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Gary Hamel Deconstructs Apple

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, author and strategist Gary Hamel deconstructs the mythology of Apple and Steve Jobs.  Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.  Time and again, observers of Apple's success sum it up in two words: "ecosystem" and "values."

Hamel askes his reader to compare Apple's values (left column) with those in a typical organization, maybe their own (right column.)

Be passionate....Be rational.
Lead, don’t follow....Be cautious.
Aim to surprise....Aim to satisfy.
Be unreasonable....Be practical.
Innovate incessantly....Innovate here and there.
Sweat the details.....Get it mostly right.
Think like an engineer, feel like an artist...Think like an engineer, feel like an accountant.

Does health care reward passion, innovation, artistry? 

How many health care organizations can say they're in the left column?  How would one recognize that organization?  What would working there feel like?  Would their customers notice or care?

In a recent editorial, a prominent trade publication opined that the LAST thing health care needs is more innovation, calling instead for a renewed focus on operational wizardry and rational, incremental improvement.  The real failure in such thinking, as Apple proves, is believing that it's an either/or proposition.

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