Lean Enterprise Institute Logo
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Cart (0)
  • Account
  • Search
Lean Enterprise Institute Logo
  • Explore Lean
        • What is Lean?
        • The Lean Transformation Framework
        • A Brief History of Lean
        • Lexicon Terms
        • Topics to explore
          • Operations
          • Lean Product & Process Development
          • Administration & Support
          • Problem-Solving
          • Coaching
          • Executive Leadership
          • Line Management
  • The Lean Post
        • Subscribe to see exclusive content
          • Subscribe
        • Featured posts
          One COO’s View on Learning, Leading, and Teaching

          Transforming Your Organization with Lean Thinking and...

          Edgar Schein and John Shook at the Stanford Lean Healthcare Academic Conference.

          In Honor of Dr. Edgar Schein: A...

          • See all Posts
  • Events & Training
        • Custom Coaching and Learning Experiences
        • Co-Learning Partnerships
        • Forms and Templates
        • Featured learning
          • Lean Summit 2023

            March 08, 2023 | Optional Pre-Summit Workshops March 6-7
            Tucson, Arizona

          • Key Concepts of Lean Management Remotely 

            March 13, 2023 | Online Live Course

          • Building a Lean Operating and Management System 

            March 21, 2023 | Boston, MA

          • Improvement Kata/Coaching Kata Remotely

            April 10, 2023 | Online Live Course

          • See all Events
  • Store
        • Shopping Cart
        • Featured books
          Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process

          Managing to Learn: Using the A3 management process

          Learning to See

          Learning to See

          • See all Books
  • About Us
        • Our people
          • Senior Advisors and Staff
          • Faculty
          • Board of Directors
        • Contact Us
        • Lean Global Network
        • Press Releases
        • In the News
        • Careers
        • About us

The Lean Post / Articles / One COO’s View on Learning, Leading, and Teaching

One COO’s View on Learning, Leading, and Teaching

Coaching

One COO’s View on Learning, Leading, and Teaching

By Dominic Paccapaniccia

December 4, 2014

Dominic Paccapaniccia, COO of a regional healthcare center, reflects on why he and his organization chose to begin using a lean management system and shares what it's required of him as a leader and learner.

FacebookTweetLinkedInEmailPrintComment

I’ve worked as Chief Operating Officer at Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) for 9 years and at the organization for 23. Since summer 2013, we’ve taken a traditional approach to lean transformation. We started by having our leadership learn and begin to use a new leadership and management system.

I had the opportunity to be a key instigator of the senior team starting with daily huddles, one-on-one problem solving, and visualizing results via a balanced scoreboard – then checking those results in weekly and monthly meetings. I’ve led direct reports through this process, and I coach others to lead the same processes with their frontline team members.

When I was first presented with the idea of a lean management system, I jumped into the deep end of the pool because it just made sense. We needed to change the way we led, managed, and interacted with each other, especially with regard to solving problems. But it’s been a challenge leading through this new system because it means learning, leading, and teaching… in short cycles, every day. Most leaders teach from their core training and competency and lead in their area of core competency. For example, a PhD in chemistry can teach chemistry, a manufacturing engineer can teach engineering. But this approach is different. I’m a seasoned COO, but now I’m learning a totally different style of leadership while I’m using it. It’s new to our organization and to me. Leading by learning (and focusing on helping others learn) is humbling, and this is a good thing.

A bit of background. Like many other organizations, for years we were successful at IRMC. But healthcare is changing so rapidly it’s more difficult to be successful now. Leading and managing the same way we always have would be easy; habit is easier than learning and leading a new way. But as leaders, we have a choice: Do we continue with the way we’ve always done things, or do we try a totally different approach? Why continue to use traditional approaches to managing people and work that we learned, say, 30 years ago? What do we have from 30 years ago that works in a completely different world and environment? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result – we know this is the definition of insanity!

