Listeners

    Rich Dad Radio Show: In-Your-Face Advice on Investing, Personal Finance, & Starting a Business by The Rich Dad Media Network

    Rich Dad Radio Show: In-Your-Face Advice on Investing, Personal Finance, & Starting a Business

    3,863 Listeners

    Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership by Ron Pereira: Lean Thinker & Co-Founder of Gemba Academy

    Gemba Academy Podcast: Lean Six Sigma | Toyota Kata | Productivity | Leadership

    198 Listeners

    Lean Blog Audio by Mark Graban

    Lean Blog Audio

    15 Listeners

    KaiNexus: Continuous Improvement, Leadership, and More by KaiNexus

    KaiNexus: Continuous Improvement, Leadership, and More

    28 Listeners

    Jocko Podcast by Jocko DEFCOR Network

    Jocko Podcast

    30,710 Listeners

    WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's Podcast by Lean Enterprise Institute

    WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute's Podcast

    20 Listeners

    Maxwell Leadership Podcast by John Maxwell

    Maxwell Leadership Podcast

    2,445 Listeners

    Lean Coffee Talk (formerly known as Lean Whiskey) by Mark Graban & Jamie Flinchbaugh

    Lean Coffee Talk (formerly known as Lean Whiskey)

    10 Listeners

    The Lean Solutions Podcast by Patrick Adams

    The Lean Solutions Podcast

    19 Listeners

    My Favorite Mistake: Business Lessons from Failures and Success by Mark Graban

    My Favorite Mistake: Business Lessons from Failures and Success

    38 Listeners

    Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

    Huberman Lab

    28,547 Listeners

    Lean 911 by Mark DeLuzio

    Lean 911

    14 Listeners

    HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

    HBR On Leadership

    161 Listeners

    Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time! by Lean Made Simple

    Lean Made Simple: Transform Your Business & Life One Step At A Time!

    21 Listeners

    Chain of Learning: Empowering Continuous Improvement and Lean Change Leaders by Katie Anderson

    Chain of Learning: Empowering Continuous Improvement and Lean Change Leaders

    26 Listeners