Leadership – An Essential Part of Every Pharmacy

Last week, we talked about the concept of care in pharmacy. Something that every pharmacy has always had an abundance of. But even though care is to pharmacy what fruit and vegetables are to the food pyramid there are always new ways to elevate patient care, and become more customer-centric.

Right alongside care, there’s something else that pharmacies excel at. Leadership.

This may not be the first thing you think of when you build a job description in a pharmacy. However, confident leadership is as much a part of the best pharmacies as excellent patient care. Extending beyond the pharmacy team to patients and community.

Pharmacists remain some of the most trusted professionals in the country. Continuing to rank in the top 5 for consumer ratings in honesty and ethics. This well-earned trust means that the foundation for taking the next step is already in place.

Here are some ways in which leadership can be taken beyond traditional perceptions.

Foster positive company culture

It takes more than one team member to run a customer-centric pharmacy. Pharmacy staff must of course be educated in processes and company initiatives. But buying into the why behind those initiatives is even more important.  Getting there means being transparent about goals, progress and motivations.

Another important piece of the team leadership puzzle is encouraging team members to take ownership of what they do. There’s a great point from Seth Godin in this article on 12 business lessons. “Leaders are hungry for people to step up and ask ‘please can I have some responsibility with authority?’.”

Employees who feel a sense of ownership and belonging, and that have opportunities for growth, will stay with your company longer. Reduced turnover means a more consistent customer experience and can reduce your business expenses associated with recruitment and new hire training.

Lead customers with knowledge and expertise

We’ve all heard the expression, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink”. True, of course. But as a trusted healthcare provider, you have a powerful voice.  Your knowledge and expertise is a form of leadership to your customers.

Services like patient counseling, therapy management with nutrient depletion recommendations and disease state management guide your customers.

Patients who have the tools they need to comply with prescription instructions and feel better have a better chance of becoming loyal, returning customers.

Be community minded

We often say “community pharmacy” when we talk about local independently owned pharmacies, and hospital clinic pharmacies. This isn’t just a turn of phrase. Pharmacies support their communities in so many ways. If there are already things you are doing for your community, share them. Be proud of the contributions you already make.

You can also involve your customers in charitable giving initiatives through checkout charity programs or donating loyalty rewards points in lieu of at the register rewards or mailed coupons.

Come to CLIMB to learn more

Join us on October 22^nd, at 11am EST for CLIMB. A virtual event for pharmacies looking to build customer-centricity, grow profitability, and build better businesses. Speaker, business coach and leadership expert Terri Norvell joins a lineup of fantastic speakers to talk about leadership and business growth with some brand new, never before seen material. Register today for free with code RMSBLOG.