Paul Viviano makes a habit of getting out and listening to people. In his fifth year as president and CEO of Children's Hospital Los Angeles, he comes in at six o'clock every morning and visits as many groups and clinics as he can, so he can keep communication lines open with staff and gather insights that help fuel the hospital's mission of improving health for children in Southern California.
"Listening is the key to good decision-making," Viviano says. But he says the best decisions come from getting your people all around the same table at the same time.
"Closing your door and making your decision by yourself is really the best decision, but to be inclusive and listen to everybody at the same time in the same room about decision-making and allocation is going to optimize that decision," he says.
To do this, have everybody at the table at the same time and listen to what they have to say. Then make your decision, and that's how you allocate your resources.
