CU PHARMACY WAY 2025 COLLECTION FUNDAMENTALS
A collection of weekly insights on our culture fundamentals through the lens of our employees
1STCYCLE DEAN’SCYCLE
THE CU PHARMACY Way
Weekly insights into the 24 Fundamentals that describe the behaviors, principles and practices that are foundational to our culture
Dear SSPPS Community,
Today, we start our journey towards building the culture we strive to have in our school, and that begins with the value of acting with kindness in our daily encounters and making that an essential part of the common experience in our school
#1.Actwithkindness.
Our relationships go deeper than simply being colleagues as faculty, staff, and students We genuinely care for and about each other Choose your words wisely and be considerate of others Show your compassion, whether it's a kind word during a tough stretch, a friendly smile each morning, or a helping hand in stressful times
As I reflect on what "act with kindness" means to me, I am reminded that I am fortunate enough to be the recipient of such acts An example that comes to mind occurred at our retreat last month when several of our faculty and staff members, including those who work remotely, sought me out to express their gratitude for the opportunity to see their colleagues in person, meet new colleagues, and learn more about our school
I know they left feeling a closer attachment to our school and each other, and I was happy that I was able to provide – with the help of so many of you – this opportunity for them It made all the preparations and work to organize the retreat worth it
Periodically, it has been brought to my attention of instances when we have not been kind to each other, perhaps unintentionally, when we didn't select our words or actions with consideration of others. It is often not what we say but how we say it It's why "Act With Kindness" is our first fundamental to reflect on as we begin our CU Pharmacy Way journey together
During our daily lives, it's easy to overlook the influence that even our most basic gestures can have on those around us A simple act of kindness, no matter how small, can make a world of difference in someone's life that day or maybe one that lasts a lifetime
As Simon Sinek reminds us in this short video, kindness can be infectious, having a ripple effect in creating a positive and supportive environment for all of us, reminding me of the "Pass It On" signs at Denver International Airport
Thank you for committing to making SSPPS a better place for everyone I look forward to hearing about your team discussions on this topic and encourage you to check out the various helpful resources included below
Remember that this is our first Fundamental of the Week as we begin practicing our cultural behaviors, so I ask for your kindness when reading and discussing it
Warm regards,
PS: Bookmark this link: It is the CU Pharmacy Way intranet page where you can find weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources and more
THE CU PHARMACY Way
Weekly insights into the 24 Fundamentals that describe the behaviors, principles and practices that are foundational to our culture
Dear SSPPS Community,
I'm reflecting this week on the meaning of our second fundamental: Be Student Centered. To me, this approach means to place our students in all our programs at the core of any learning experience we provide Our reputation as a school relies heavily on your commitment to tailoring educational practices to meet the diverse and unique backgrounds, skills, interests, abilities, and challenges faced by each student who enters our doors
#2.BeStudentCentered.
Make a personal commitment to learn about student needs and support their success Create opportunities that enhance and engage them in their learning experience Focus on how best to support students to ensure long-term success and a strong educational reputation
As the Anschutz Medical Campus Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jan Gascoigne reminded us during our retreat, the higher education landscape is changing rapidly, and our students face myriad challenges requiring us to take a student-centered approach From socioeconomic disparities that affect access to resources to the evolving demands of the job market and the setbacks caused by the COVID19 pandemic, students are navigating a complex and dynamic educational and life environment
To paraphrase Theodore Roosevelt: "Students don't care about how much you know until they know how much you care " Instead of viewing students as students only, we need to view and care about students as people who have many competing responsibilities. We must learn how to best support them to enhance their overall academic success
Many of the clinicians on our team are familiar with the concept of trauma-informed care. I recently came across the concept of trauma-informed education, which provides deeper insights into the far-reaching impacts of trauma on students' academic experiences, overall well-being, and success. Similarly, I'm proud of the work of Dr Wettergreen and Dr Fink in collaboration with Drs Koon and Hemstreet in unraveling the social determinants of learning, including a host of non-academic forces – such as the food insecurity and campus food bank that we discussed at a faculty meeting last semester – that affect our students and their learning and success. This is important work in addressing learning disparities to ensure the education we provide remains accessible and relevant to all Please take time to view the slides from their Faculty Senate presentation last semester
Student centeredness requires our own self-reflection and responsiveness to changing circumstances. I see the essence of this pedagogical approach in action when our team recognizes the importance of flexibility in curriculum design, assessment methods, and delivery modes. Being student-centered will take time and effort on the part of individuals, administration, and teams, but it is critical to our students' success and the future sustainability of our school I am committed to providing resources and development programs about student-centered education to support you, our faculty and staff, as you continue to learn about and foster student-centeredness in our educational programs.
Warm regards,
Dean Altiere
PS: Bookmark this link: It is the CU Pharmacy Way intranet page where you can find weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources and more
DeanRalphAltiere
THE CU PHARMACY Way
Weekly insights into the 24 Fundamentals that describe the behaviors, principles and practices that are foundational to our culture
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Dear SSPPS Community,
Week 3 on our journey to deepen our insights into our fundamentals encompasses "Embrace Diversity " From my perspective, “embracing” means that we need to go beyond mere acknowledgment of the fact that we are diverse This fundamental is about actively valuing the unique attributes each person brings to our team and how much better we are for being able to count on each other’s strengths
Fundamental #3: Embrace Diversity
Value the unique attributes each person brings to the team Be open to and acknowledge the value of the diverse ideas and perspectives of others, no matter what role they have Be aware of your own privilege and take responsibility for including all voices We make better decisions and gain deeper insight when multiple perspectives are considered
As I explored more about the importance of embracing diversity, Dr Erika Freitas introduced me to a powerful video by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on "The Danger of a Single Story " In her poignant narrative, Adichie highlights the perils and consequences of reducing persons, groups, or cultures to a single narrative She emphasizes the consequences of oversimplification that comes from lack of exposure to different perspectives, which can perpetuate stereotypes and hinder our progress Diversity is a fact and exists everywhere within and around us and it certainly goes beyond what meets the eye
Each of us brings personal and professional backgrounds, an ever-growing set of lived experiences, and a unique viewpoint to the table Embracing diversity leads to deeper insights and more well-rounded decisions, as Dr Stefanie K Johnson, author of “Inclusify: The Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams,” highlighted during her keynote address at our 2023 Faculty Retreat
Everyone can contribute to our intellectual growth and success To take advantage of this opportunity, we need to focus on self-awareness and be proactive on our efforts to create a brave and inclusive environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute without fear of being ignored or dismissed
Awareness of one’s own privileges involves an honest and reflective understanding of our advantages, opportunities, and access to resources that are often inherent to race, gender, socio-economic background, or other characteristics This reflective approach should be paired up with a commitment to actively seek input and perspectives from individuals who may not have the same privileges as us or who belong to underrepresented groups or communities
This fundamental is a call to action for everyone in our school to use their position and influence to amplify voices that might have been marginalized or historically silenced If we are to truly take responsibility for including all voices, we must advocate for policies and practices that promote equity (a choice) within our team and we need to continue to support initiatives that rectify systemic biases and foster diversity, inclusion (an action), and belonging (the desired outcome)
As we strive for inclusive excellence, we should keep in mind Justin Young’s statement that “the fact that we are all different is the one thing we all have in common ” I hope you take some time this week to reflect on this fundamental and take personal responsibility for bringing it to life The measure of our success relies deeply on our ability to create a work environment that thrives on the power of diversity
Have a great week,
Dean Altiere
PS: Click to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more
DeanRalphAltiere
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
As we start the last week of February, I invite you to reflect and further explore the Fundamental #4 Act with Integrity This behavior made it to our designed culture because our actions and the nature of what we do on a regular basis – teaching, scholarship, clinical care, and service – emphasize the importance of unwavering honesty and ethical conduct in every facet of our lives It’s a deeper perspective into what distinguishes integrity from what we see as “acceptable,” which can vary from person to person It’s also a commitment to “doing the right thing” at all times and a dedication to rectifying mistakes with sincerity and accountability
Integrity is a foundational value upon which trust and a thriving academic community are built. During one of the townhalls I hosted to gather your feedback on our culture, I heard concerns about the possibility that this fundamental would be perceived as “accusatory,” as if our community is not already exhibiting this behavior I would like to clarify that my intention is not to cast doubt, but to collectively promote an environment that uplifts and reinforces the high standards we continue to set for ourselves as a school
Fundamental #4: Act With Integrity
Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to acting honestly and ethically in everything you do and every decision you make, especially when no one is looking Be truthful, no matter the consequences If you make a mistake, own up to it, sincerely apologize, and make it right.
David Friedman, the author of “Culture by Design,” introduced me to a video that brings this concept to life in a very clear way The video was about a tennis match between Jack Sock and Leighton Hewitt After the umpire called one of Hewitt's serves a fault, Sock told Hewitt to challenge it because he thought the shot was actually in Astonished, Hewitt challenged, and upon further review, the umpire reversed the call, costing Sock the point Did Sock have to do this?
Of course not The rules didn't require him to tell his opponent to challenge, even if he thought the shot was in But his principle of integrity and the importance of honesty left him no choice but to do the “right thing ”
This fundamental is a call for us to be truthful, even when faced with challenging consequences When a mistake is made, we must hold ourselves accountable to rectifying it with sincerity and to take full responsibility for our actions. Admitting a misstep and making amends is a testament to personal and professional growth. The "even when no one's looking" portion of this fundamental requires us to look inwards and rely on our moral code. Rules tell us what we can or cannot do, but principles tell us what we should or shouldn't do Moreover, what we say and do matters when the spotlight is on us and, more importantly, when no one is watching
I have included “Act with Integrity” in our list of fundamentals because I want to express our commitment to ethical behavior for all to see. Thank you for making it one of the pillars of our culture.
