Captain Compassionate

The Midas Touch: Dr Sanjiv Malik, CEO, Max Healthcare attained breakeven for Max Hospital, Patparganj in 10 months

Although the Chief Executive of Max Healthcare Dr Sanjiv Malik had changed gears from surgery to hospital administration less than four years ago, the suave leader has mastered the art of leading his team and his group from strength to strength. Rita Dutta profiles the multi-faceted personality who claims that compassion is his greatest asset

Over three days at the Queen of the Hills nestled amidst the Nilgiris, Ooty, the venue for the annual conference of Federation of Hospital Administrators, I had an opportunity to interact with the 44-year-old Dr Sanjiv Malik, the Chief Executive (CE) of three key hospitals of Max Healthcare located at Pitampura, Noida and Patparganj. While other leaders of his stature generally stand aloof and expect to be accosted for a conversation, Dr Malik unobtrusively mingled with the crowd, politely inviting them to chat as if he knew them for years.

Over many sittings and on the flight back to Mumbai, Dr Malik had me spellbound recounting fascinating tales of his life. His sojourn from a fun-loving flabby kid to a philosopher, from holding the scalpel to understanding the balance sheet of a hospital, the immense grief of losing his father in a car accident and the hair-raising tale of being on a hijacked flight, his life story rattles and grips you by the neck. And the lasting impression on my mind is that rarely do we come across such humble but encouraging leaders, completely devoid of Delhi's brazenness and one who harbours a kind soul.

Life At Max

According to standard norms, the operating breakeven time for a new hospital is a minimum of three to four years. Dr Malik has, however, achieved the enviable target in an incredible ten-month span for the 144-bed Max Hospital, Patparganj. And what magic wand did he use to accomplish that? "By remaining focused and motivating others to give their best," he explains, matter-of-factly. He was involved with the Patparganj branch right from conception. "The Patparganj hospital is my baby," preens Dr Malik.

This financial year, month after month, he kept shattering records of turnover in the other hospital branches too. This sterling performance has earned him the sobriquet of "Don Bradman" from the Executive Director, Max Healthcare, Dr Narottam Puri. "He is our star performer and I feel proud of recruiting him," exults Dr Puri, who knows Dr Malik since childhood. "Sanjiv's father was my teacher in MBBS. Though Sanjiv is much younger than me, he passed out of the same college as I did—Maulana Azad Medical College," Dr Puri reveals.

And to think that Dr Malik's liaison with Max began only in the year 2003, when he held the reins of Max Hospital, Noida as a regional hub manager! His dedication and leadership qualities reaped rich benefits. Within a year's time, he was made the Chief Administrator of the East zone for Max Healthcare. And now he is the Chief Executive of the Pitampura, Noida and Patparganj Hospitals of Max.

At Max, he has essentially played a dual role of an administrator and a physician. His experience as a physician coupled with his degree in management has helped him to bridge the age-old gulf between doctors and administrators. "Physicians do not take too kindly to administrators and the latter fail to comprehend the problems of the former. But Dr Malik has proved to be an excellent manager of physicians because of his people management skill. The kind of respect that he earned in this short while at Max is just amazing," beams Dr Puri.

He also emphasised training and development, arranging as many as 75 CMEs and other training programmes within the last one and a half years at the hospital. He has charted talent development programmes for the employees as in his own words, "I believe in promoting people from within and grooming them to take on higher roles with the passage of time." The top management should be as involved as the middle management, he avers, when asked about the key to successful operation of a hospital.

His Relationship With Analjit

I nail him about his closeness with the Chairman of Max Group, Analjit Singh, who is otherwise known to be a tad aloof. "Am I close to him?" he asks me, and then after a moment's pause says, "He is my idol. Contrary to his image, Analjit is quite an emotional person. He has groomed a lot of people. I may differ with him on some matters, but at the end of the day, I respect him for his knowledge. I have learnt a lot from him," says Dr Malik, pensively. Then as an instance of Analjit's kindness, he narrates, "I can never forget that for my daughter's school function, Analjit flew back to Delhi from an important engagement in another city to grace as the chief guest on very short notice. He can be that kind."

