Carolyn Fisher, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at NHRMC, could be famous for putting others first. Every day, she puts the patients first, she puts her staff members first, she puts New Hanover Regional Medical Center first.
But there is no fame to be gained from putting others first.
Instead, she is rewarded with personal gratification and the overwhelming respect of her peers, the staff at her office, and every external client she does business with.
Loyalty to Her Staff
Carolyn had an employee -- a remarkable, driven, talented lady. This employee was diagnosed with cancer, and she battled with every ounce of strength she had. She won a couple of battles, but eventually the cancer returned.
As this employee fought through pain and weight loss and all the ravages of this disease, it appeared certain that she would never regain enough strength return to work. Yet if you walked into her office, her desk remained exactly as it was when she last sat there. The pictures of her loving family, artwork from her talented children, little signs of inspiration – they all remained untouched. Her position remained open.
Why?
Why wouldn’t a leader let her team use that space, that equipment to help complete the deluge of tasks they get every day? Why wouldn’t a leader ask to fill the position?
Because Carolyn Fisher put her employee first.
In her Leader of Excellence nomination, Ruth Glaser wrote:
“The employee said the fact that she had never asked to fill the position meant that Carolyn believed she would possibly return someday -that she would beat this recurrence of cancer. It was her one last hope. That was incredibly special to her. And, I believe, it sent a message to others in her department and those who knew of the situation -- when the chips are down, Carolyn is not going to back away and take the easy route. She's got your back. She's incredible.”
This unending loyalty and empathy illustrate why Carolyn was named the NHRMC Leader of Excellence at the organization’s most recent Leadership Collaborative.
Transforming Communication
Through her leadership, Carolyn has completely reinvented how NHRMC communicates as an organization. She has transformed how the public sees NHRMC when they first Google the name. And she believes in what we do. She delivers the system’s message to the public and fiercely protects our image.
In the past year, Carolyn, has humbly stepped into a director’s role, propelling her team forward during a time of transition and growth. You can see the work of Carolyn and her team every day through media stories, billboards, advertisements, internal communications, website content, patient communications and community outreach. If it has the NHRMC logo on it, Carolyn made it happen.
She motivates her team to produce great work, expand their professional skills, and take ownership of their tasks. Their camaraderie and teamwork is a testament to the selflessness of their leader.
Building Consensus
Outside of her own office, she brings ideas together. She works with every department in the hospital, and she is universally respected. She is a steady influence at the table when opinions differ and a common ground must be reached. And she is respected throughout the organization for her uncanny ability to produce excellent work, on-time, regardless of the barriers that pop up in front of her.
As Kristy Hubard, the NHRMC vice president of Strategic Services said, “She is the rock in the room. The one who keeps her head and doesn’t blame. She leads with quiet dignity and contagious calm.”
Though her calendar is full every week, if Carolyn is called upon to lead an initiative, she creates more time so that she can give it the attention it deserves. Most recently, she chaired the 2018 Employee Campaign, and made it the most successful ever.
For her unfaltering loyalty to our community, the NHRMC system and its employees, please congratulate Carolyn Fisher, Leader of Excellence.
Recent Leader of Excellence Honorees:
Rebecca McGhee
LuAnn Stockton