The Front-Line Leader: Building A High-Performance Organization From The Ground Up

"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 unrelatedto 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"--

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