Enjoy your week!
Ralph Altierre
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Good morning, SSPPS Community,
This fundamental may be the easiest one for me to write about, as the only constant I have witnessed throughout my time in our school is change and growth I joined the school in 1987 as the 17th faculty member Fourteen of us were researchers on the Boulder campus where our school was founded and only three were clinical faculty members at the former Health Sciences Center in Denver
My interview with the clinical faculty took place in the basement of an old house on Colorado Boulevard across from the campus with a 100-watt bare light bulb in the ceiling Shortly after, the clinical faculty were “moved up” to a trailer on the campus itself
Fundamental #5: Embrace Change and Growth
Move outside your comfort zone and adapt to new ways of doing tasks when necessary for progress. What got us here is different from what will get us to the next level Be optimistic by the possibilities that change, innovation, and growth bring. Be flexible, express enthusiasm, and foster a growth mindset
Many dramatic changes and growth occurred in our school over the last three-plus decades to build the programs and recruit the faculty, staff, and students we have today I encourage you to look at this timeline with some photos showing many of our changes since the early-1990's
We have now entered the next chapter of our school and it’s being influenced by many factors, including a nationally declining number of applicants, continued repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on all of us, and a new generation of students, to name a few What will determine our continued success as a school is how we choose to face these challenges We can opt to see them as growth opportunities that can propel us to new heights or as deterministic barriers that will prevent us from moving forward
The bottom line is change will always happen whether we accept it or not Clearly, the future belongs to those who embrace growth and change and that is the challenge we now face together When I interviewed for the deanship, I advocated for an increased number of faculty members to allow everyone the time to fulfill their academic responsibilities and reach their personal goals and full potential I remain committed to that same goal today And this commitment brings us to the second part of this fundamental: We must embrace strategic growth if we wish to meet our ambitious aspirations
Can we meet the current challenges from education, research, clinical practice, and the demands of society?
The answer is “yes,” if we work together It will take a complete team effort, and we can do it We must adopt a growth mindset as a strategic advantage to continue our history of innovation, adaptability, and collective advancement
Have another great week!
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Good morning, SSPPS Community,
This fundamental is a call for openness in communication among our teams – whether they are committees, projects, staff, or faculty meetings – with the ultimate objective of sharing information for the collective benefit of our community
However, as I’ve spoken about before, we must always consider transparency in the context of confidentiality Transparency builds trust within a team, which is only achievable if we respect and uphold confidentiality We must manage sensitive information in the academic environment – such as personal and academic records and other proprietary information – with the utmost discretion As shared governance is a foundational function of the academy, I’m committed to fostering a work environment that upholds individual privacy, balanced with promoting a culture of transparency, integrity, and professionalism
Fundamental #6: Act with Transparency With appropriate respect for confidentiality, share information freely throughout your team The more people know, the better they can collaborate Learn to ask yourself, “Who else needs to know this?” Engage other parties as appropriate prior to making final decisions The more people understand the reason for what is being done, the more actively they can participate in the solution
Further, our fundamentals are interconnected, and “Act with Transparency” is closely linked to “Take a Positive Approach,” “Collaborate,” “Find a Way,” and “Focus on the Team ” This interconnection underlies the notion that transparency is a two-way street, which we all must practice in our interactions with each other
I find the call of asking ourselves "Who needs to know this?" particularly useful It encourages us to be mindful of the relevance of information to different stakeholders By taking that into consideration, we avoid burdening colleagues with details or facts not essential to their work It also promotes efficiency and avoids unnecessary clutter or confusion If applied well, this fundamental keeps team members better informed to collaborate more efficiently and effectively
As I reflect on “Act with Transparency,” the notion of inclusivity comes to mind as well, specifically when it calls for “engaging other parties before making final decisions ” I see this as a recognition of the value of a participatory decision-making process which not only enriches the quality of our decisions but also ensures clear reasoning behind choices, so we can move forward as a unified front
I’m not saying we can or will agree or vote on every decision made in our school There are times when we must comply with new or changed policies at the governmental, university, or campus levels, or program accreditation requirements that necessitate timely administrative decisions and actions At other times, faculty and staff input is essential for collaborative decisions, such as curricular revisions, policy development, and programmatic innovations Transparency and shared governance foster a sense of ownership and commitment among team members
I hope that we continue to set the stage for a positive and collaborative atmosphere within our school The better we get at being transparent, the closer we get to creating a community that communicates effectively and works together harmoniously towards common goals
Have another great week!
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
Fundamental #7: Listen Generously
When our intention is to genuinely listen to understand, we are more likely to give our undivided attention to the person speaking For that to happen, we need to be present in the moment and reduce distractions as much as possible It is challenging to listen when we are constantly getting “pulled away” by our electronics, emails, other people, and, most frequently, the thoughts in our own head Most of us are often talking to ourselves as we try to listen, anticipating what others are going to say, or prematurely formulating arguments or responses to be given once the other person is done talking All of these actions prevent us from fully receiving and understanding the message To avoid just hearing, we should strive to set aside personal biases and preconceived notions to make room for truly comprehending what is being communicated
Listen actively by giving others your undivided attention, and by being present and engaged Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Minimize distractions and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Suspend your judgment and be curious to know more, rather than jumping to conclusions. Above all, listen to understand.
Sometimes we interpret listening as simply giving others the chance to “have their say ” That happens more frequently when our minds are made up already, but we feel compelled to allow the other person to express themselves Listening generously requires that we’re truly open to the possibility that we might shift our point of view based on what the person says It doesn’t require that we agree with them or that we, in fact, do change our point of view It only calls for a genuine openness to that possibility based on the new knowledge we might gain from the dialogue
Curiosity is also a powerful strategy that may enhance our listening skills When entering a conversation with genuine interest in the other person’s perspective or experiences, we become more inclined to ask open-ended questions, to seek detailed responses, and to take context into consideration The idea of suspending judgment and fostering curiosity reminded me of an article by Harvard Business Review titled "The Surprising Power of Questions " This piece explores how asking questions, rather than immediately expressing agreement or disagreement, encourages a deeper understanding of others' perspectives This approach is aligned with the idea of being curious to know more before drawing conclusions
The word “generously” in this Fundamental is an intentional word choice Listening generously means that we’re listening for the contribution in what someone else is saying It’s assuming positive intent and looking for the most positive interpretation of what they’re communicating I hope our community embraces this fundamental as a sincere desire to comprehend others That will prompt heightened attention, the formulation of insightful questions, the pursuit of clarity, and a more profound engagement among our team members
Read this short story about the power of listening generously in healthcare that saved a woman’s life And, for a funnier look into the true meaning of this fundamental, view the video above
Thank you for your commitment to supporting a culture of generous listening at SSPPS!
Have a great week,
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
This week’s fundamental – “Invest in Relationships” –encourages each of us to move beyond professional interactions and genuinely connect with our colleagues on a personal level In this fast-paced world where the emphasis is on tangible accomplishments and material gains, cultivating strong relationships is sometimes overlooked Emails and virtual communications have been dominating the ways in which we connect, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic While emails serve their purpose and are a valuable instrument in our communication toolbox, the core elements of understanding and connecting with one another go beyond reading words and seeing faces on a screen
Fundamental #9: Invest in Relationships
Make a bona fide effort to know your colleagues on a more personal level. Talk more and email less Understand what’s important to others Strong relationships enhance our daily experience and enable us to work through difficult issues and challenging times more successfully
At the heart of building meaningful rapport with our closest network of colleagues is understanding what's important to them, their personal values, and interests Creating opportunities to be together and engaging in conversations that go beyond work-related topics promote genuine connections During our 2024 Unite to Ignite Faculty and Staff Retreat, we worked with the CU Anschutz Learning and Development team to identify how to best meet the emotional needs of those around us through the Appreciation in the Workplace workshop By recognizing and appreciating our diverse priorities, we can strengthen our relationships and create a more collaborative work environment
We now know how each of our colleagues prefers to be appreciated in the workplace For example, I prefer to spend quality time and receive acts of service and my lowest preference is to receive gifts, according to the survey we filled out in preparation for that workshop That information will be shared with supervisors, so they can put it to good use as they foster stronger bonds within their teams
Investing in relationships is not only about the “CU SSPPS Way,” but also a strategic imperative for our success as a school During challenging times, strong relationships can be a source of a vital support system for researchers, clinicians, faculty, and staff alike As Emma Seppälä and Nicole McNichols eloquently described in their paper, The Power of Healthy Relationships at Work, “we feel inspired when we are reminded that we are not alone in our endeavors and that our experiences are not ours alone to struggle through ” It turns out deeper connections with colleagues can also boost our well-being and confidence in relation to our work We should never underestimate the value of fostering meaningful relationships with people we can grow with – personally and professionally
By recognizing and appreciating our diverse priorities, we can strengthen our relationships and create a more collaborative work environment.
