"Day-to-day operations are hectic for most, if not all, supply chain leaders. Thus, I found it most effective to get away from the office to "brainstorm." Most evident of this technique was when I reserved a meeting room at our local library for two days and developed a 5-year Supply Chain Strategic Plan for my health system, which I in turn used (with some modifications) in two subsequent organizations. I was able to shut out all the day-to-day noise and focus on what our top priorities should be over the next five years. This plan was shared with and praised by our COO and hospital presidents."

Mike Langlois, Board Treasurer, Bellwether League Foundation, Healthcare Supply Chain Resource, Langlois & Associates LLC, Grosse Pointe, MI

"For me, the best ideas come when I can create the brain space to sit down with my leadership team or colleagues, either one-on-one or in small group settings, with a clear focus on brainstorming. The ability to talk through ideas, solve problems, and learn from one another is invaluable. Here are a few ways I facilitate this process:

• Dedicated Strategy Sessions: Throughout the year, I schedule dedicated time with my team to focus on strategy, problem-solving, and planning.
• Industry Forums: I engage with colleagues in small group settings or one-on-one coffee chats at industry forums to exchange insights and ideas.
• Learning Exchanges: I schedule times with colleagues and their teams for learning exchanges, fostering an environment of knowledge sharing.

"These approaches help ensure that we are always looking ahead and collaboratively developing innovative solutions to the challenges we face."

Amanda Chawla, MHA, FACHE, CMRP, Ammer Honoree Class of 2024, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, Stanford (CA) Medicine

"From others. I spend much more time listening than talking. I've surrounded myself with courageous and curious colleagues who never fail to conjure up interesting ideas. As a leader my role is to set a vision and enable the team to navigate implementation. I have also found a great deal of inspiration through work with universities and students. Applying academic theory and other industry practices to our challenges has generated lofty, yet realistic and attainable direction for our supply chain. Also, the students asking about the trees helps me stay grounded in our forest."

Ed Hisscock, Bellwether Class of 2022, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain, Trinity Health, Livonia, MI

"There is no one answer as everyone comes from a different perspective. My best ideas come in the early morning quiet time before the day gets underway. However, the best concepts come from talking to those who do the work and those whose work is affected by the decisions we make. A voice of customer approach starts with defining who the customers are and set out to teach each one about the barriers that may stand in the way and how to break them down together."

Barbara Strain, CVAHP, Bellwether Class of 2021, Board Chairman, Bellwether League Foundation, and Principal, Barbara Strain Consulting LLC, Charlottesville, VA

"Breaking bread, socializing with peers across industries. Take the blinders off, supply chain equals supply chain no matter what industry."

Charlie Miceli

"My best concepts and ideas often come from a blend of deep reflection, collaboration, and time spent with customers. I feel most energized and excited about the future of the healthcare industry after engaging directly with customers. Building relationships on both sides of the supply chain offers me a holistic understanding of where the deepest needs in the industry are which allows me to bring these insights back to the team so we can roll up our sleeves and get to work. These interactions help connect the dots between experiences, challenges, and opportunities, often leading to breakthrough ideas that are both innovative and practical. The real magic happens when these ideas are refined through collaboration. I believe in creating a safe space for leaders to share their experiences—both wins and losses. Cultivating open conversations helps leaders learn from one another and fosters courageous leadership, which is critical in the healthcare industry. The dynamic exchange of ideas, combined with the energy from customer interactions, elevates concepts beyond what could be achieved in isolation. Ultimately, it's this combination of customer insights, personal reflection, and collaborative refinement that yields the most impactful ideas, driving us closer to our mission and the future of healthcare."

Tina Vatanka Murphy, President & CEO, GHX, Platinum Sustaining Sponsor, Louisville, CO

"Best concepts came from professional membership groups on what others had found to be best practices as well as pursuit of master's degrees and graduate studies. This is a reiterates the benefits of belonging to professional groups and also from continuing to study as you move through life. Don't ever stop being a student seeking to enhance your knowledge of what you might be able to apply in a given situation to further your goals and achieve success in the most effective manner."

Richard Perrin, Bellwether Class of 2014, CEO, Active Innovations, Annapolis, MD

"From others! Having worked with hundreds of hospitals across the country I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly. By piecing together the good we come up with great. Simply look around your organization and recognize the good. How could that good apply to your area and move your practice to great. Be creative, think outside the box and go for it. Fail and fail fast and don't be afraid to make changes — personally and professionally."

Dee Donatelli, R.N., MBA, Bellwether Class of 2015, Senior Director, Spend Management, symplr, and Principal, Dee Donatelli Consulting LLC, Austin, TX

By being on site and talking with key users of products and services. You learn so much by understanding their workflow challenges of the day to support direct patient care. Considerations of improvement can always be explored and, more often than not, this is where your "best" concepts ideas are formed including testing their applications."

Tom Lubotsky, Bellwether Class of 2022, Vice President, Supply Chain Management, Allina Health, Minneapolis, MN

"I am not one that just creates ideas on my own. The conjuring comes from talking through situations with bright people who are actually trying to solve a problem. We spend time defining the problem and then find a way to make the solution efficient, repeatable, and scalable. Success comes from working together to solve customer problems."

Rand Ballard, Chief Customer Officer, Vizient Inc., Founding Sustaining Sponsor, Irving, TX

"Perhaps not surprisingly, on my morning runs or while practicing yoga. Usually, I will take a topic that has been on my mind where I just don't feel fully sorted, and I will think about it from various angles. I will explore out of the box solutions and free my mind to any norms. Then I usually find a solution that I like best and keep reworking it in my mind until I have the exact answer. I know when I have found the answer because I can feel the weightlift and the clarity come in. I usually feel really good about it, even when it is a difficult decision."

Marisa Farabaugh, Bellwether League Foundation Advisory Council Volunteer, Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer, AdventHealth, Bronze Sustaining Sponsor, Altamonte Springs, FL

"When collaborating with others."

Angie Haggard, CEO, RDA Healthcare, Event Sponsor, Oak Ridge, TN