All articles by Neil Goodwin
-
Blogs
Don't listen at your peril
The weekend’s media was full of the leadership lessons from last week’s parliamentary debate on Syria. Perhaps the biggest lesson is about listening.
-
Blogs
The new NHS CEO? Think about the challenges first
Let’s put the guessing of David Nicholson’s successor to one side and focus on the challenges facing the next NHS England chief executive
-
Blogs
More lessons from the banking sector
Once again we have another fascinating story about the near-collapse of a bank, with the lessons again providing sound leadership learning for NHS corporate bodies.
-
Blogs
What do NHS managers do?
An article on the BBC news site this weekend asked, “What does a pope do?” The same could apply to NHS managers, says Neil Goodwin.
-
Blogs
The perfect storm for NHS management?
Events are bringing about a perfect storm for confidence, trust and leadership
-
Blogs
More management, less leadership please
Not everyone can be a leader but many more can be managers and take greater control of organisational life around them.
-
Blogs
Nursing, society and older people
The argument about whether nursing should be a degree-based profession is merely a displacement activity. The real issue is about the link between nurse training and how society wants its older citizens to be cared for.
-
Blogs
Acquisitions are not just a business process
Acquisitions won’t work unless attention is paid to issues other than just the business process of one organisation acquiring another.
-
Blogs
Lessons to learn from Barclays
Bob Diamond appears to have seen nothing, heard nothing or known nothing. So said the Treasury Select Committee. But is it possible for chief executives to know everything that is going on in their organisation? Clearly not, but they do need to know what they should know.
-
Blogs
The introverted leader's time has come
Has the time at last arrived for the introverted leader in this brash, noisy and personality driven world? I think so. In these uncertain times we need leaders who can project calm reassurance rather than attempt to rouse us with fine oratory or hector us with their visions of what ...
-
Blogs
The Short-Termism of Acquisition
The acquisition of ‘challenged’ trusts will offer a quick managerial fix but it won’t necessarily create strategically sustainable services and the operational problems that precipitated acquisition in the first place may well reoccur.
-
Blogs
The dilemma of appointing senior managers
Sir David Nicholson’s admission to the Mid Staffordshire Inquiry that in retrospect the previous chief executive was the wrong appointment highlights a common dilemma when appointing people at this level.
-
Blogs
The challenge of acquisition
Acquisition is one of the most challenging games currently at play in the NHS. Although there are a few applicable lessons from the private sector, public services demand a more considered approach. Understanding exactly why one organisation is interested in wanting to take over another is a good starting point.
-
Blogs
The lost opportunity to review management
While the listening panel goes about its business and Number 10 takes a closer interest in the NHS, a golden opportunity to realign NHS management has been missed. Wouldn’t it be good if management requirements anticipated the future rather than reacted to the present?
-
Blogs
Defining university hospital status
In a previous post I talked about the need for the district general hospital to reinvent itself. And the same is true of the university hospital. Although the real prize is for ‘university’ status it should only be granted for FTs linked to biomedical research-based institutions.
-
Blogs
Yet another opportunity to reinvent the acute hospital
In the new world an old challenge will quickly emerge driven by implementation of the reforms. Is it time for the acute hospital to be reinvented? The answer is an unequivocal yes.
-
Blogs
Reforms offer best chance to change managerial culture
The Coalition's proposed reforms offer the best opportunity to change the managerial culture of the NHS but more so for providers than commissioners. Strengthening local leadership will always be limited because of the strong history of hierarchical management overlaid by political control.
-
Blogs
Leadership needs to be more local than national
The reputation of top leaders is not achieved by delivering national bottom-line outcomes. What does differentiate one top leader from another is the ability to deliver local change, innovation and transformation seen as important to local people.