By investing in relationships with our peers, we enhance our professional lives and contribute to our team's overall success and well-being I encourage each of us to take the initiative to engage in meaningful conversations, understand the unique qualities of our colleagues, and foster an environment where genuine connections thrive
Have a great week,
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
As humans, we all are susceptible to committing errors, omissions, or misunderstandings that lead to problems Most often, these are inadvertent and not done purposefully We need to practice grace in such circumstances and center our energy on how to best move forward from the challenge at hand
Fundamental #10: Blameless Problem Solving
Focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems or making accusatory statements Identify lessons learned to improve yourself and our processes so the same mistakes are not made twice Get smarter with every mistake Learn from every experience
When a problem arises, we have two immediate options –assign blame or focus on solving the problem Going down the blame route does not help rectify any mistake It is actually counterproductive because ascription of blame saps the energy and focus that should be directed at coming up with solutions or mitigating the impact of mistakes that have been made Additionally, as author Robert Anthony, PhD, said, “when you blame others, you give up your power to change ”
Once we successfully address the problem, the next step should be to debrief and analyze the situation to understand what happened, including speaking to those directly involved or affected by the problem, and what led to the problem happening in the first place Next, if applicable, we need to make any necessary changes to policies and procedures that may have contributed to the problem occurring That will ensure the patching of potential loopholes in our system, so we can minimize the likelihood of it happening again In sum, this fundamental is about becoming more productive and efficient at work by focusing on solving the problem, analyzing what led to it and applying our learning to improve our processes and avoid repetition of the same mistake
If instead, we focus on blaming an individual or group of individuals, we establish an environment that leads to a negative impact on performance People might act defensively in response, making excuses or passing the blame onto someone else – all counterproductive to solving the problem This scenario creates an atmosphere that stifles innovation, improvement, and progress because people will tend to deflect responsibility, always worried about making a mistake Worse yet, people might start to cover up problems and mistakes instead of raising concerns so that problems can solved A blaming environment leads to degradation of organizational effectiveness because we cannot fix problems if they are hidden
One important point is we cannot equate blameless problem-solving with lack of accountability Accepting responsibility and committing to not repeating a mistake is often needed for finding an effective and lasting reparative action If an individual or team continually acts in a manner that leads to problems and we have addressed how the problems occurred rather than who caused the problems but to no avail, we must make sure that individuals are held accountable for their decisions to continue to hinder our collective progress Accountability is one of the 8 steps listed in the Culture by Design framework and it will be further addressed later in our implementation process
Blameless problem-solving leads to an open environment to see everything we do as a learning experience and chance to improve what we do individually and collectively It encourages everyone to call attention to problems, contribute to solving those problems and build a better and more inclusive culture
Have a great week,
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
This week we are taking time to reflect on our culture Fundamental # 12 Make the Most of Each Day Although the focus of our CU Pharmacy Way is on workplace relationships, I believe this fundamental should also be a guiding principle of our approach to life in general
Fundamental #12:
Make the Most of Each Day
Have a passion for what you do and be fully engaged Approach every task with energy, focus, and purpose. Work with a sense of commitment to complete tasks
One of the things that enables us to make the most of each day is to be passionate about what we do Our school has been elevated to new heights – 15th top school of pharmacy among the USNWR Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy Ranking – through your hard work and dedication I am confident that what sets us apart as a school is the passion each of us demonstrates for what we do Understanding the purpose and impact of our work infuses our daily tasks with meaning and fulfillment It's that feeling of passion that helps keep us engaged and focused on the path forward, even on the most challenging days or on work that might seem unsurmountable
The idea of having a passion for what we do can falsely lead us to believe that being productive at work at all times is an indispensable requirement for efficiency In a world driven by fast-paced demands and increasing complexity of tasks, high productivity is frequently considered a crucial factor for individual and organizational success However, this concept fails to acknowledge that no one can be at their most productive mode every day Recognizing this truth is essential for us to develop a workplace culture that honors individual contributions to a larger societal purpose without losing sight of other personal priorities
We are human, subject to fluctuations in energy, mood, and capacity Understanding and respecting our boundaries is as crucial as striving for excellence Sometimes, making the most of each day means acknowledging when to press forward with determination or when to take a step back, perhaps even taking a day off to recharge and recalibrate We all need proper rest to fully engage in our day
It’s up to each of us to choose how we want to make each day count Being able to tie small day-to-day tasks back to a greater goal is key to staying motivated, even when you know you are not operating at your best It’s not only about what you do each day that counts, but also about what you decide not to do Being selective about the important things in your work and then trying to remove distractors that will prevent you from achieving your goals for the day might be a worthy strategy to help you make the most of each day
In conclusion, our ability to see the good in our work, regardless of our individual areas of practice and expertise, is what makes us one of the greatest schools in the nation Let’s continue to face every day as an opportunity to make a difference, to do something worthwhile, to enjoy what we do, to prioritize self-care, and to live our professional and personal lives to the fullest
I hope you make the most of this week!
Regards,
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear
SSPPS Community,
When people think about excellence in the academic world, many elements come to mind, such as the quality of the work we do, the high-quality care provided to patients, the recognition of innovation and impact through grants and publications While these are very important elements of demonstrated excellence, the real power of it lies in the potential societal impact of our work, through the transformational influence of education, service, and new scientific discoveries
Fundamental #13: Strive For Excellence
Take pride in the quality of everything you do Always ask yourself “Is this my best work?” As a school, we want to be the best at what we collectively do, which means that we must strive to be the best at what we each do
Why should each of us strive for excellence? Is it to reach a goal or outcome? That is a laudable reason and helps us personally and the organization for which we work But what is next once we achieve that goal or outcome? Another goal or outcome set by ourselves or someone else? And the cycle continues
The other, more powerful driver for striving for excellence is ourselves, our own personal commitment to excellence no matter what we are doing Producing high quality work matters because it is a deeply rooted intrinsic value, something that drives you and that you take pride in Like integrity, you act that way even when no one is looking because it is your deep-seated personal value The same is true for striving for excellence You do it when no one is looking because it is so important to you, it matters to you
When we are surrounded by others striving for excellence it sets a standard and helps all of us to do better No matter what role you play, striving for excellence driven by a personal commitment makes an invaluable contribution to the success of our school, its programs, students, and each other
It is not surprising that Strive for Excellence received the highest score in our Culture by Design baseline survey We are surrounded by people who do this every day and the reason why we are now recognized as the 15th ranked pharmacy school in the country and why we were a significant part of a national CNBC program on life sciences in the Denver-Boulder metro area
With that said, we can look forward to continued growth in our efforts to rise to new heights in all of our mission areas through new hires that are on the horizon No matter what positions we seek to fill in the months and years ahead, we should be mindful to attract and retain individuals who have this internal drive for excellence while working with others to bring new energy that can elevate all of us to reach new heights
Have an excellent week,
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
This week we are further exploring Fundamental #14: Take a Positive Approach When I think about the most successful relationships that I have developed with work colleagues, there is a common trait among them: their attitude and approach to work What sets a person apart as a great teammate are not only their knowledge and professional skills, but mainly their attitude, the way they face challenges, and how they relate to others
Fundamental #14: Take a Positive Approach
You have the power to choose your attitude
Strive to be authentically positive – your attitude affects and influences others Act with optimism, be approachable, and be welcoming to others Give people the benefit of the doubt Bring your “best self” to every day and every task
Attitude is a combination of behaviors, mindset, work ethic, determination, and ability to find hope and agency in the midst of hindrances People with positive attitude are more pleasant to work with because they tend to be more proactive, creative, and handle everyday challenges in a constructive way This observation highlights the profound impact our attitudes can have on both ourselves and those around us Taking a positive approach can be a decisive factor for an individual’s success at any work environment
Research in neuroscience and positive psychology consistently underscore the benefits of maintaining a positive outlook, which can be an innate characteristic or a strength developed throughout life As I imagine you might have experienced firsthand in your professional career, both positivity and negativity among work colleagues can be contagious The key to keeping a positive attitude at work is recognizing that, while you can’t always influence what happens to you, you can definitely choose your attitude
It’s like in a podcast (linked from the image below) from the Happiness Lab, “Marty kills rats [for a living] but if you asked him what his job is he’d say it was ‘solving problems’ and ‘helping people ’ How we view our work can contribute greatly to our daily levels of happiness…” Each of us has the ability and the choice to bring our "best self" to every interaction and task
In the book "The Happiness Advantage," Shawn Achor emphasizes several actions and principles that can help us create – instead of pursue – a more positive work environment, including: training our brains to scan our surroundings and world for opportunities and ideas that allow our success to grow, capitalizing on the downs to build upwards momentum, investing and relying on our social support as our single greatest asset, and practicing conscious acts of kindness, exactly as many of our culture fundamentals encourage us to do
I hope we continue to choose to have an attitude towards work – and life, in general – that allows us to see opportunities where others see difficulties It is our ability to look for the positive in every situation that gives us our unique competitive edge as a school
Warm regards,
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear
SSPPS Community,
Fundamental #15: Honor Commitments
Do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’ll do it If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, notify others as soon as possible and agree on a new deliverable to be honored Hold yourself accountable for honoring your commitment
Honoring commitments is a laudable goal that we all strive to achieve and most of us do so most of the time In fact, this Fundamental scored highly on our baseline survey, indicating that as a whole we are meeting our obligations when it comes to our commitments For us, they include honoring our responsibilities related to our mission areas in teaching, clinical care, and research, which we all do with rare exceptions It also involves providing reports or other documents in a timely manner and being on time for in-person or phone/Zoom calls and meetings whether they are with an individual or a group
At times, we do not succeed in honoring our commitments for various reasons One reason this happens is because we are overbooked Another may be that when asked, we prefer to agree and say yes to a request instead of having a conversation about whether it is a realistic expectation within a given timeframe Or we have every intent to meet the commitment we made, but get busy with other work – some of which may be unexpected – and the commitment is placed on a lower priority Or it may be that there are multiple people or offices involved, meaning you cannot meet your commitment until someone else does
The solutions to all of these are two-fold: organization and communication Some of us are great organizers, some of us not so much For those of us in the latter category, we need to make a special effort to focus our organization around our commitments In all cases, communication is paramount If something prevents you from honoring your commitment, communicate with others involved to inform them of your situation and adjust the timeline for completion or other mutually agreeable alternate commitment If you miss a commitment completely, contact others involved, apologize and ask what you can do to make up for your absence
In my world, when there is a meeting I cannot attend,
e g , campus Deans’ meeting, I inform the organizer of the reason for my absence In another instance that happened a couple of months ago, I missed a meeting altogether because I was off by an hour I immediately contacted the organizer to apologize and ask what I needed to do Whatever the circumstance, the bottom line is timely communication, and we control that communication
In all cases, communication is paramount.
