High Reliability Organizations

Once again I had the privilege to work with a large hospital system, to create an illustration highlighting the organization's commitment to safety. The high degree of cooperation and collaboration that went into making this drawing was unbelievable, this is only a small detail of the much larger illustration.  Every function was consulted and we worked together to showcase the mission driven, generative culture of the hospital in action.

Working with this team was like getting a backstage pass to a kick@$$ rock concert!  I’m definitely dating myself, but a long time ago I got to watch the Eurythmics from the wings!  Oh Annie Lennox, be still my beating heart!  Don’t get me wrong, rock concerts or any kind of art/music performance is life affirming and vital to society, but hospitals are the places where lives are actually saved.

Just like all great bands that practice, practice, practice, this team went through multiple iterations to get the drawing right.  It’s high reliability organizations like this one that exemplify the generative culture that Dr. Ron Westrum writes about in one of his foundational articles on The Typology of Organisational Cultures.  My team has been working with Ron…..so stay tuned!  More to come on Generative Cultures!