Many times I've been asked to describe my leadership style. My answer is always the same: I lead from my heart.
Fellowship Health Resources serves those living with mental illness and addictions. Our organization includes 600-plus employees across eight states, delivering more than 80 programs to individuals with urgent needs. To keep all of us working together 24/7, the strong sense of unity that comes from a common vision and shared priorities is crucial. Although FHR has many internal teams, when looking in from the outside we are one team – frontline staff to CEO.
In health care, finding the balance between fulfilling an organization's mission and evaluating service delivery is complex. In leading from the heart, there is no substitute for a firsthand understanding of the organization's day-to-day environment and challenges. This provides context for making decisions true to the core of the organization. I listen carefully to all of our stakeholders, especially employees and the people and families receiving services.
In every decision, I consider those in recovery, and our employees who provide high-quality, individualized care. I think of the decision's impact on those delivering and receiving services who sometimes cannot advocate for themselves. Behavioral health is a challenging field within health care services, and our frontline staff have difficult jobs. Every day my goal is to make sure FHR is a place they want to come to work and help people recover.
Leading from the heart means being committed – both to the mission and to your team. •