Honoring commitments is essential to the operations and success of any organization, ours included Keep up the good work you already do in honoring your commitments and strive to become even better when you fall short
Have another great week!
Dean Altiere
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THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
Fundamental #17: Help Others Succeed In our busy day-to-day lives, it can be easy to simply place our attention on what we need to do to succeed in whatever it is we’re working on Fulfilling our responsibilities often can make us inwardly focused and somewhat disconnected from those around us
Take responsibility, both formally and informally, to coach, guide, and mentor others Help others grow and succeed The best way to influence others is through your own example
This week’s fundamental is a reminder that our individual success both contributes to and is enhanced by the collective success of our team That’s why it’s so important to help others succeed –whether that be in the classroom, the lab, the clinical setting, or the office – through any number of ways – regardless of the time and effort it takes. That is a responsibility we all share individually and collectively Whether we think about it or not, a part of everyone’s individual legacy is what they have done, even in a small way, to help someone else succeed in their life
Sharing knowledge, experiences, and insights can significantly aid someone else's journey For example, if you’re a more-seasoned employee, take the time to coach a new hire If you used a teaching aid that has helped you, pass it along to others Our upcoming mentorship program goal is for us to help others in our school be successful. Collaborative teams who share ideas and best practices can tackle complex problems more efficiently and effectively, leading to better outcomes
“The number one rule of helping people should be to find out what’s actually valuable to someone.”
Forbes Magazine
One of the most impactful ways to help others succeed doesn’t even require any extra time or effort The simple act of leading by example can be very influential We all encounter many individuals in our lives who help shape who we are from our parents and family to friends, teammates, teachers, colleagues, or people in the news They may have provided us with advice directly or we simply have observed them and, for me, placed them in one of two categories – what to do and what not to do – because both are meaningful and valuable in helping shape your life
Being mindful that others are observing you acting in a manner that is helpful to others can be the best gift you can give to others to succeed If those around you can see what you do every day to be successful and well-respected in your role, they build similar habits and work styles that will help them reach their own aspirations
Our school’s success is dependent on fostering an environment where everyone can achieve their goals In a world in which individual accomplishments are often highlighted, it's important to remember that our true strength lies in our ability to uplift and support one another
Regards,
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
THE CU PHARMACYWay
Dear SSPPS Community,
Expectations are an everyday occurrence in our lives and they are contextual We expect clean water to come out of our faucets, electricity and internet service to be delivered to our homes, clean air to breathe, fuel for our vehicles, food at the grocery store, and buses, trains, and airlines to be on schedule We become upset and frustrated when these expectations aren’t met
Fundamental #20: Get Clear on Expectations
Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing needs and expectations upfront Set expectations for others and ask when you’re unclear about what they expect of you End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates
The same applies to our professional lives, emphasizing the need to be clear on what those expectations are We have expectations of our students, commonly expressed in course syllabi; are they clear to all of our students? They have expectations of us, but do we have first-hand knowledge of those expectations? Patients have expectations regarding the care they receive from their providers and also from researchers who are working on effective treatments for their illnesses; are we meeting those expectations? When we serve on school or campus committees, do we know what is expected of us in general and specifically prior to each meeting and what actions we are expected to follow through on resulting from those meetings? Similarly, for staff, faculty, leadership, and lab meetings, is there clarity and follow through on all action items emanating from them? Setting those expectations and holding ourselves accountable makes for smoother and more productive team efforts
I met with our department chairs midway through 2023 to establish expectations for the faculty in preparation for the 2023 evaluations using the new format we received from central HR They sought input from other members of their teams in completing that task We then published those expectations so all faculty members would know them in each area of the annual evaluation It is the first time we set out those expectations, and we will improve them over time as we gain more experience and incorporate feedback into them
The very Culture by Design Fundamentals we established and vetted through you – our faculty and staff – in 2023, set out the expectations we have of ourselves and others as they relate to the culture we wish to have in our school They are informed by the expectations the Regents have for us in their laws and policies and what the public expects from us As we continue to implement the remaining areas of the Culture by Design program, we will further define and establish our school culture and what we expect from each other
This week, as you go about your work, keep in mind the expectations you have of yourself and others and those that others have of you Take time to think about whether they are clear and readily measurable or if they need further refinement
Have another great week!
Dean Altiere
Go here to learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, retreat photos, culture resources, and more.
Fundamental #1: Act with Kindness
Our relationships go deeper than simply being colleagues as faculty, staff, and students. We genuinely care for and about each other. Choose your words wisely and be considerate of others. Show your compassion, whether it’s a kind word during a tough stretch, a friendly smile each morning, or a helping hand in stressful times.
Dear SSPPS Community, I’m the first of the executive team to take the baton from Dean Altiere and write our weekly fundamental and addressing each of our school’s 24 Fundamentals. I’ve found that I really enjoy reading and reflecting upon each week’s Fundamental message on Monday morning to understand its meaning how I can do a better job in incorporating that principle into my daily routine. In thinking about kindness, I always try to remember the difference between being “nice” and being “kind.” Being nice isn’t a bad thing, but it reminds me of being scolded when I was younger to “be nice,” which really meant to mind my manners, live up to expectations, and avoid conflict. Being kind is much deeper than that. When acting in a kind manner, we aren’t being kind in order to be liked. We do so because we are genuinely looking to help others. Kind people act with compassion and empathy but are also able to stand up for themselves and others.
In my time here at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy, I’ve experienced a few life challenges, including the death of a spouse. While I strive to remain positive in both my work and personal life, there were definitely some tough days. The kindness and support I experienced from faculty, staff, and students are things for which I am eternally grateful.
I’d encourage you all this week to give some thought to whether you are just being nice or are you truly being kind. A friendly smile and a sincere good morning greeting really does go a long way. Regards, Gina Moore
Fundamental #2: Be Student-Centered
Make a personal commitment to learn about student needs and support their success. Create opportunities that enhance and engage them in their learning experience. Focus on how best to support students to ensure long-term success and a strong educational reputation.
Dear SSPPS Community,
As I reflect on this fundamental, I imagine that being student-centered is a concept at the core of the world of academia It also made me reflect on the reasons that drove my desire to be a part of academia I wanted to help better the environment to help others learn, because learning is so much more than just taking a class. It’s more than just a teacher or professor giving you concepts to imbibe. It’s a way to grow knowledge and, most important to me, understanding. Plus, I would like to think Ms. Frizzle was very student-centric, and she was quite the role model to me.
This also transcends learning a particular topic but learning from one another I wanted to be a professional who cultivated an environment where people felt safe to learn and fail, in hopes to better themselves Thinking back on my time in the Army, my most enjoyable moments were seeing when servicemembers truly understood the importance of education and training, and were able to apply it to real-time situations. I also saw that if my Soldiers didn’t feel they were able to learn in an environment, it wasn’t as easy to teach and train.
I feel it’s important to be student-centered and to remember that we’re creating an environment that supports success and enhances the educational experience We, as academic professionals, can make education, learning, and ultimately understanding, more collaborative, engaging, and rewarding We can help foster a student’s love for the pursuit of learning- even failure -- and help them stay engaged as they progress. Regardless of your role, we can make Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science a dynamic and collaborative environment that embraces the wonder of learning.
Let’s make this week a great week, Kayla Bethea
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Fundamental #3: Embrace Diversity.
Value the unique attributes each person brings to the team. Be open to and acknowledge the value of the diverse ideas and perspectives of others, no matter what role they have. Be aware of your own privilege and take responsibility for including all voices. We make better decisions and gain deeper insight when multiple perspectives are considered.
Dear SSPPS Community,
What’s all the buzz around the missing B in DEI?
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have long been considered the focus of a positive workplace culture However, these qualities alone do not suffice. Belonging (B), a feeling of being a valued member of the community has often been the missing ingredient in academic workplaces like ours which thrive on innovation, problem-solving, and learning. Creating a welcoming environment and culture for individuals with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences fosters productivity, collaboration, and innovation in all we do. Whereas the D in DEIB is measurable, the qualitative and subjective nature of the missing B poses the biggest challenge for data-centric individuals amongst us in higher education The missing B is often cited as one reason for the “leaky pipeline,” which has hemorrhaged women academics as a function of seniority over decades, caused concern for safety in the LGBTQ community, and resulted in dismal numbers of learners and faculty of color in higher education
Our year-long Culture by Design project has focused on many good practices and habits we have collectively prioritized to develop and ritualize a positive culture However, our ultimate goal should be to ensure that no one in our school is missing B so that we create the richest culture for all of us to thrive in A recent pushback against DEIB work throughout the country has exacerbated the alienation many in our community feel. The onus of addressing the missing B lies on each of our shoulders. What actionable steps can we take to put the B in DEIB? Given the breath-taking talent, skills, and dedication of our faculty, staff, and learners, we can find potential ways in which each individual gains the missing B. Each of us has points of privilege that can be leveraged towards those who are historically marginalized, first-generation learners, differently-abled, and minoritized This week, please take time to offer allyship and extend a sense of B to those you encounter until no one is left Behind Let’s Embrace DEIB
Warmly,
Dr Manisha Patel
Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, Professor
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Fundamental #4: Act with Integrity
Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to acting honestly and ethically in everything you do and every decision you make, especially when no one is looking. Be truthful, no matter the consequences. If you make a mistake, own up to it, sincerely apologize, and make it right.
