The Ferrari Effect: Why Fresh Eyes Save Lives (and Projects)
Nov 24, 2025In the 90s, a children’s hospital had a devastating problem.
The cardiac surgeries were successful. The ICU care was world-class. But in the handover between the two... children were dying.
Ten years of internal initiatives changed nothing. More oversight. More training. More process. All the smart people, all the expertise—no breakthrough.
Then one afternoon, two surgeons were in the lounge watching a Formula 1 race.
They saw the pit crew. That silent, synchronised choreography. Seconds of precision. No shouting. No confusion. Just clarity, sequence and trust.
And one surgeon asked the question nobody expected:
“What if a pit crew watched our handover?”
Inside the hospital, people hated the idea. “They’re mechanics.” “They won’t understand.” “It’s too complex to explain.”
But after a decade of no progress, they tried it.
Ferrari’s pit crew observed the transition once... and immediately saw what the internal experts couldn’t:
No choreography. No single point of leadership. People crossing each other. People duplicating work. People shouting across the room. A brilliant team operating in a chaotic system.
Their recommendations were simple: Clear roles. Clear sequence. Clear cues. One leader. Zero ambiguity.
The result?
Errors dropped by 66%. Children’s lives were saved. And their method is now used across children’s hospitals worldwide.
I’m not going to explain what this means for organisations. I don’t need to.
Because the truth is obvious:
Sometimes the people closest to the work are the last to see the pattern. Not because they’re not smart, but because they’re inside it.
The very emotional and cognitive closeness required to perform complex work creates blind spots to systemic chaos.
And sometimes all it takes is someone from the outside—unburdened by history, politics, or routine—to watch you for five minutes and say the one thing you’ve been too close to notice.
If someone were to observe your team, what would they notice and how might this help the team?
Stop Chasing Breakthroughs Inside the Problem.
The most successful teams use external, objective observation to expose the hidden systemic flaws and emotional friction that internal experts cannot see.
If your team is brilliant but operating in chaos, it’s time to call in the "pit crew."
Contact us today to arrange a confidential, external team assessment and get clarity on your next performance breakthrough.
Looking to shift how your team shows up?
Check out Elephant in the Room ā€” our signature training programme for teams ready to build trust, speak honestly, and perform at a higher level.
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