A Leader Is A Captain & Not A Referee

Ask his colleagues at Max Healthcare, and all would say in unison that in Dr Malik is a unique synergy of a good leader and a good human being. He is at all times an understanding, compassionate colleague and an astounding leader. "He makes you extremely comfortable, building an ambience of comradeship and camaraderie. He motivates you and encourages you to come up with new ideas. He becomes your true friend, one whom can trust entirely. I would love to work with him again," exults former chief of Max Health Insurance, Deepak Mendiratta, who had worked with Dr Malik closely.

While most leaders command respect from peers and juniors, there are a few fortunate ones like Dr Malik who are immensely loved and whose friendship valued and cherished by colleagues.

And as a leader what are his mantras for motivating others? "That the leader should be part of the team, think about everyone's welfare and understand everyone's problems. Having a good Emotional Quotient is a sine qua non. And above all, one is not a leader unless he is accepted by the team. Much like the captain of a cricket team, the captain must also play and not watch the game as a referee," he holds.

Delving further, he says that the style of leadership should alter with the situation. "In times of crisis, the leader can be a dictator, while in normal times, he can function as a democrat," he avers. Leadership also implies delegation of work and delegation is not fruitful unless accompanied by authority. "What is the meaning of delegation, if my team has to come back to me for approval of the smallest of decisions," he asks.

But often we come across leaders who are respected by their team and peers and are spearheading the company in the right direction, but unfortunately are at loggerheads with the management. What is the solution to such a situation? "As they say change is the only constant and as a leader you should usher in constant changes. But, it is also important that your and your organisation's visions about reforms match. There should be no public agreement and private disagreement. Otherwise, it leads to conflict and chaos and snowballs into ineffective leadership," he states.

What about leaders who are harbingers of change, but are disliked by their peers for being the vehicle of change? "You have to make your colleagues believe in the change and not foist your revolutionary ideas on them. Change has a life cycle and it cannot be brought overnight. First be accepted by the team and then dictate terms to them. One must be patient while bringing in change," he affirms.

His Childhood

Then: Dr Malik (centre) with his parents Dr Rajeshwari and Dr SRK Malik and his two sisters- Anuradha (left) and Neena (right)

Dr Malik was born on September, 30, 1962 at AIIMS in Delhi in a family of doctors. Besides his father Padmashri ophthalmic surgeon Dr SRK Malik and his mother Dr Rajeshwari Malik, Chief Medical Officer, CGHS, his family tree boasts of pathologists, urologists and gynaecologists.

If child is the father of the man, then Dr Malik's inclination towards medicine and humanity was laid early, albeit subconsciously. His life has been moulded by his father who retired as the head of ophthalmology of Maulana Azad Medical College. "My father's generosity and humanity towards patients has always guided me," states Dr Malik.

Another prominent influence on Dr Malik was Dr Rambo, whose initials may evade Dr Malik's memory, but not his acts of kindness. "As a child I use to visit Raison Eye Hospital at Kullu in Himachal Pradesh along with my father and was deeply touched by Dr Rambo, who used to hold eye camps in remote areas devoid of electricity, water and transport. Dr Rambo used to trek for days together to reach the camps," he recollects. And how did Dr Rambo manage to garner funds for the free camps? By singing in crowded local transport buses! Such selfless service and unflinching devotion to a cause have left an indelible impression on Dr Malik's mind and hammered in him the virtues of humanity and duty towards society.

Dr Malik studied in Modern School at Barakhamba Road in Delhi, from whose hallowed gates luminaries like Kirti Azad, Dr Naresh Trehan and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan have traversed. "Today, my daughter Arunima also goes to the same school," he says with a glint of pride in his soft eyes. Dr Malik has two sisters, Neena, who is a dentist by profession and a younger sister Anuradha, who is a graphic engineer in the US.

He was a fun-loving child with a penchant for sports, dramatics and shone in academics too. So, is there any sport which stands as a metaphor for his life? "That would be football as it is symbolic of teamwork and passion. I feel the highest peak can be scaled in life with these attributes. I have always visualised myself as a midfielder in football, who helps those in front score goals and is always there to fall back if the defenders need help," he broods. Then, suddenly shrugging off his reflective mood, he smiles to say, "I must tell you that though I was fond of sports, I was chubby as a child."

