Mark Fisher Of CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times

An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis

Empathy: Great leaders do not ignore the emotions of others. They always show empathy and possess the social skills to build strong relationships.

As part of our series about the “Five Things You Need To Be A Highly Effective Leader During Turbulent Times”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Fisher.

Mark D. Fisher, SPHR, MSHR, MSHCA is the Vice President of Human Resources at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (CHA HPMC), a 434-bed community hospital providing quality medical and nursing care in Los Angeles. Mark is a senior executive with over 25 years of comprehensive human resources experience including Human Capital, Employment Law, Policy Development and Administration, Conflict Management, Change Management, Strategic Development, Workforce Planning, Employee Relations, and Compensation. At CHA HPMC, he collaborates with the senior management to conduct Human Resources strategic planning in order to support and further the organizational goals. Mark is a visionary leader with a passion for fostering an inclusive and collaborative organizational culture that brings out the best in every employee across a broad, diverse workforce.

Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I started my career in the Human Resources (HR) field in 1992, working for a global transportation logistics organization as a Human Resources Information Systems Analyst and worked there for almost two decades. During this tenure, I worked my way up in the HR department and gradually climbed the ladder of success to reach the position of Assistant Director of HR — with responsibility for North, South, and Central America — where I gained my international knowledge.

In 2010, I made a transition to healthcare industry and led the Human Resources Business Partners and Shared Services teams at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach for six years before moving to Tenet Healthcare’s Los Alamitos Medical Center to serve as the Chief Human Resources Officer. Within Tenet, I moved to Fountain Regional Hospital as the Chief Human Resources Officer in 2020 and was later promoted as the Group Human Resources officer in the Pacific Coast market with oversight of four hospitals. In September 2021, an opportunity presented itself and I transitioned back to working for a standalone hospital to join CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (CHA HPMC) as the Vice President of Human Resources. CHA HPMC is a member of CHA Health Systems, a global network providing a full spectrum of dynamic healthcare services. At CHA HPMC, I collaborate with the senior management to conduct HR strategic planning in order to support and further the organizational goals.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?

Early in my career, my childhood best friend and I worked for the same company. During our 25 years in the company, we would often work for one another and because of our tenure, we were sure that everyone knew about us. However, one day the CFO walked into my office and started talking about a situation that I absolutely knew nothing about. I quickly realized that this had to do with my best friend. Instead of interrupting him and letting him know that he was talking to the wrong person, I let him continue with the conversation. When he was finished, I asked him if he knew whom he was talking to and he said my friend’s name. The CFO laughed when he realized that I was not the person he was looking for and he had to repeat the entire situation again to my friend. Lesson learned: clarify upfront before a person gets too deep into a situation or story, so as to not waste their time.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

When I started my career in the logistics company, the VP of HR asked to speak with me and I was extremely nervous. As we sat down to talk, he started off by saying that he had noticed my great work and performance in the company during initial years — being promoted every 2–3 years. He had envisioned me as an instrumental part of the Human Resources team and wanted to support my growth within the team. Due to my limited education and lack of in-depth knowledge about Human Resources, I wanted to learn more about the field. So, I went back to school to complete my Bachelor’s degree, which I did in 18 months, and completed my Master’s degree in HR within 2.5 years. The VP lived up to his word and gave me my first position in HR — a true testament that if you have a strong mentor and support, you can accomplish anything.

Extensive research suggests that “purpose driven businesses” are more successful in many areas. When your company started, what was its vision, what was its purpose?

CHA HPMC is a nationally recognized acute care facility that has cared for Hollywood and its surrounding communities since 1924. Today, CHA HPMC offers comprehensive healthcare services with a 434-bed acute care facility, including 89 skilled nursing beds, and a medical staff of more than 500 physicians and specialists, representing 69 specialties and 75 different countries. As a community-based safety-net general acute hospital, CHA HPMC cares for patients from all economic sectors and provides medical services to culturally diverse, largely low-income communities surrounding the facility — including the homeless population and those who meet the criteria for Medicaid eligibility. The hospital is located in the area designated by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) as a medically underserved area, in which residents have a shortage of personal health services.

Since it opened nearly 100 years ago, CHA HPMC and its parent company, CHA Health Systems, have served as a cornerstone to its community’s health — a unique position which enables it to embrace all payors as one of the area’s only safety-net hospitals.