But back to IRMC. When we first started building our lean management system, I didn’t immediately understand all of its components, but I could see its value. This was the first viable alternative I’d seen to just doing more and more, faster and faster. A lean approach to management focuses on teamwork; regular checks (Plan, Do, Check, Act cycles); and problem solving at multiple levels using root cause analysis. It’s not about firefighting or crisis management. Now when I’m engaged in problem solving, I’m more inclined to gather my team to produce a process map, focusing on process rather than faulting people. And I focus on coaching. I was recently invited to attend a department’s “top monthly problem” meeting, the team leader’s first for her area. Since I’ve participated in the senior team’s monthly meeting, and I lead similar meetings with my operational direct reports, I was able to coach, help, and lead this first meeting with her. 

What’s next? We’re still changing our framework for how our leaders interact with each other and with staff. I can see that this leadership system is a path through the storm, a multi-year storm that’s ahead of us. Our approach to deploying this new management system has not only showed me and our senior team’s commitment to process, it’s reinforced my knowledge base. I know more now about the real challenges our staff face… exponentially more. And my approach to leadership now is about personal responsibility – each and every employee, each and every patient/customer encounter, each and every day. I used to be goal and results guy… That approach works early on when there is low hanging fruit, but it has limitations. To consistently improve and achieve results, something I’m ultimately responsible for, I need to deeply understand our organizational plans and processes and be actively involved in engaging staff. Am I an expert in all of the lean principles and tools? No. Am I learning? Yes, and it’s making a difference.

In terms of strategy, our board, senior team, middle management, and staff focus on alignment. Together, we identify problems and goals and check and adjust as we continuously seek to solve problems and achieve new goals. One thing I’ve noticed is that this lean management system works regardless of personality or leadership/management style… In fact, it enables all of us to transform our leadership styles and get on the same page. As a result, our strategy deployment process is becoming more and more robust. It’s allowed us to go beyond superficial visions and get to achieving real goals together.

What started as an intuitive decision to try out a lean management system has evolved now into an intelligent choice. And it’s one I trust will take us through the white waters ahead. As a leader, I will continue to learn, lead, and teach. And I will strive to help my team members do the same.

FacebookTweetLinkedInEmailPrintComment

Written by:

Dominic Paccapaniccia

About Dominic Paccapaniccia

Dominic Paccapaniccia is Chief Operating Officer at Indiana Regional Medical Center in Indiana, Pennsylvania. He provides leadership to the following services: Cardiac Cath & Digital Angiography Lab, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Cardiology, Central Processing, Diagnostic Imaging, EMS Training, Engineering & Maintenance, Environmental Services, Courier & Shuttle, Human Resources, Indiana Hospital Physician Services (MSO and Hospital Owned Physician Practices), Information Services, Laboratory, Laundry, Materials Management, Neurology, Nuclear Medicine, Nursing, Organizational Development, Outpatient Lab & Diagnostic Centers, Print Shop, Respiratory Care, Safety and Security, Sleep Disorder Center and Surgical Services.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

jpw fund for the numbers

Coaching

Assessing a New Way to Develop More Lean Thinkers

Article by Patricia Panchak

a group of people holding large puzzle pieces

Coaching

How to Get the Most from Your A3 Thinking and Practice

Article by Lean Leaper

Students Take the Lead in JPW Fund Internship

Coaching

Students Take the Lead in JPW Fund Internship

Article by Patricia Panchak

Related books

The Gold Mine (Audio CD)

The Gold Mine (Audio CD)

by Freddy Ballé and Michael Ballé

graphical user interface

Four Types of Problems / Managing to Learn Set

by John Shook and Art Smalley

Related events

April 10, 2023 | Online Live Course

Improvement Kata/Coaching Kata Remotely

Learn more

April 17, 2023 | Online Live Course

Developing Structured Problem-Solving and Leadership Skills using A3 Thinking: Managing to Learn Remotely

Learn more

Explore topics

Coaching graphic icon Coaching
Line Management graphic icon Line Management
Problem Solving graphic icon Problem Solving

Subscribe to get the very best of lean thinking delivered right to your inbox

Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

©Copyright 2000-2023 Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lean Enterprise Institute, the leaper image, and stick figure are registered trademarks of Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Learn More. ACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!