Clean Hands; Clear Vision
Ready — Some leaders change the world with speeches. Others do it with soap and water. Ignaz Semmelweis was a 19th-century Hungarian physician who discovered a simple practice that saved lives: handwashing.
Set — Right ideas sometimes arrive before they’re accepted. At a time when science didn’t fully understand germs, Semmelweis noticed something no one else dared to see. Through patience and practice, he made a difference.
What can we learn from his approach? Here’s how Semmelweis made a difference:
He Noticed What Others Missed: While working in a Vienna hospital, Semmelweis saw that women giving birth in the doctor-run ward were dying at a much higher rate than those in the midwife-run ward. The difference? Doctors were coming straight from autopsies without washing their hands.
He Proposed a Simple Solution: Semmelweis introduced a basic hand washing protocol using chlorinated lime water. The results were dramatic. Death rates dropped from over 10% to less than 2%.
He Faced Fierce Resistance: Rather than embrace the data, his peers rejected the idea. His findings contradicted prevailing medical beliefs and offended the pride of physicians. Many thought it absurd that such a simple solution could be the answer.
He Paid the Price: Because he challenged the status quo, Semmelweis was pushed out of the medical community. He died before the germ theory of disease proved him right. His leadership cost him his career and his health.
He Was Vindicated by History: Today, Semmelweis is known as the savior of mothers. His once-radical insight is now basic medical hygiene.
Grow! —Great leaders spot patterns, stand firm in truth, and stay the course even when others scoff. Sometimes all it takes to save lives or shift culture is the courage to speak up.
Two Questions
What patterns do you observe that might make a big impact?
Do you retreat or press forward with conviction when facing resistance?