Children's Hospitals Today - Summer 2016 - 14

A CLOSER LOOK Timeless time management tips The endless current of meetings, calls, emails and reports makes it difficult to invest time wisely. Conceptually, executive time management is simple: Be thoughtful and intentional about your time. The challenge comes in putting the concept into practice. Target a time investment, such as hours per day or week for essential areas of executive responsibility: of institutional memory I can share," he says. "My role is to lead by example through my actions. I want to promote a culture that is proactive, positive, supportive and fair for employees. I want to empower people to be the best they can be. My dream is to make the impossible possible. If you get the right people working for you, there are no limits." Upon arriving at a welcome lunch for Considine mentions the guiding principles the founders of Akron Children's created back in 1890: Treat every child as your own; treat everyone as you want to be treated; and promise to never turn a child away. "We have what we have today based on those promises," he says. After lunch, Considine walks over to see the HR department's new office space. As he heads back to his office, he stops to  Where the organization is going  Quality and operational excellence  Organizational culture  Market position and external stakeholder relationships Empower your colleagues to take action.  Surround yourself with talent that complements your expertise.  Harness the good ideas of others and support colleaguesʼ decisions.  Divide committee responsibilities among the executive team. Sharpen your communication skills to engage with stakeholders effectively.  Listen as much as you speak.  Give speeches that are short, tailored and inspirational.  Consider forum, audience, frequency and content to improve written communication. Protect planning time.  Conduct a morning review of decisions and results needed from the dayʼs meetings.  Use time between calls and meetings to prep and determine follow-ups.  Extend some activities (time, participants) for more robust exploration of an important topic. -Christie Hartwell, FACHE, is president of CH Strategy Consulting 14 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL S TODAY Summer 2016 Left: Considine volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. Right: He holds a meeting away from his office. new physicians, Considine approaches and greets each new doctor. After going around the table for introductions, he provides a short history lesson on the hospital and how it has grown and expanded over the years. "This year has been a time to celebrate our heritage and tradition, but also rededicate ourselves to our mission," Considine says. "We invest in people, and you folks are those people." When one of the new doctors asks him about the challenges Akron Children's might face in the future, Considine references the ever-changing health care finance and reimbursement issues; the challenges of growth without sacrificing culture; and the explosion of "mega" hospital systems. "A lot of people don't understand what an independent health care delivery system is," Considine says. "We don't want to choose one partner to the exclusion of another. Our challenge now is to think more broadly about how we can impact the whole system for the betterment of the kids. It's about the number of patients we touch, not the number we see." watch AirBear, the hospital's pediatric medical transport helicopter, land on the helipad-a sight he has seen numerous times, but it always inspires him. At 2:30 p.m., Considine meets up with Walt Schwoeble, vice president of Human Resources, for this month's employee roundtable. Each month, 12 to 15 randomly selected employees are invited to join him for an employee-directed session to let them ask questions and share what's on their minds. Today's hourlong meeting focused on the challenges of growing the hospital while maintaining quality; how the census plays into staffing issues and turnover; and the hospital's long-term needs. Keep friends and family close Considine attributes his work ethic to his humble beginnings and his parents, Howard and Gene, as his key role models. A "Howie Strong" bracelet on his left wrist keeps the spirit of his recently deceased father close at heart and hand. "Mom and dad passed on the right kind of values to me," he says. "They shaped who I am today." childrenshospital s.org http://www.childrenshospitals.org

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