The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

You might think from the title that this book can't be too interesting. But you'd be wrong. Writer/surgeon Atul Gawande makes a case for the importance and usefulness of checklists and includes all kinds of fascinating examples. Foremost among them are surgical examples but he also gets into the business of building skyscrapers, flying passenger jets, and managing financial funds. Checklists quite literally save lives. I would hope that if I ever need surgery that I end up in a hospital that uses checklists. The book is under 200 pages, so it's a fast read too. And compelling. Remember that emergency landing in the Hudson Bay by Captain Sullenberger? He and his crew used checklists. (Previously I've read Dr. Gawande's book, Complications, and I'd eagerly recommend it for anyone interested in an eye-popping foray into surgery.)

Simple, inexpensive, reliable tool that can eliminate a huge percentage of your problems. Sounds like good ROI. Why, then, is it so hard to get people to adopt checklists? Gawande has some ideas, but more importantly he offers proof upon proof – in his gentle, convincing style – of just how well checklists can work in real-world situations. This is important stuff.

Interesting to think that making lists and checking them twice is largely a feminine pursuit, Santa Claus aside. Some wonderful insight, and ideas, for people in all sorts of businesses looking to streamline processes, heighten employee awareness and attention to detail, and cut down on unforgivable errors.