Help us Wield the Scalpel . . . .

Many times, through the years, I have worked with healthcare organizations who struggle to think about the degree to which they want to innovate in their designs, versus the risk inherent in that innovation.

Often, these healthcare folks would say something to the effect that they wanted to be on the "leading edge" but not the "bleeding edge." By that, they mostly meant that they did not want to be the first organization to implement something, especially at scale. They were willing to do something that was new, but they were not willing to be the first.

There is a high value to being on the leading edge, thus defined. I remember an interesting video describing the value of being the "first follower." The job of the first follower is to show that an innovation does indeed have value, and to build momentum towards broader adoption. First Followers - those on the leading edge - help to scale needed changes.

But that was never where I wanted to live. Being a first follower is certainly a safer path, and certainly accelerates change. But, somebody has to create the change in the first place.

So, I have always tried to be, not the leading edge, and not even the bleeding edge. I have always wanted to be the scalpel; the catalyst; the agent that creates the first change in the first place.

I was talking the other day to a person with whom we are planning some additional research into healthcare ventilation. He was asking me why Mazzetti would put in the time and effort to do this research. And I told him that it was because (a) we are a Benefit Corporation, aiming at something more than just making a profit, and (b) we are trying to be something more than just another engineering company, we are trying to be an engineering company that helps our clients to anticipate the future, and to be ahead of the curve.

It is one reason I created the Sextant Foundation, with its dual role to both help in places with no resources, and to try to use learnings from those experiences to improve buildings and healthcare in other places.

We are currently working to provide additional much needed research into healthcare ventilation systems. Sextant will fund this, to the degree that it can (Sextant has $0 in overhead costs, so every dollar goes to direct research or benefit). Help us if you can.

Thanks to everyone on the leading edge; thanks to everyone on the bleeding edge; and thanks to all who want to join in wielding the scalpel.