When I joined CHA HPMC, the first thing that caught my attention was its commitment to the community. As an HR leader, I am passionate about fostering an inclusive and collaborative organizational culture that brings out the best in every employee. My goal is to:

• Have 100% clarity and genuine belief in the mission of the organization.
• Make the organization’s vision relatable to all employees to get them connected to the company’s goals.
• Understand what motivates me and my team to help everyone stay invested.
• Empower our caregivers to provide patient-centric, compassionate care.
• Establish strong relationships with colleagues and teams.

Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share with our readers a story from your own experience about how you lead your team during uncertain or difficult times?

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact normal business operations, leaders are grappling with the unknown — you don’t know when your employees will be able to return to the workplace or how different things will be when they return. Regardless, you need to be in constant communication with your team. As a leader, you need to make some crucial decisions such as: what information — and how much of it — should you share with your reports about the health of your organization, how can you be candid about the possibility of pay-cuts and layoffs without demoralizing your team, and how can offer assurance to your teams without giving them false hope during this period of uncertainty?

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event in modern history. And yet, the experience of going through it is not necessarily unique. Similar to other crises, such as 9/11 and the global financial downturn, employees feel scared and worried. Uncertainty triggers fear as many employees may be wondering, “What does this crisis mean for my company, my job, and my future?” Our role as leaders is to project confidence and strength during these uncertain times. Even though the situation is fast-moving and you may not have all the necessary information, you need to be honest about what you know. Firstly, it is important to be transparent to the team and explain, “Here’s what we do know, here’s what we don’t know, and this is what we are doing to close that gap.” And secondly, it is important to articulate a sense of possibility and hope. However, accomplishing both of these tasks as a leader is no easy feat.

Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the motivation to continue through your challenges? What sustains your drive?

I have thought about it, especially when the goals I wanted to achieve seemed unattainable. Motivation is the force driving my behavior — the “why” behind everything I do and the reason I take up a cause, commit to an action, or work towards a goal. Everything I do is driven by some combination of conscious and unconscious need or desire to make a difference. When I talk about self-motivation, I am going beyond basic motives and what I really mean is the ability to follow through on making a positive change in life without giving up. Self-motivation requires me to believe in myself, stay inspired, and keep going despite any setbacks.

What would you say is the most critical role of a leader during challenging times?

As a leader, one of the most significant responsibilities is to be resilient and model the way for others. People pay attention to you as a leader perhaps more than you realize, including what you say, how you react, and the decisions you make.

When the future seems so uncertain, what is the best way to boost morale? What can a leader do to inspire, motivate and engage their team?

Communication is arguably the most effective way to boost employee morale. Without good communication about organizational goals and expectations, employee morale will plummet. By establishing clear benchmarks and regular check-ins, leaders can quickly boost morale at work. Individual check-ins are an opportunity to clear up miscommunications and build personal connections with team members. These 1:1 meetings are a good time to ask how team members are handling difficult news feeds, whether they’re getting enough time away from work and current events to recharge, and get their input on what managers and executives could be doing better to ease any burdens.

To increase employee buy-in on morale-boosting ideas, try asking for their input on how managers and executives can support employee initiatives or improve teambuilding efforts. With enough honest feedback, leaders can hone in on opportunities that they may have otherwise missed to boost employee morale.

What is the best way to communicate difficult news to one’s team and customers?

Some of the key things to remember include:

• Be direct and address the information immediately.
• Be honest and provide factual information to your employee or team.
• Take responsibility.
• Allow time for a response from the employee or team.
• Focus on the future and what comes next.
• Follow through on your word.
• Be respectful.
• Last but not the least, be caring and empathetic.

How can a leader make plans when the future is so unpredictable?

• Design from the heart and the head: During crisis, the hardest thing for a leader to understand may be the softest things, such as employee feelings and emotions. Resilient leaders are genuinely empathetic, walking compassionately in the shoes of employees, patients, and their broader ecosystems. Yet resilient leaders must simultaneously take a hard, rational stance to protect financial performance from the invariable flexibility that accompanies such disruptions.
• Put the mission first: Resilient leaders are skilled at triage, able to stabilize their organizations to meet the crisis at hand while finding opportunities amid difficult constraints.
• Aim for speed over elegance: Resilient leaders take decisive action, with courage, even based on imperfect information, knowing that expediency is essential.
• Own the narrative: Resilient leaders seize the narrative at the outset, being transparent about current realities — including what they don’t know — while also painting a compelling picture of the future that inspires others to persevere.
• Embrace the long view: Resilient leaders stay focused on the horizon, anticipating new models that are likely to emerge and sparking the innovations that will define tomorrow.

