Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic reveals for the first time how this complex service organization fosters a culture that exceeds customer expectations and earns deep loyalty from both customers and employees. Service business authority Leonard Berry and Mayo Clinic marketing administrator Kent Seltman explain how the Clinic implements and maintains its strategy, adheres to its management system, executes its care model, and embraces new knowledge - invaluable lessons for managers and service providers of all industries.

Drs. Berry and Seltman had the rare opportunity to study Mayo Clinic's service culture and systems from the inside by conducting personal interviews with leaders, clinicians, staff, and patients, as well as observing hundreds of clinician-patient interactions. The result is a book about how the Clinic's business concept produces stellar clinical results, organizational efficiency, and interpersonal service.

By examining the operating principles that guide every management decision at this legendary healthcare institution, the authors

Demonstrate how a great service brand evolves from the core values that nourish and protect it
Extrapolate instructive business lessons that apply outside healthcare
Illustrate the benefits of pooling talent and encouraging teamwork
Relate historical events and perspectives to the present-day Mayo Clinic
Share inspiring stories from staff and patients

An innovative analysis of this exemplary institution, Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic presents a proven prescription for creating sustainable service excellence in any organization.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 9 reviews)

Management Lessons From Mayo Clinic

This is an excellent book for a Manager in any industry. It's a MUST READ for a Manager in Health Care!
September 16, 2008

smarter than the average bureaucrat

Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic is akin to Donald Trump giving tact lessons Bill Clinton and John Edwards giving Monogamy Lessons and Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney giving effective War strategy lessons. Mayo Clinic is the New York Yankees of Medicine. Like the Yankees of this decade and the Soviets of the 1980's, Mayo is its own 'Evil Empire' of the Healthcare business. Like the Soviets of the early 80's and the present day NY Yankees, Mayo's deep pockets and exorbitant spending make up for more than its share of Management mistakes. Its Assembly line heathcare model and constant harping about expenses hardly makes it a needs of the patient come first healthcare organization. Like so many other businesses including the 'evil' Insurance Companies, it is all about the bottom line at Mayo. Many former Physicians and staff have said so. When you have a management and decision making system that closely, if not identically, resembles Washington DC, you are if for trouble. Layer after layer of bureaucracy, committees, sub-committees, focus groups, polarizing board members, and the like are firmly embeded in the Mayo Culture. As Washington DC is broken, so is the Mayo Management and decision making model. I'm not saying you should not read this book, I think you should read it. If I am a young Program Director, Manager, Administrator, Nurse Manager, Supervisor, Department Head, etc. I would read this book and then immediately read 'Moneyball' by Michael Lewis, and Rule #1 Investing by Phil Towne. I would look at the Mayo way and do just the opposite whenever and wherever I could. Many if not all Healthcare Institutions can't compete with Mayo's deep pockets, so if you do business and run your ship like they do, you are doomed. There are inefficiencies in any market, you just have to work hard to find them and take advantage when you do. Look for ways that the conventional wisdom is wrong and do the opposite. The two books mentioned above will help you do this. Take a Paul Volcker approach to your healthcare management decisions. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Mayo Clinic has bad healthcare providers, bad technology, bad equipment, bad people, etc. I'm saying it is a bogged down, social engineering, bueracratic nightmare. Mayo better hope there is not a Billy Beane or Phil Towne of healthcare lurking on the horizon in another competing organization. If there is, they better adapt quickly or they will be in trouble, big trouble.

August 26, 2008

More from a customer expert

This book hardly needs my imprimatur, but I thought I would share my feelings about yet another customer experience book. Just when you thought there were more books on the topic than you could possibly explore, along comes one that I think is unique. Some may think this is just for health-care professionals, but I believe it includes powerful lessons that transcend the industry. The nicest aspects of this book are the stories about just what it takes to establish and maintain great service, even when you're one of the most respected 'brands' in the world. I used to live in Rochester, NY, and once made the dopey mistake of flying from O'Hare to Rochester, MN. I thought, 'Since I'm here, I might as well go to the Mayo Clinic, which I have always wanted to see.' This book makes that stupid airplane flight totally unnecessary. Anyone involved in dealing with the public should read this book. Maybe the lessons aren't totally fresh, but we need to be reminded of them constantly. Isn't that why we go to church on Sunday?
August 17, 2008

A must read for anyone in healthcare

An excellent book with practical principles that work and can be applied in any healthcare/service setting, large or small. I like to underline noteworthy thoughts as I read. My problem was that so much of the book was underlined when I finished. I then ordered 30 copies from Amazon to give to team members, plus have recommended this book to a number of others outside our health system.

August 05, 2008

A Blueprint for Creating an Excellent & Sustainable Service Organization

This book very beautifully and eloquently conveys the heart of service quality and excellence - building, nurturing, and protecting a strong services brand that revolves around the core humane values of integrity and customer respect. The hallmark of this book is the compilation of inspirational real life stories of staff and patients sharing their experiences of the successful customer-focused culture of Mayo Clinic. Moreover, the book very effectively sheds light on the importance of competing for talented employees and encouraging teamwork at all levels of the organization. Thus, it is a must-read book for the managers, administrators, and service providers across all industries.
July 24, 2008

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