From his early days, Dr Malik's pious mother inculcated in him the values of 'nishkam karma', karma without any expectations. He was also taught to be compassionate, a trait that he today claims is his greatest asset. Is it difficult to implement compassion and 'nishkam karma' in a corporate hospital, which always revolves around profit? "Compassion can be practised in corporate hospitals which are inclined towards profit-making. But corporate hospitals should not focus on profiteering, which is making profit unethically," he explains.

Studying Medicine

What is interesting to note is that despite hailing from a family of doctors and influenced by generous doctors, Dr Malik wanted to pursue hotel management. Why? "I guess, I have always had an underlying passion for management and wanted to combine it with my love for cooking," confides Dr Malik.

It was the senior Malik's tactful persuasion which made Dr Malik give medicine a shot. "My father took me to his patient and the owner of Oberoi Chain of Hotels Raibahadur Mohan Singh Oberoi, who promised to give me a job in his hotel chain after I completed my MBBS," laughs Dr Malik, remembering the ways parents make children cave in. After studying medicine for a year in Jammu, Dr Malik returned to Delhi to study in Maulana Azad College. Why? "My family was based in Delhi," he reasons.

He completed MBBS in 1985, and then enrolled for MS in Ophthalmology at Western Regional Institute of Ophthalmology at Ahmedabad, where he snatched the gold medal.

He started his practice with Modi Eye Hospital at Modinagar, around 30 km from Delhi, as a senior resident. Later, he went to do a fellowship in in-vitro retina at Retina Foundation, Ahmedabad and also worked at Arvind Eye Hospital for a short stint.

At this time, he started managing the MMR Eye Institute, set up by his father.

Walking Down The Aisle

Now: A picture perfect moment with his wife Aradhana and daughter Arunima in front of the Taj Mahal

While his professional life took shape, at the age of 27, he married Aradhana, then a freelance writer. And what made him chose Aradhana as his life-partner? The reasons are essentially with him being a peace-loving person, who shies away from chaos and disharmony. "I wanted somebody who had the same set of values and one who would have a harmonious relationship with my family. I dread conflicts at home," he reveals.

His friends still cherish an interesting episode on his wedding day. As former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was one of the guests at his wedding, the arc light shifted from the bride and groom to Gandhi. As I broach the topic, he gives a beatific smile and recounts, "Rajiv was sitting on the dias beside me and people were coming to the stage to greet him with flowers and juices, completely sidelining me. The band party also stopped playing wedding numbers and were playing nationalistic songs for Rajiv. It seemed as if it was Rajiv's reception and not mine."

The happy union resulted in birth of his daughter Arunima on September 17, 1992.

A Shocking Incident

While he was enjoying domestic bliss and fruits of professional success, to further his career prospects, Dr Malik enrolled for a fellowship programme in Phaco emulsifaction in Germany. But fate had other plans! His higher study was abruptly cut short and what happened then has been the most shocking incident of his life and one whose emotional scars are yet to be healed.

It was a Sunday and Dr Malik had gone out with a friend to explore the German countryside. At the end of an adventurous day, he returned to his hotel room to see a sea of messages lying on the floor of his room, urging to call up home immediately. A call delivered the news of his father, uncle and his driver's deaths in a road accident in Delhi.

As he rushed back to India to complete the last rites of his father, the vulnerability and fragility of life stabbed him mercilessly. But he refused to turn bitter and angry. He brooded over the meaning of life, our inevitable death and became philosophical. "I started valuing my life and other people's lives more than ever before. I got a spiritual insight into life," he tells me, wading through his memories.

Being Hijacked

Being in a hijacked flight is an experience that everybody shudders to remember. In 1984, while on his way from Delhi to Srinagar, Dr Malik's flight with 100 passengers was hijacked by an Indian terrorist group. Passengers were held captive for two days. The air was strife with panic and chaos. To make matters worse, there was no food.

"The flight first landed at Lahore, then re-fuelled in Karachi. It wanted to go to the US, but finally, we were released at Dubai. From Dubai, a relief aircraft of the Indian authorities ensured the safe passage of the passengers back to Delhi. In Dubai, the terrorists got off the flight and on their journey back to Delhi were arrested," he recollects, with a sigh of relief. "What remains etched in my memory is that while we are scared of death, when the time comes to face it, the fear vanishes and we find ourselves wanting to take it head-on. This incident taught me that rather than evading a problem or crisis and feeling afraid, I should face it with a faith in my abilities," he philosophises.