Dear SSPPS Community,
As I took time to reflect on Fundamental #4: Act with Integrity, I thought about the different ways I strive to embody these behaviors with colleagues, collaborators, mentees, and when working independently. This principle is essential to every facet of our school and profession.
What I focused on most for myself is the type of role model that I want to be and what “acting with integrity” really looks like when I’m interacting with others and working independently. To me, this means treating others with respect, taking the time to thank people for their efforts, confidently addressing issues that need attention, fostering an environment for open and honest discussions, promoting flexibility and adaptability when plans change, and admitting mistakes or recognizing overcommitment. I still struggle a lot with this last one �. These collective behaviors are critical for building effective relationships with students, trainees, colleagues, and collaborators, and ultimately for establishing a healthy environment for our institution to continue to grow in the future.
As we move into this next week, I invite each of you to think about how you are practicing this fundamental in daily interactions and encourage you to set a goal to continue to evolve in this space.
Sincerely,
Kristina Brooks
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Fundamental #5: Embrace Change and Growth
Move outside your comfort zone and adapt to new ways of doing tasks when necessary for progress. What got us here is different from what will get us to the next level. Be optimistic by the possibilities that change, innovation, and growth will bring. Be flexible, express enthusiasm, and foster a growth mindset.
Dear SSPPS Faculty and Staff,
In the ever-evolving landscape of pharmacy education, embracing growth and change is not just a necessity but an opportunity for us to thrive and innovate As Simon Sinek eloquently explains in his YouTube video Navigate and Embrace Change, change can often evoke fear and resistance According to Sinek, “by adopting an infinite mindset, we can view change as a chance to improve, adapt, and lead our students towards a brighter future.” By targeting early adopters within our community, we can create a ripple effect that encourages others to join in and embrace new methodologies and technologies.
Change is the cornerstone of progress. It allows us to reassess our current practices, identify areas for improvement, and implement innovative solutions that enhance our educational offerings By fostering a culture that welcomes change, we empower ourselves and our students to stay ahead in a rapidly advancing field As educators, researchers, and those who support education and research, our willingness to adapt and grow sets a powerful example for our students, demonstrating the importance of lifelong learning and resilience in the face of uncertainty.
Let us seize this moment to embrace growth and change with enthusiasm and optimism. Together, we can navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, ensuring that our school of pharmacy remains at the forefront of academic excellence and innovation By working collaboratively and supporting one another, we can create an environment where change is not feared but celebrated as a vital component of our collective success We have been successful in implementing change in the past and can do this again! Matter of fact, we can do it better than we ever have.
Sincerely,
Joseph Saseen PharmD, BCPS, BCACP, CLS
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Professor
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Fundamental #6: Act with Transparency
With appropriate respect for confidentiality, share information freely throughout your team. The more people know, the better they can collaborate. Learn to ask yourself, “Who else needs to know this?” Engage other parties as appropriate prior to making final decisions. The more people understand the reason for what is being done, the more actively they can participate in the solution.
Dear SSPPS Community,
As I reflect on Fundamental #6: Act with Transparency, and how we implement it at our school and in higher education more broadly, along with completing a four-year tenure as Staff Council Chair for the entire Anschutz campus, I feel I have a unique perspective. In my journey with shared governance, my opinion on transparency has evolved. Initially, I believed transparency meant simply sharing the data behind a decision. However, I soon realized that providing data alone does not foster a true understanding of the processes and policies involved. The common misconception is that transparency will automatically lead to quicker adoption and reduced resistance, but this assumption often proves to be flawed
My view of transparency has grown and has become linked with a few other fundamentals: #20 Get clear on expectations and #21 Deliberate and decide
If you are trying to be transparent, consider this:
•
•
• Be clear when communicating your expectations and what you need from your audience Are you informing (one-way communication) OR are you requesting action/soliciting input?
If you are asking for input, be sure to be considerate and listen to the feedback I find it very helpful to be clear if there is a deadline allowing you to deliberate & decide!
If you're seeking transparency on a particular topic, be sure to collaborate with decision-makers to gain insight into the underlying process, and consider:
•
• Understanding that there may be situationally specific topics that may not allow full transparency, but if you are talking to the decision-makers ask if they can explain the ‘why not’ Clearly stating your end goal surrounding the topic you’re seeking transparency on can help.
I challenge everyone to think of actions to become more transparent in their respective areas, it’s harder than you think!
Sincerely,
Andrew Rotz | MBA, MS
Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations
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Fundamental #7: Listen Generously
Listen actively by giving others your undivided attention, and by being present and engaged. Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Minimize distractions and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Suspend your judgment and be curious to know more, rather than jumping to conclusions. Above all, listen to understand.
Dear SSPPS Community,
I invite you to reflect on a time when you felt genuinely heard and understood. How would you describe that feeling? When I posed this question to my 4-year-old daughter, she responded with a simple “good.” Her succinct answer captures the essence beautifully and it’s likely that most of us would agree; being recognized and understood just feels good The desire to be thoroughly heard, acknowledged, and deeply comprehended is a shared human experience Active listening is the key to fulfilling this need Without this crucial skill, it’s challenging to build and sustain healthy relationships. By listening intentionally and attentively, we validate others’ worth, build trust, and foster a sense of safety, paving the way for greater openness, connection, and stronger bonds. With my background in social work, I hold a profound respect for the significant role and impact of active listening. It’s a complex skill that demands the development of numerous supplementary abilities, such as regulating our emotions, creating a supportive environment, being attuned to both verbal and non-verbal cues, and mirroring to confirm comprehension. Central to these is selfawareness, which enhances our insight into our own and others’ behaviors. A good listener is aware of their default listening style as well as other listening approaches and applies them appropriately to fit the situation For instance, I’ve noticed my tendency for pseudo-listening, particularly when multitasking I’ve learned that my focus is sharpest when I’m fully engaged Self-awareness allows us to evaluate our strengths and weaknesses, pinpointing areas for growth and taking action to improve
As I reflect on the 24 fundamentals, it’s clear that active listening is integral to their effective application. The vibrant, productive, and high-performing culture we strive for is attainable only through a collective dedication to truly listen to each other. By withholding judgment, setting aside our egos and personal biases, and embracing the diverse array of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives that surround us, we all stand to gain It is my sincere wish that we all make a conscious effort to incorporate minor, yet significant, daily improvements in our pursuit of becoming more mindful and engaged listeners
Happy Tuesday!
Dora Safoh Wilson, MSW
Assistant Director of Student Engagement Office of Student Services
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Fundamental #8: Speak Openly
Professional, respectful sharing of thoughts, ideas, and especially issues is critical for future success. Speak honestly in a way that helps to make progress. Say what you mean, and be willing to ask questions or raise issues, even if they may cause controversy, without losing sight of respectful, professional dialog. Whenever possible, address issues directly with those who are involved or affected. Take responsibility for creating a safe and respectful environment where these conversations can happen.
Dear SSPPS Community, In the realm of effective workplace communication, "speaking openly" is a fundamental that transcends the simple act of "telling it like it is." This principle is not merely about the transparency of one’s thoughts, but also deeply considers the perspective and receptiveness of the listener. It demands a commitment to integrity (Fundamental #4), ensuring that honesty underpins every comment and the courage to speak truth to power. This situation can be difficult, as colleagues may hesitate to speak candidly due to concerns about retaliation or hurting someone's feelings. While this reaction is somewhat understandable, it can lead to negative outcomes. These include missed opportunities to enhance our culture through open idea exchange and the risk of individuals feeling undervalued if they withhold their thoughts.
Reflecting on my own experiences, I recall the tendency to sugar-coat feedback, driven by a concern for others' feelings. However, as educators, we have a responsibility to communicate openly and effectively, and sugar-coating doesn’t help build the culture we want to see. Also, when we consider impactful figures in our lives—teachers, coaches, and mentors—their success stemmed from their honesty, delivering their insights with clarity and purpose, not to discomfort, but to foster growth and understanding.
Speaking Openly must be balanced with an awareness of the recipient’s background, challenges, and views. Assuming to fully understand someone else’s experiences can be an oversight, as personal and professional landscapes vary greatly. To bridge this gap, listening generously (Fundamental #7) becomes crucial. It involves more than hearing words; it's about engaging with and reflecting on the underlying messages and emotions conveyed. This practice enables us to tailor our interactions more thoughtfully, making our openness not just heard but also constructively received.
Despite our best efforts at sensitivity, challenges may arise when recipients interpret professional feedback as personal criticism. We are blessed with colleagues that are highly invested in their work, and this naturally can lead to one struggling to separate their self-worth from their performance. It's crucial, therefore, for "speaking openly" to be practiced with a sensitivity that acknowledges the recipient's background and personal investment in their work. Active listening plays a key role here; it's about understanding and engaging with the person’s reactions and adapting the delivery of feedback accordingly. This ensures that feedback is both given openly and received in the intended spirit—as a means for professional growth rather than as personal criticism.
