74: Inside Operation Warp Speed
Meet Paul Mango:
Paul Mango is the former Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy at Health and Human Services and was part of the leadership for Operation Warp Speed. He is the author of “Warp Speed: Inside the Operation That Beat COVID, the Critics, and the Odds.” Previously, he was the Chief Principal Deputy Administrator and Chief of Staff at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Paul received a Bachelor’s in Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Key Insights:
Paul Mango shares first-hand insights into Operation Warp Speed (OWS), which got a COVID-19 vaccine to the American people in less than 10 months.
- Keys to Success. Paul points to 5 key factors that led to OWS’s success: the historical development of mRNA technology, understanding the pharmaceutical industry, a venture capital mindset, bypassing bureaucracy, and public-private partnerships.
- Fail Fast. While problems occurred, few challenges significantly delayed OWS. The team had many seasoned logistics, manufacturing, and vaccine development experts that were able to predict problems before they happened.Leadership also had the philosophy of “fail fast,” figure out the issue quickly and solve it.
- Advice for Up-and-Coming Leaders. Leadership is not about being on top, it’s about being out in front. Understand how the world is changing so your organization can adapt and survive. Additionally, the value of the team is always greater than the value of any individual.
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