The Generous Man

As life taught him harsh lessons, it also made him generous. In 1994, he adopted a village, Mukhmailpur near Delhi to make it cataract-free. By holding free camps in community halls and conducting free cataract surgeries for the villagers, he achieved the target of making the village cataract free within a year's time. In MMR hospital also, he did surgeries at a concession for people who could not afford treatment. A close friend of his tells me that Dr Malik does a lot of charity, without letting anybody know. "If he knows you are in distress, he will do his best to help you," says his friend.

Changing Gears

A Man Of Action: Dr Malik with Max Chairman Analjit Singh (third from left), a patient in the wheelchair and staff of Max

Attending to 50-60 OPDs a day and 20-25 surgeries a month can be telling. And that is exactly what happened with Dr Malik. He soon found his work monotonous at MMR and wanted to explore new avenues which were more challenging. No, it was not hotel management, but this time he opted for hospital administration.

In 2000, at the age of 38, he pursued MBA in health management from Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi University. He was conferred the gold model for securing the overall first position across all MBA programmes in Delhi University. Why did he opt for a professional course if he was already managing MMR hospital? "I always believed that inter-personal skills between the doctor and his patient are important and practised it. The course re-affirmed my belief," he asserts. Additionally, it taught him about nuances of management, like strategic management, marketing, HR and finance. After completion of his course at FMS, Dr Malik was selected as the hub manager for the then 19-bed Max Hospital, Noida. The inevitable question is why did he choose Max? "The tagline of Max is -Caring for you for life. And that is the philosophy that I believe in," he reasons. After joining Max, he has given up doing surgeries. He only consults now at Max.

Demystifying His Working Style

Every leader has a unique style of working and Dr Malik's signature style lies in taking spontaneous decisions and in being a complete people's person. Does not taking quick decisions entail huge amount of risk? "If eight out of my ten decisions turn out to be right, then it is worth taking the risk. If not, then one should find out why the decisions were wrong," he elaborates.

How does he ideate? Is it done inside the boardroom or while he is alone? "I believe everybody has a creative instinct and as a leader it is my duty to encourage that in them. So, I always ideate and execute in the boardroom, where everybody else is around. The final decision has to be a collective decision, where everybody's creative instincts are challenged and fulfilled. That way it is easier to make them buy the idea also," he emphasises.

As he holds the reins of three hospitals, he has to shuttle from one branch to another. Once a week, he is in Noida, another in Pitampura, and twice a week he has to be in Okhla, Max's head office.

On a regular day, he reports to office by 9:30 in the morning and is there for another twelve hours. He does believe in taking breaks in between, which is mostly to meet his managers in their cabins for five minutes. The effort of a CE meeting managers in their shell rather than beckoning them to his room has of course earned him loads of respect. Though he holds regular business meetings between 4:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon, he is not in favour of over analysis of situations in meetings. "Too much analysis paralyses good thoughts. I rather believe in action," says Dr Malik, with a thump of his right hand.

Thoughts On Indian Healthcare

"The healthcare industry is in a stage of evolution and has entered the high growth phase. However, this growth is challenged by unorganised spread in terms of geography and variance in quality of care. The issues that need to be addressed are the ability of the industry to match the expectations on cost, quality and access," he states.

The way forward is to attract professional management, develop leadership and most importantly create people who can deliver results. "The healthcare industry is on its way for an all round focus on not only curative care but as well as preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care and I am doing my bit to make it a reality," he opines.

His Future Plans

When grilled about his future plans, with a disarming candour, he reveals that someday he would like to see himself as the Managing Director of Max. And he is not far from achieving it. "Soon, a new Max hospital outside Delhi will fall in his kitty. He has a long way to go in Max," reveals Dr Puri.

And when I cheekily ask Dr Malik about how long he wants to stick around with Max, after realising his dream, he says, "As long as our visions match. And I hope that will be forever," he signs off, as the flight lands at the Mumbai airport.

At the Mumbai airport, as he bade good bye to each one of the team who accompanied him from Ooty to Mumbai, as he went on to Delhi, I wished the healthcare industry had more such heart-warming leaders.

rita@expresshealthcaremgmt.com