August 2013

Decide By Leonard Zwelling             Leaders lead. Faced with a series of possible choices, often difficult, nuanced, and uncertain in predictable outcome, a leader must decide on a course of action. Even doing nothing is a choice.             For many months, the Assad government in Syria has been engaged in a civil war with rebels […]

Why the Faculty Can’t Win By Leonard Zwelling             I have had many conversations with faculty members over the past two years concerning their feelings of helplessness in the face of poor strategic decisions by MD Anderson’s leadership. I have also had some conversations, albeit far fewer, with the leadership team members. It is striking

“Follow the Money” By Leonard Zwelling             As far as anyone knows, Deep Throat (aka W. Mark Felt) never said this. Hal Holbrook did in the film “All the President’s Men” playing Felt, the informer from inside the FBI on whom Woodward and Bernstein counted to assist them in unwinding the Watergate mystery. When Holbrook

South Campus Elysium By Leonard Zwelling             Great art needs no explanation. It has a universality about it. Hamlet can be appreciated on many levels by many different kinds of people. The same is true for Van Gogh, Calder, and Wyeth. It’s also true in film. Cinema takes you places you have never been so

The Financials of July 2013 By Leonard Zwelling             Dwain Morris just released the Enterprise Financial Report for last month and it is quite interesting. Isn’t it always?             The deficit in gross patient revenue says to me that the total activity in the patient care arena was less than was anticipated.             That net

A-Ron By Leonard Zwelling             By the time you read this, Alex Rodriguez’s career as a New York Yankee will functionally be over. He may play through his appeal, but the New York media have him gone and he is. Why?             First, if he used banned substances to enhance his performance, as he has

A Correct Remedial Decision Starts With Identifying the Problem  By Leonard Zwelling             Some of you may remember my describing the meeting in Dr. DePinho’s office after the Cancer Letter published the data from the faculty morale survey. The survey was the work of the Faculty Senate. The Cancer Letter had obtained the actual slides

http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Zwelling-U-S-should-set-priorities-on-spending-4729754.php

I decided this could not wait. I usually delay posting until the last post has 200 pageviews. I am making an exception with this one given the timely nature of today’s presentation and my great disappointment in its substance.  LZ DoCM Grand Rounds, August 13: Science as Show Biz By Leonard Zwelling                        

A Kind Punch in the Nose By Leonard Zwelling             It’s not graduation season any longer. Nonetheless, on July 31 the NY Times published a commencement speech by author George Saunders given at Syracuse University last spring. Here’s the link: http://6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/george-saunderss-advice-to-graduates/?_r=0             It is worth reading for the advice in it is rather eternal and