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Chapter 10
Professor Martin Elliott
In September 2015, Matthew Syed wrote a book which is a must-read called ‘Black Box Thinking: The Surprising Truth About Success’.
The premise of the book is how incremental change can produce greater success. In the book, Matthew describes the different mind-set towards learning within the aviation industry and the healthcare industry.
The aviation industry once was very dangerous, with many flights ending in disaster. However, through learning and the extreme focus on safety, flying is now the safest form of travel. Conversely, the health care industry remains the third biggest killer in the western world: preventable medical mistakes.
In March 2016, Mathew sent me an email introducing me to a doctor who revolutionised healthcare, his story is truly remarkable and to this day I still feel inspired by being in the presence of Professor Martin Elliott.
By Harvey Thorneycroft
Chapter 10: Professor Martin Elliott
Keeping with the theme of healthcare and humility, I want to mention another “Brilliant Mind” who was introduced to me by Matthew Syed on 11th March 2016.
Matthew sent me a short email which read, “Harvey – just wanted to introduce you to Martin Elliott. Brilliant doctor, who has revolutionised healthcare, and inspirational speaker. Might be worth meeting up. His messages are very applicable to business.”
In September 2015, Matthew wrote a book which is a must-read called ‘Black Box Thinking: The Surprising Truth About Success’. The premise of the book is how incremental change can produce greater success. In the book, Matthew describes the different mind-set towards learning within the aviation industry and the healthcare industry. The aviation industry once was very dangerous, with many flights ending in disaster. However, through learning and the extreme focus on safety, flying is now the safest form of travel. Conversely, the health care industry remains the third biggest killer in the western world: preventable medical mistakes. Matthew argues that the difference is primarily driven by attitude. In his book, he refers to feedback mechanisms that exist in aviation and ensure that mistakes will be reported whereas if someone makes a mistake in healthcare, it is largely not addressed. I am doing the book a huge disservice, but this is my summary.
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