I am spending most of today on airplanes, flying from San Francisco toCharlotte, North Carolina, where I will be working with Carolinas Healthcare System in our project to help them with an Enterprise Energy Strategy.
One of the rewards for sitting all day in airports and airplanes is the opportunity to read news publications. In the last three hours, I have read the San Francisco Chronicle Sunday edition, the Wall Street Journal weekend edition, the New York Times Sunday edition, the USA Today weekend edition, and the Financial Times weekend edition.
As time is more often than not the rare commodity, I thought others might appreciate the “highlights” I could gather in my readings. (And, yes, I would appreciate the reciprocation as time may allow for you.)
Here’s, more or less, my “Top 10″ list of insights…
1. New York Times, “Your Smartphone Will See You Now”
It is no great mystery that connected wearable devices have the potential to make great changes in the way healthcare is demanded and received. Interesting Examples include the ability to access cost information for medical procedures, one of the most important of issues for the future of healthcare. A large number of diagnostic devices are on their way, which will allow consumers to perform many tests at home, without going to a doctor’s office. This would also eliminate a lot of laboratory facilities. And, the sensors are rapidly improving, including their ability to access advanced analytics. Hospitals of the future are likely to be room-less data surveillance centers for remote patient monitoring (exceptions being ICUs, ORs and ERs. The article goes on to examine other devices and trends – well worth reading for those of us who are trying to discern the future of the healthcare facility.
2. New York Times, “The Real Kings of Chess Aren’t Human”
The implications of rapidly improving computing power are wide and profound. Our co-winner in the Kaiser Small Hospital Big Ideas Competition is a venture-capital supported company that is basically automating the planning, design, and construction process. They have not done it yet, but they are clearly pointing the way to what I think is an inevitable future.
3. Wall Street Journal, “Why Fashion Insiders Are Buzzing About Pantagonia?”
This article says that old-fashioned fleeces are a new cult obsession for “fashion insiders.” Wow. Well, for several years, my wife has been bugging me because I won’t throw away my old fleece. Little did she know I was a fashion insider!
4. Economist, “Green Tape”
“An increase in stringency of environmental policies does not harm productivity growth.” Wow.
5. Parade, “The #1 Health Booster in 2015”
What is it? Mindfulness. This year Mazzetti is investing in providing a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program for our people. This program is being offered by UCSDÂ Medical Center. I am excited to bring this to my colleagues.
6. Wall Street Journal, “Speaking While Female”
When a woman speaks in a professional setting, she walks a tightrope. Either she’s barely heard or she’s judged as “too aggressive”. Mazzetti is working to become the most woman-friendly engineering company in the country. We recently instituted a no-interruptions policy for anyone, male or female, one of the ideas promoted in the article. Reading this, I will re-dedicate myself to this idea.
7. New York Times, “Marla Malcom Beck’s Three Keys to Hiring: Skill, Will and Fit”
The three keys to hiring are skill, will and fit. Can the person do the job? Is the person hungry enough to do the work? Will the person be a fit in the culture? And, “The best advice I heard when I was in college was–Be an expert at something.” This is something I preach all the time to my younger colleagues, and I believe it profoundly.
8. Business Week, “How Optimism Strengthens Economies”
Research finds that optimistic people work harder, et paid more, get elected to office more often, and win at sports more regularly. . . . Chief Executive Officers who were confident enough in their own company’s stock that they retained options after they could exercise them, further increased their stake in their company’s success. Such CEOs invested more in innovation and research and development. Their companies not only won more patents but also had more widely cited ones. This reminds me of the idea of Appreciative Inquiry – stay tuned for a post another time.
9. Wall Street Journal, “When the CEO is a Big Investor, Should You Buy Too?”
Well, if I could buy more shares of Mazzetti, I would!
10. [Insert your insights from the publications you’ve been frequenting.]
Is this list of highlights something you find useful?
What publications do you gravitate to read, time-permitting?
Have a great week, everyone!
Walt
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