The Front-Line Leader - by Chris Van Gorder (Hardcover)

About the Book

"As President and CEO at Scripps Health, one of America's most prestigious health systems, Chris Van Gorder has presided over a dramatic turnaround, catapulting Scripps from near bankruptcy to a dominant market position. While hospitals and health systems ationwide have laid people off or are closing their doors, Scripps is financially healthy, has added almost 5,000 employees, and has developed a reputation as a marquee employer, recognized year after year by Fortune Magazine, Working Mother, the AARP, and othersas a "Best Places to Work." What are the secrets to this remarkable story, and what can other leaders and businesses learn from Van Gorder's success as a leader?Van Gorder traces his track record to his background as a California police officer, and The Frontline Leader shares the leadership techniques learned from his service, grounded in the philosophy of responsibility, honesty, and public service learned as a member of the force. Police work is about protecting the community, making it a better place, educating citizens, developing warm and caring relationships, and ultimately doing the right thing, not the convenient thing, so as to give citizens someone to look up to and believe in. Businesses who follow these same principles lay the groundwork for lasting sucecss. As much as companies talk about accountability and spend millions on "corporate social responsibility" programs, managers seldom understand what practical steps to take for an ethic of service that makes accountability meaningful. The Frontline Leader exposes readers to specific tactics and implementation steps they can use starting today to take responsibility, inspire others, achieve breakout results for their organization and move up into higher positions. By understanding and deploying these steps, readers learn that cultivating a deep personal practice of accountability isn't just the right thing to do but also the most effective and profitable path a leader can take. They understand that daily practices that seem unrelated to the running of organizations can in fact confer surprising business advantage. Armed with these techniques, The Frontline Leader will help anyone become a better leader"--

Book Synopsis

Real leadership that leads to high engagement, higher performance, and a culture of accountability

As president and CEO of Scripps Health, one of America's most prestigious health systems, Chris Van Gorder presided over a dramatic turnaround, catapulting Scripps from near bankruptcy to a dominant market position. While hospitals and health systems nationwide have laid people off or are closing their doors, Scripps is financially healthy, has added thousands of employees (even with a no-layoff philosophy), and has developed a reputation as a top employer. What are the secrets to this remarkable story?

In The Front-Line Leader, Chris Van Gorder candidly shares his own incredible story, from police officer to CEO, and the leadership philosophy that drives all of his decisions and actions: people come first. Van Gorder began his unlikely career as a California police officer, which deeply instilled in him a sense of social responsibility, honesty, and public service. After being injured on the job and taking an early retirement, Van Gorder had to reinvent himself, taking a job as a hospital security director, a job that would change his life. Through hard work and determination, he rose to executive ranks, eventually becoming CEO of Scripps. But he never forgot his own roots and powerful work ethic, or the time when he was a security officer and a CEO would not make eye contact with him.

Van Gorder leads from the front lines, making it a priority to know his employees and customers at every level. His values learned on the force--protecting the community, educating citizens, developing caring relationships, and ultimately doing the right thing--shape his approach to business. As much as companies talk about accountability, managers seldom understand what practical steps to take to achieve an ethic of service that makes accountability meaningful. The Front-Line Leader outlines specific tactics and steps anyone can use starting today to take responsibility, inspire others, and achieve breakout results for their organizations. Van Gorder reveals how a no-layoff philosophy led to higher accountability, how his own attention to seemingly minor details spurred larger change, and how his own high standards for himself and his team improved morale and productivity.

From general strategy to the tiny, everyday steps leaders can take to create the kind of culture and accountability that translates into major competitive advantage, The Front-Line Leader charts a path to better leadership and a more engaged, higher-performing organization.

From the Back Cover

Real leadership that leads to high engagement, higher performance, and a culture of accountability

As president and CEO of Scripps Health, one of America's most prestigious health systems, Chris Van Gorder has presided over a dramatic turnaround, catapulting Scripps from near bankruptcy to a dominant market position. While hospitals and health systems nationwide have laid people off or are closing their doors, Scripps is financially healthy, has added thousands of employees (even with a no-layoff philosophy), and has developed a reputation as a top employer. What are the secrets to this remarkable story?

In The Front-Line Leader, Chris Van Gorder candidly shares his own incredible story, from police officer to CEO, and the leadership philosophy that drives all of his decisions and actions: people come first.

Van Gorder began his unlikely career as a California police officer, which deeply instilled in him a sense of social responsibility, honesty, and public service. After being injured on the job and taking an early retirement, Van Gorder had to reinvent himself, eventually taking a job as a hospital security director, a job that would change his life. Through hard work and determination, he rose to executive ranks, eventually becoming CEO of Scripps. But he never forgot his own roots and powerful work ethic, or the time when a CEO would not make eye contact with him, a security officer.

Van Gorder leads from the front lines, making it a priority to know his employees at every level as well as his customers. His values learned on the force--protecting the community, educating citizens, developing caring relationships, and ultimately doing the right thing--shape his approach to business. As much as companies talk about accountability, managers seldom understand what practical steps to take for an ethic of service that makes accountability meaningful. The Front-Line Leader outlines specific tactics and steps anyone can use starting today to take responsibility, inspire others, and achieve breakout results for their organizations. Van Gorder reveals how a no-layoff philosophy led to higher accountability, how his own attention to seemingly minor details spurred larger change, and how his own high standards for himself and his team improved morale and productivity.

From general strategy to the tiny, everyday steps leaders can take to create the kind of culture and accountability that translates into major competitive advantage, The Front-Line Leader charts a path to better leadership and a more engaged, higher-performing organization.

About the Author

CHRIS VAN GORDER, FACHE, is president and CEO of Scripps Health, one of the nation's foremost health care institutions with more than 14,000 employees and 2,600 affiliated physicians. Scripps has been included on Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list for seven consecutive years. His numerous awards include several humanitarian awards, the California Emergency Medical Services Authority Distinguished Service medal, and the ACHE Gold Medal. Van Gorder received his master's degree in public administration/health services administration at the University of Southern California and earned his bachelor's degree from California State University, Los Angeles. He is a clinical professor of healthcare practice at the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.

Van Gorder lives with his wife in San Diego, California, where he also serves as a reserve assistant sheriff and an EMT.

For more information, please visit www.scripps.org