Is there a “number one principle” that can help guide a company through the ups and downs of turbulent times?

The number one principle you can use to guide your company through tough times is a strong vision. Many companies fail because they don’t have a strong vision or a leader to carry them through these difficult times.

Can you share 3 or 4 of the most common mistakes you have seen other businesses make during difficult times? What should one keep in mind to avoid that?

• Cutting headcount: When times are tough and the budget is tight, cutting headcount may seem like a solution to reduce spending. In reality, it creates fear across employees and stunts creativity. Resorting to layoffs indirectly communicates to the team that the organization will put itself above the people who support it.
• Stopping payments to suppliers: When organizations stop paying suppliers, this ends up not only hurting long-term relationships with the suppliers but may also cause them to go out of business. When a company puts itself above others, they end up damaging connections they might need later. This short-sighted approach will lead to long-term problems.
• Not adapting to market demands: Many companies want to lay low during difficult times, but I think there’s an opportunity to evaluate how we can continually evolve our business models to adapt to what the market needs — whether that is a new product, new service, or identifying a new target audience. We can always do better and keep growing. This allows us to find areas of new revenue that we may have missed out in the past. With a fixed mindset, an organization won’t be able to survive.

Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?

• Reduce your debt: Do all you can to ensure your debt is low enough so that if you lose some clients, you can still survive. Pay off all credit card debt, if you have any, and keep it at zero. Pay the entire balance every month and pay down your line of credit as much as you can. This way, if the market falters, you are not at risk.
• Build your cash reserves: As they say, cash is king. It’s always good to have an emergency fund — even more so when the economy takes a turn for the worst. Ensure your cash flow is in great shape so if, for some reason, you find yourself a little tight with cash, you have a buffer.
• Keep your credit (both personal and business) in good shape: If you have a great credit and find yourself in need of some extra credit (as a last resort) during an economic downturn, it will be easier to secure an extension on your line of credit. It will also be easy to get a short-term loan, if your credit is in good shape. The last thing you want to have to do is use your credit card as a source of funds during an economic downturn.

Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things a business leader should do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.

• Business acumen: Business acumen is one key area that leaders need to excel in — how they behave and the strength of their character is just as important, if not more, than achieving their financial targets.
• Emotional intelligence: Leaders with a high level of emotional intelligence have the ability to control their emotions and think before they act. Leaders who demonstrate emotional intelligence are motivated by intrinsic and extrinsic values. They are determined to achieve their goals and do not focus on money and prestige. These leaders are especially optimistic during times of change and uncertainty; this motivation allows them to achieve important goals and lead others positively.
• Empathy: Great leaders do not ignore the emotions of others. They always show empathy and possess the social skills to build strong relationships.
• Adaptability: The best leaders can move flexibly from one leadership style to another to meet the changing needs of an organization and its employees. These leaders have the insight to understand when to change their management style and what leadership strategy fits each new business paradigm.
• Flexible and Inclusive: Leaders need to understand that their organization is comprised of distinct individuals, each with their own perspectives and personalities. Similar to the way that effective communication requires an awareness of people’s different styles of listening and interpretation, successful leadership must adopt an inclusive approach to the diversity of viewpoints within a company.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“It happens to everyone as they grow up. You find out who you are and what you want, and then you realize that people you’ve known forever don’t see things the way you do. So you keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on.” ― Nicholas Sparks

This is relevant to me because during my childhood, I knew what I wanted and I knew I would get there. But to achieve those goals, I had to climb that mountain on my own, with or without the support of my family. With my wife’s support and self-belief, I was able to achieve my goals and make a difference.

How can our readers further follow your work?

Readers can learn more about me by visiting www.hollywoodpresbyterian.com or follow my work on my LinkedIn page at www.linkedin.com/in/markdfisher.

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!

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Mark Fisher Of CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center: Five Things You Need To Be A Highly… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.