I encourage both those giving and receiving feedback to adopt a professional mindset to create an environment where open communication can thrive. This means viewing constructive criticism as an opportunity for professional growth rather than a personal affront. By fostering a culture that values clear, respectful, and constructive dialogue, we can cultivate a more dynamic, inclusive, and effective workplace. This approach will ensure that feedback contributes to both personal growth and organizational success, driving continuous improvement.
Sincerely, Blake Hill, PhD
Professor and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Chair
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Fundamental#9:InvestinRelationships
Makeabonafideefforttoknowyourcolleaguesonamorepersonallevel.Talkmoreandemailless.Understandwhat’simportant toothers.Strongrelationshipsenhanceourdailyexperienceandenableustoworkthroughdifficultissuesandchallengingtimes moresuccessfully.
DearSSPPScolleagues,
Ihopethismessagefindsyouwell.Aswedivedeeperintothemeaningofourculturefundamentals,Iwantedtotakeamomenttoreflect onacentralaspecttobothourprofessionalandpersonallives:theimportanceofinvestinginrelationships. Thereisnothingnewaboutthisconcept.Infact,aquickliteraturesearchwillrevealamultitudeofstudiesdescribinghowworkplace relationshipshaveadirectimpactonjobcommitmentandsatisfaction.However,investinginrelationshipsatworkcanbechallenging becauseitrequirestime,energy,andemotionalinvestment—allvaluableresourcesthatareoftenstretchedthininthecurrentfast-paced highereducationenvironment.Whenfacedwithdeadlinesandthedemandsofprofessionallife,prioritizingrelationship-buildingcan seemsecondary,especiallywhenit'snotalwaysimmediatelytiedtomeasurableoutcomes.
Nevertheless,workrelationshipshavebeeninvaluableininfluencingmycareerdecisionsandshapingmyprofessionalpath.WhenI decidedtojoinourschoollastyear,Ididsobecauseoftheinfluenceofprofessionalrelationships.Iamapeople’sperson,andIseemy workcolleaguesasanextensionofmyownfamilyinacertainway.IspendmostofmytimeatworkandIrelyontheseworkrelationships tohelpmefindthecommunityIwishtohaveasanimmigrantinthiscountry.Idon’tclaimthatthisthebestapproachorthefastestpath tojobsatisfaction.Forme,though,ithasworkedwonderfully.
Togiveyouanexample,whenIdeliveredmysecondbabyamidthepandemic,myfamilycouldn’tcomefromBraziltosupportme.So,who didIcallinthemiddleofthenighttocometomyhouseandtakecareofmyoldestsonwhileIwasatthehospital?Aworkcolleague.I couldwritepagesandpageslistingallthesituationsinmypersonalandprofessionallifewhereworkcolleaguesplayedakeyrolein holdingmyhand,supportingmyendeavours,andseeingmyvaluewhenIstruggledtodoso.That’swhyIsaythattheseprofessionaland personalboundarieshavealwaysbeenblurredinmylife,andI’mokwiththat.Infact,Iamveryhappyaboutit.Ibelievethatinvestingtime andenergyineachotherstrengthensthetrustandsenseofcommunitythatallowsforinnovativeideastoflourish.
Iencourageallofustotakesometimetoreflectonhowwecanstrengthenourrelationships,insideandoutsidework.Whetherit'saquick coffeechatwithacolleague,workingacrossdepartments,orcollaboratingonnewprojects.Theseinteractionsarenotjustnice-tohaves—theyarecriticaltoimprovingthebreadthandimpactoftheworkwedo.
Haveagreatweek!
ErikaFreitas,PhD
AssociateProfessor,AssistantDeanforEquity,Diversity,andInclusion
DirectoroftheUniversityofColoradoCenterforInterprofessionalPracticeandEducation(CUCIPE).
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Fundamental #10: Practice Blameless Problem-Solving
Focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems or making accusatory statements. Identify lessons learned to improve yourself and our processes so the same mistakes are not made twice. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.
Dear SSPPS Community,
Practice blameless problem-solving is my personal favorite Pharmacy Fundamental. It is a key principle in fostering a productive work environment. By focusing on the resolution of issues without assigning fault, we can cultivate a culture of trust. When we practice blameless problem-solving, we encourage a growth mindset within our school. Instead of dwelling on mistakes, both faculty and staff are empowered to view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. When errors are seen as learning experiences rather than personal failures, individuals are more motivated to explore new ideas. Practicing blameless problem-solving also enhances team cohesion. By trusting that their contributions will be valued, and their mistakes handled constructively, employees are more likely to engage in problem-solving efforts. This fosters a sense of shared responsibility, reinforcing the team's commitment to achieving common goals. Practicing blameless problem-solving has yielded positive results for the Instructional Design team. When working with technology, despite everyone’s best intentions, sometimes human error occurs. I have found that by practicing blameless problem-solving, we are able to faster resolve issues that occur and better prevent future problems. When everyone is more focused on preventing future problems by learning from each other, true professional growth occurs. Blameless problem-solving has sharpened my analytical skills. Focusing on the issue rather than the individuals involved allowed me to delve deeper into the root causes of problems and find more effective, long-term solutions. Ultimately, by prioritizing blameless problem-solving, we not only improve our ability to resolve issues quickly and effectively, but also create a supportive work environment.
Sincerely,
A W Lukens, M Ed
Senior Instructional Designer
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Fundamental #11: Collaborate
Share information and work together as appropriate. Work as a team for better outcomes to advance the school and support one another. Collaboration generates better ideas and outcomes than working alone. Help each other succeed. Dear SSPPS Community,
We often hear the word “collaborate” in the academic and research world in which we work. The Dean’s message addressed several aspects of meaning about “collaborate” in Fundamental 11 including sharing information, working as a team, and helping each other succeed. A key message was the ability to unlock new opportunities. Some key attributes to truly make collaboration successful are emotional intelligence, humility, selfawareness, effective communication, honesty, respect, and trust. One needs to understand their “lane” in the collaboration and embrace inclusiveness. Importantly, a true collaboration will be difficult if each party in the relationship is not committed to these former attributes. A real collaboration can overcome internal and external mediated bumps in the journey.
I have been fortunate to have some wonderful long-term collaborators in various facets of my life. Collaboration requires that a person places the emphasis on the greater group achievement and not solely on themselves. When I arrived at the SSPPS as a tenure track faculty member in 2012, I recall being confused about why a single principal investigator grant was coveted and rewarded more than a collaborative team science grant, especially those that integrated the expertise of several faculty members at the SSPPS.
I asked myself why an individual achievement would take precedence over the overall benefit to the school, department, etc. With the complexity of science, not to mention the translatability of our discoveries, how could one person really be effective in changing a whole paradigm and developing research and outcomes that significantly impact a field? While I believe the school has moved to, might I say “encourages” team science, we still have some distance to go within our organization, and this significantly impacts the breadth of our research. While I am using research as the example here, analogous scenarios in clinical care, education, service, administration, etc. are relevant to the over-arching topic of collaboration.
So, what are we to do as a school, faculty member, staff member, trainee, etc. to break down the barriers that prevent true collaboration and open the flood gates toward the highest level of organizational functioning, achievement, and financial rewards for the school? I am going to make this simple and recommend scanning “All I Really Need to Learn I learned in Kindergarten” Look at a list of dos and don’ts for yourself, memorize them, and print and hang them at your desk so that they become an automatic part of you. Basically, just follow the Golden Rule and collaboration will be a breeze! Self-awareness and emotional intelligence are processes of surveillance for us to assess the potential impacts of what we verbally or nonverbally say or write, or how our direct actions affect the members of our collaborative group. Negative interactions lead to negative collaborations. Opportunities for growth occur when people in a collaboration feel safe to give and receive information and to call out less than ideal actions in a respectful manner. While no one can be perfect, we can all try to ask ourselves some basic hypotheses around our collaborative behaviors and study the results to improve ourselves and consistently put our best self forward. Some of my best research collaborations have resulted from me taking a chance on another person who I did not know.
It is necessary to put ourselves into vulnerable positions, eliminate any preliminary judgements AND to be brave enough to realize that there are people better at certain things than us, but the sum of the collaboration results in a “filling in of the gaps” to create a team that is well-rounded. If collaborators are committed to emotional intelligence, humility, self-awareness, effective communication, honesty, respect, and trust, I am ready to begin and/or continue the journey. Are you ready for your next collaboration?
Melanie Joy, PharmD, PhD
Professor, Director of Innovation and Commercialization, Director of Entrepreneurship Education, SPARK/REACH Program, Director of the Center of Excellence Program for Model Informed Drug Development
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Fundamental #12: MAKE THE MOST OF EACH DAY
Have a passion for what you do and be fully engaged. Approach every task with energy, focus, and purpose. Work with a sense of commitment to complete tasks.
Dear Colleagues,
I have a confession to make When it comes to work, I’m not an intrinsically motivated person In order for me to have passion for what I do and be fully engaged I have to have an external “why ” Why am I showing up every day and why is it important?
According to the Harvard Business Review, research shows that meaningfulness is more important than any other aspect of our jobs including pay and rewards, opportunities for promotion, and working conditions When we experience our work as meaningful, we’re more engaged, committed, and satisfied.
Fortunately, the work we do here at CU Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is packed full of meaningful “whys”.
