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Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference

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Learn from one of the best in Quint Studer.

He ain't your ordinary hospital consultant. In fact, he probably wouldn't call himself a consultant at all; he's a "Fire Starter" and a "Coach." From a high school GPA of 1.3 to Special Ed teacher to hospital President to Founder of the Studer Group, this man has a genuine passion to make a difference in healthcare and on society. In his first COO role at Holy Cross Hospital, he took his hospital's patient sat scores from 5% to 94% in one year. At his first Administrator position in Baptist Hospital, he decreased employee turnover from 30% to 12% and also founded the Baptist Leadership Institute. It's hard to argue with results like that, and Quint tells us exactly how to do it in our hospitals.

In my view, this book is well-balanced between motivation and practical to-do's. In fact, I think the magic of this book is how well Quint covers both issues: the heart (the emotions/psychology, human nature) and the mind (hard-nosed focus on hard-core results). I think most hospital leaders could pick up this book and actually put some or all of the principles into practice, even in difficult working environments. And that is exactly Quint's intent.

Quint has an amazing way of always connecting, always reducing the complexity and showing the way to simplicity in the pursuit of excellence.
His advice and coaching tips are real-world and real-time and shouldn't be thought of as exclusive to healthcare. It would be difficult to make it to the end without identifying one or two leadership-enhancing behaviors....ready to be put to use tomorrow.
Having attended his speaking engagements, I can share that "Hardwiring Excellence" is like an extended conversation with Quint.

Quint Studer has been making a difference in healthcare for years. His nine principles have been proven successful many times over in organizations large and small throughout the nation. Hardwiring Excellence is a primer of how the nine principles can help an organization achieve excellence. It is a step by step guide that provides an entertaining combination of wonderful stories and practical information that works. You will read and re-read this book many times over, and it will take you on a journey to achieve excellence that you never thought possible.

You simply must read this book. This clearly demonstrates how to take complex situations and make them easy to understand by connecting to purpose, worthwhile work and making a difference. I now remember why I got into healthcare in the FIRST place. I am a better leader because of these Principles.

I have been a Lean Production Systems Practitioner for over twenty years and have had the privilege of learning from some of the original teachers of Lean in the United States. I have been influenced by Deming, Juran, Goldratt, Peters, Covey, Kotter, Drucker, Greenleaf, Senge and many other authors on leadership and management of change and continuous improvement and organizational learning. I first read Quint Studer's book as I began a project to implement lean systems in several hospitals. "Hardwiring Excellence" will always rank as one of my favorite books on leadership. I especially enjoyed Studer's personal story and recognition of himself as "the problem" and his transformation as an effective leader and organizational catalyst.

This is one of the best "how to" books on management I have read in years. It captures the culture of hospitals (and health care facilities in general) very accurately and the realism lends credibility to the book. He gives authentic scenarios and tells how he and his managers dealt with them. Also, he is realistic in that he includes some tough remedies such as helping someone find opportunities outside the organization when she absolutely poisoned her departmental relationships and refused to change. If you are wanting to change the culture in your organization this book will certainly help you and give you a different perspective. And, although it will be most helpful to health care managers, it will also be applicable to managers in any setting that want to change their culture and become a better, more productive, and more satisfying place to work.

Putting the prescriptive elements of this book into practice will create results for any organization. This book not only tells you why but tells you how.

While I expected a typical business consultant's latest spin on well worn tactics and concepts, I found myself being moved to tears by Quint Studer's anecdote's chronicalling his journey in healthcare management.

Many of the ideas are specific developments of common sense or well known management techniques, but when woven together seem to form a solid and refreshing basis for building or rebuilding an organization.

I come away from the book moved and inspired!

Well done Mr. Studer!

Was recently able to go to a Studor group seminar. Am thoroughly enjoying the book. Very easy to read.

Quint Studer shares his story of first paving the same cow path of management misfortunes, then paving a path of his own to purpose, worthwhile work, and making a difference. And, he and his organization walk the talk...having just won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award last year. An amazing achievement in an industry entrenched in us vs them thinking. Learn to be a fire starter using Quint's straightforward, repeatable, high-impact activities. The kind of change his methods produce in hospitals can be applied to any business or non-profit.