Presentation at the Cancer Center

It was the day that I was due to give a presentation at the King Hussein Cancer Center. A few days before, I was worried that the presentation would be cancelled because of snow, but then it seemed OK, since the snow had mostly melted by the time the day came.

Resilient snow

Little did I know that there was still a lot of snow by the Cancer Center, and I arrived to find that the was quite a lot of snow still there. It was a bit slippy and slidy in our rear-wheel drive minibus, so I parked at the first space I saw and walked the rest of the way, trying not to get splashed by dirty slushy snow with my suit on as cars drove by.

5 minutes to set up

I arrived with half an hour to spare, and went to the room of the director of training. We chatted for a few minutes, and then went to the seminar room to set up. I thought I would have plenty of time to set up my presentation, but another seminar was going on, right up until I was due to speak. In the end I was transferring the presentation and clipping on my mic, just as everyone was coming in to see my presentation.

Speaking to 60 managers

I was expecting the CEO and 50 middle managers to come, but in the end it seemed like at least 60 or 70. My presentation was about 'Lean thinking in healthcare' using the same ideas and methods developed by Toyota, in order to reduce waste and increase value and quality.

Lack of response

My presentation went well, although there was very little response to the questions I asked to try and be a bit interactive. Jordanians tend to stand at the podium and lecture, and people are not used to getting involved in a seminar. When I asked them about their Key Performance Indicators (KPI's), there was silence, until the CEO nudged someone with his elbow, who then piped up with a couple of KPI's which they use. All attendees were given a feedback form to fill in about my seminar at the end, and I was taken to the canteen for lunch.

Lunch in the VIP zone

Whilst everyone else in the hospital ate the self-service canteen lunch, I was taken behind the barriers to the VIP zone, where I sat with a couple of the top managers and we were served a nice 3-course lunch.

Awaiting feedback

I am still waiting for feedback and a decision on whether or not they want the 'Lean thinking' programme. In the meantime, they have asked me to submit proposals for courses on 8 different topics, which is a good sign.

Jordan Snow Photos