Collectively we are training the next generation of pharmacy professionals and pharmaceutical researchers Some of our students will work in settings where they will be the most accessible or only healthcare provider for many marginalized communities Others will provide critical medication knowledge in hospital settings, clinics, and specialized areas Some will work with industries and startups, developing new drugs, advanced therapies, and digital technologies. All will be working towards making the world a healthier place.
While I may never fill a pipette or administer a vaccine, I, along with everyone in the school, play a small part of fulfilling the SSPPS vision statement: Together, our innovation, discoveries and engagement with our communities improve the health and well-being of society
So, although we probably won’t achieve the goal of approaching every task with unbridled energy, focus and purpose, knowing we are a part of something that has the potential to change people’s lives for the better is a great motivator to make the most of each day.
Sincerely,
Lori Westermann
Marketing & Communications Director
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Fundamental #13: Strive for Excellence Take pride in the quality of everything you do. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” As a school, we want to be the best at what we collectively do, which means that we must strive to be the best at what we each do. Dear SSPPS Community, I hope all is well. The SSPPS faculty and staff represent an amazing group of individuals committed to excellence in training the best future pharmacists and scientists. As we approach our daily roles and responsibilities, our individual efforts ultimately impact the overall success of the school. Likewise, each member’s individual professional growth will hopefully be enhanced as the organization continues to thrive. Achieving and sustaining excellence is no easy task and requires us to consistently bring our best selves to work each day. Both individual and organizational factors impact our ability to consistently produce the highest quality work and ultimately achieve excellence.
In the recent article The Pursuit of Personal and Organizational Excellence, its noted that personal and organizational excellence are interconnected, with each being dependent on the other for growth and achievement. Individuals can deliver their best quality work when they are committed to developing and exemplifying the main components of personal excellence. These include self-awareness, goal setting and planning, continuous learning and growth, resilience and adaptability, and wellness and work-life balance. This also involves adopting a mindset of not settling for just average work but rather striving for greatness. The commitment of the organization should be to provide visionary leadership, focus on strategic planning and execution, engage, and develop employees, and foster a culture where individuals are empowered to do their best. Given the busy nature of our roles, focusing on personal excellence may not always take priority. Likewise, it’s not inherent for most of us to routinely ask ourselves if what we are submitting is indeed our best work. Striving to provide our best work up front will hopefully breed confidence in ourselves and foster trust from our teammates that they can rely on receiving our best efforts. I’ve always been struck by the historical example of Winston Lord, who was the main speech writer for Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and how this relates to always asking ourselves if this is our best work.
The story goes that Mr. Lord submitted the first draft of an upcoming speech to Secretary Kissinger for review. Secretary Kissinger called Winston and asked, “Is this the best you can do?” Winston subsequently replied “Henry, I thought so, but I’ll try again” and proceeds to revise his draft and resubmits a few days later. Kissinger the calls Winston into his office and asks him ““Are you sure this the best you can do?” Winston responds “Well, I really thought so. I’ll try one more time.” This exchange continues until Winson has submitted his ninth draft of the speech, after which Kissinger asks again “Is this the best you can do?” An exasperated Winston replies “Henry! I’ve beaten my brains out – this is the ninth draft! I know it’s the best I can do; I can’t possibly improve one more word!!!” Kissinger then famously responds “Well, in that case now I’ll read it”. The take home message is to not settle for anything less than great work on the first attempt, demand excellence of yourself, and be confident in your abilities to deliver your best work. Lastly, don’t be afraid to celebrate achievement of excellence and take pride in work, as your success is ultimately a success for the program.
Sincerely, Brian Hemstreet, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS
Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Professor Learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, photos, culture resources, and more.
Fundamental #14: Take a Positive Approach
You have the power to choose your attitude. Strive to be authentically positive- your attitude affects and influences others. Act with optimism, be approachable, and be welcoming to others. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Bring your “best self” to every day and every task.
Dear SSPPS Community,
Have you ever woken up to get ready for work and thought to yourself, “Man, I like this job, but X person or X task is going to drain me today!” You know you have a colleague who can find the worst in every day or situation no matter what anyone says. How fun is it to be on that team? I try to think about this on a regular basis when I am preparing to go work or start a new project What am I bringing to the table today? Is someone dreading coming into work because I am that person on the team? Am I wanting to stay home to avoid someone? These are serious signs that need addressing sooner than later! Shifting a culture into a negative space does not take long, shifting a culture back into positive territory can take years to undo what only happened in a few months or with a few people. When we did our Clifton Strengths Finder, my top strength was positivity! To which, I was not surprised. I know attitudes are contagious, so why not make mine as contagious as the 2020 lockdown? What I am saying here is that of course no one is chipper every day of the week, by any means! I am by no means advocating for toxic positivity where you ignore anything negative and are not authentic in your messaging or attitudes! As you start your day, your week, your month, or even your year, (did you just sing that?)think to yourself, am I bringing people up, or down lately? If the answer is down- try to investigate what needs to change to change your answer It’s easy to look around and say, it’s not me, it’s them, but I encourage a deeper self-reflection as well I recently read an article shared with me that has some great items to help if you are feeling like you need a mindset shift https://www mayoclinic org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950 Try to think of yourself first, since attitudes are contagious, you just might be able to crack the shell of that “Debbie Downer.” �
Sincerely,
Debbie Gallegos PharmD, BCPS, CPPS
Assistant Professor
Assistant Director of Experiential Programs, Health System IPPE Course Director, Advanced IPPE Course Director
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Fundamental of the Week #15 – Honor Commitments
Do what you say you’re going to do and when you say you’ll do it. If a commitment can’t be fulfilled, notify others as soon as possible and agree on a new deliverable to be honored. Hold yourself accountable for honoring your commitment. Dear SSPPS Community, Implicit in Fundamental #15 is the idea that honoring your commitments is critical to achieving your own goals, those of your colleagues, and those of the school The challenges and solutions for meeting your commitments were nicely addressed by Dean Altiere in his commentary dated May 13, 2024
In thinking about this further, I’d add that honoring your commitments is also an excellent way to demonstrate your character and earn the respect of your colleagues As described below, the consequences of this are many For example, regarding my own experiences serving on various SSPPS and campus-wide committees, I find it a true pleasure to work with faculty and staff who honor their service commitments with what numerous commentators call “commitment with integrity”: These individuals do what’s right, keep their promises, are honest, and hold themselves accountable. In short, they’re true to their word. This form of commitment can transform the often challenging and demanding task of committee work into that of a well-oiled machine I would further posit that the trust and credibility that arises from such commitment percolates into all other mission aspects of the school and campus
The consequence of not honoring one’s commitments in such a way (and again, as pointed out by multiple commentators) is that it creates a domino effect whereby the following person (or people!) in the chain can’t get their commitments completed in time As a result, the well-oiled machine begins to break down. I think this concern is just as worthy of our attention as the one above given the school’s goal of building a more cohesive work environment. Put simply, if we want a more trusting, efficient and collaborative culture here in the SSPPS, honoring our commitments with integrity is paramount.
In sum, I’d note several points made by the nonprofit organization, Goodwill Industries: Following through on commitments with integrity not only creates a productive work environment, “it also shines light on your character”. It shows that you respect your colleagues' time, which in turn builds trust and creates a virtuous cycle – people know they can count on you and that you can count on them
And isn’t that the start of a great relationship? Sincerely, David Bain, PhD Professor and Vice Chair for Education
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Fundamental #16: SHOW RECOGNITION AND APPRECIATION
Celebrate colleagues’ achievements and successes. Regularly extend meaningful acknowledgement and appreciation—in all directions throughout the school.
Dear Colleagues,
As I reflect on this week’s fundamental of showing recognition and appreciation, I’m reminded of our recent Preceptor Appreciation Banquet at the Downtown Aquarium, where we celebrated Elite Preceptors and our annual preceptor award winners. It was a wonderful evening, recognizing preceptors who have gone above and beyond in supporting our pharmacy students. Hosting an event like this requires diligent work behind the scenes, so I would like to especially recognize Wendy and Cindy for their significant contributions. The event was fantastic, and it was great to show appreciation for those who make such a difference in shaping the future of our CU pharmacy grads.
Taking a moment to show appreciation can go a long way in building a positive and supportive environment. Whether it's students, preceptors, or team members, recognizing the hard work people put in helps to motivate and strengthen our connections. When we acknowledge the efforts of those around us, it lifts everyone up and reminds us that we're all working toward a common goal.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to share that we are creating a new Experiential Spotlight page on our website. This webpage will be all about celebrating the successes of our students, preceptors, and experiential team members. It will be a place where we highlight the incredible work being done across experiential education and keep the spirit of recognition alive. For example, Sarah gave a special shoutout to our team member Greg, who recently served on the Super Users panel as part of the annual CORE Conference in Providence, Rhode Island. Sarah said, “Just sharing what a rockstar Greg was at the CORE Annual Summit Conference, serving as a Super User on the panel discussion. He provided great insight for attendees; sharing his CORE skills, tips and tricks.” Thank you, Greg, for representing our team so well. Stay tuned for more experiential achievements we’ll be sharing!
As we prepare for Thanksgiving, let’s keep spreading appreciation for one another!
Kind regards,
Kimberly Stultz, PharmD
Associate Professor | Assistant Dean of Experiential Programs
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Connie Valdez accepting theFaculty Preceptor Award from Debbie Gallegos in recognition of her outstanding contribution to experiential education.
Fundamental #17: Help Others Succeed
The best way to influence others is through your own example. Take responsibility, both formally and informally, to coach, guide, and mentor others. Help others grow and succeed.
Dear SSPPS Community,
We’ve all heard the saying, “No man is an island”, but I’d bet that most of us have not read the extended quote from the English poet John Donne, written in 1624: “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less….” While I wouldn’t hazard calling anyone in the SSPPS a clod, I do believe that the central message of this passage is relevant to all of us: each of us contributes to the whole of our SSPPS community, and the success or failure of everyone thus affects the overall strength and success of the entire school
There are countless ways in which we can help each other succeed. However, it begins with each of us fulfilling our own responsibilities, in our own assigned roles, to the best of our abilities. Showing personal accountability and striving for excellence in our own work sets an example for our colleagues to follow; we provide a model for how others may also achieve success in aspects of their own work Participation in formal mentoring programs is also an important way of helping others be successful However, we should also recognize that helping others to succeed is commonly achieved through less formal interactions I’ve had numerous conversations with faculty who highlighted that their successes, both large and small, were based on the support and contributions of others. Sometimes these other individuals were acting in official roles, but it was often in informal and sometimes even unintentional ways: showing sincere interest in them as individuals; offering assistance when someone saw them having difficulties, without being asked; offering advice regarding what has worked well for them in the past; offering new collaborations; and sometimes just offering a kind word on a day when they really needed it. Although helping each other succeed is an important responsibility, it shouldn’t feel like a chore. It can also be a source of deep personal and professional satisfaction; we feel good when we see someone succeed as a direct or indirect result of something that we have done After all, none of us is an island: we all individually contribute to the wholeness and strength of our community, and we therefore also have a responsibility to contribute to the success of everyone in it I challenge each of us to find new opportunities to help our colleagues grow and succeed, and to celebrate our colleagues’ successes in which we may have played a role!
Sincerely,
Doug Fish, Professor and Chair Department of Clinical Pharmacy
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Fundamental #18: Find a Way
Take personal responsibility for making tasks happen. Maintain a solution-focused mindset rather than explaining why it can’t be done. Be resourceful and show initiative. Don’t make excuses or wait for others to solve the problem or seize the opportunity. Work with a sense of commitment to see solutions through to their completion.
Dear SSPPS Community,
My first thought when hearing of Fundamental.–7❹.Find.a.Way was that it meant, “Think Outside the Box”. It could still be that, but I’ve since noticed there’s so much more to it!
Now, it reminds me of a cherished previous boss, Janice, who is a brilliant PhD, RPh, gifted in leadership and strategic thinking. She led a team of medical science liaisons, all with varying backgrounds and experience levels. Whether leading us on strategic planning or dinner plans, she was known for saying, “Make it happen!” and with no direct guidance. Initially, our team was thrown off by this, but eventually it became a sought-after (and still laughed about!) directive.
Why? Because it led to our best work! When she said that, we knew WE were personally responsible for the outcome! It was a fast-paced environment, so to make it happen, we each had to show initiative, we had to be resourceful, which mostly meant we had to listen to each other (regardless of each other’s experience (or lack thereof)), and THAT led to open sharing…which ultimately led to Making it Happen! I recall these sessions as being positive experiences about HOW, rarely about WHY NOT. While this wasn’t a utopia of perfect company culture, to pull this off, we needed (and had) a culture to support the “Make it happen!” practice. I recall the listening to each other and the positivity, as being the key to making things happen. They are also why I recall the “Make it Happen!” directive as being FUN!..and effective!
Why do I share this story? Because much of this is shared in the “Find a Way” description, including a version of “make it happen” in the first sentence. The next sentence suggests avoiding explanations of “why it can’t be done.” When charged with “make it happen” there’s not much room for “why it can’t be done.” It’s about solutions!
Why do I share this? Because I think it’s easy for us all (myself included here!) to lean on the way we’ve always done things, or we tend to debate ideas…a lot! While there are times both are needed, I do wonder if these practices might at times become ways to explain “why it can’t be done…??” By adopting the “Make it Happen” or “Find a Way” approach, I bet we’d find ourselves focusing more on the solutions! Next, the other part of Making it Happen is to listen to others! (ie, Collaboration). This is important! I say this, because I do wonder if by becoming so fixed on doing it the same way we always have or being so passionate about the debate that we may be missing out on the thoughts and ideas of others, especially those that are newer or more softly spoken. We need EVERYONE to make things happen, to Find a Way! Maybe next time, when faced with our next great challenge, we could share the “how we’ve done it” way less, debate less and focus on Making it Happen, Finding a Way…on solutions! We are a school full of very bright and committed problem solvers, so I am certain we can come to excellent solutions. What might happen? Well…we might find new (and better?!) ways to solutions. And those who contributed will probably feel included and accepted. And we just may have some FUN along the way!
Respectfully –
Shaun Gleason, PharmD, MGS
Assistant Dean for Distance Degrees & Programs
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Fundamental #19: FOCUS ON THE TEAM It’s about “us,” not any individual. Don’t let your personal agenda get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. Be
there for each other and be willing to step into another role or help a colleague when that’s what’s required for success.
Dear SSPPS Community, It’s Fall! Time for changing leaves, cozy sweaters, pumpkin-flavored everything, and football. For me, Fall means cross country season! Growing up in a running family,
I’ve spent countless days watching or participating in cross country races There’s something amazing about the stillness before the start signal, followed by the sound (and feeling) of runners’ feet hitting the ground as they take off Even if you don’t like running, it’s impressive You might wonder how this relates to Fundamental #19: Focus on the Team This fundamental perfectly describes what I learned during my formative middle school through college years running on cross country teams It’s about “us”, not any individual In cross country, a team’s score is the sum of the finishing positions of its top five runners The team with the lowest total score wins While the sixth and seventh runners don’t score points, their positions can increase the opponents’ scores Thus, cross country is unquestionably team dependent A team needs depth with solid supporting runners, not just one star The work we do in education, patient care, and research at the SSPPS necessitates teamwork through collaboration and collective effort Success in these areas is achieved through the contributions of all team members working together This “us” mindset fosters unity, shared responsibility, and mutual support, which are essential for effective teamwork
Don’t let your personal agenda get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. In a cross-country race, it’s critical for team members to run their best. Prioritizing individual interests can lead to conflicts and a breakdown of the team which compromises the team’s success. Teammates support each other during training and races, much like we as faculty and staff do when we collaborate on projects and programs. Cross country teams share strategies, motivate one another, and work towards common goals, paralleling how we strive to achieve the strategic goals of the SSPPS While academic achievements often focus on the individual, they are usually not possible without a supporting committee, team, lab, or office Our success as a school of pharmacy depends on joint effort and effective communication, trust, and mutual respect
Be there for each other and be willing to step into another role or help a colleague when that’s what’s required for success In cross country, team depth and consistency are essential On any given race day, a sixth and seventh runner must be ready to step up if one of the top five has an off day or is injured On the teams I’ve been on, we understood that we were only as strong as our weakest runner and built a culture of pushing and supporting each other to be our best Similarly, when SSPPS faculty and staff focus on what’s best for the team, we can collaborate more effectively, leveraging each other’s strengths and compensating for areas of growth This approach fosters togetherness and assurance, leading to better outcomes, whether in a cross-country race or creating a cohesive, supportive work environment at the SSPPS
Below is a video link of a post race huddle of the newly crowned 2024 NCCA D1 Women's Cross Country team This huddle occurred two weeks ago after the regional national championship qualifying meet, where two of their top five runners were not able to run due to injuries A poor performance would have meant missing the championship meet
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DB2TxkCvyOV/?igsh=c2ppOW94enIyemM1
In this Thanksgiving week, I am grateful for each of you and the work you do every day to make our SSPPS team better Like a cross-country runner, continue to put your best foot forward to help us achieve our collective SSPPS vision: Together, our innovation, discoveries and engagement with our communities improve the health and well-being of society
Kind regards,
Cindy OBryant PharmD
Associate Dean
for Academic and Faculty Affairs, Professor Department of Clinical Pharmacy
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Fundamental #20: GET CLEAR ON EXPECTATIONS
Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing needs and expectations upfront. Set expectations for others and ask when you’re unclear about what they expect of you. End all meetings with clarity about action items, responsibilities, and due dates. Dear SSPPS Community,
A few years ago, I was part of a small team tasked with launching a new customer service initiative at work. Our manager, Steve, was assigned as the project lead. He was enthusiastic and eager to take charge, but in hindsight, we should have spent more time upfront getting clear on expectations. The assignment seemed straightforward: create a training program for customer facing staff that would improve response times and enhance user satisfaction Steve confidently assured us, “I’ve got a vision for this,” and we trusted him to steer us in the right direction
The team began brainstorming ideas, and Steve said he’d “handle the strategy ” But as weeks passed, his direction grew increasingly confused He asked us to draft a training for customer interactions but then scrapped them entirely because they didn’t “fit the theme” he had in mind When we asked for clarity, he shared a vague document filled with buzzwords like “delight the customer” and “be innovative,” and “think outside the box” but no actionable guidance.
When the deadline approached, Steve revealed the final product: a 22-slide PowerPoint presentation filled with lofty concepts but no practical training material. He’d spent hours perfecting visuals and animations but neglected to include clear guidelines or exercises for the staff, and since the entirety of our business model was dealing with customers, we all sat around wondering what he had spent his time doing besides looking up corporate jargon that provided no direction at all
The presentation fell flat in front of our General Manager and his feedback was sharp: “This is interesting, but how does it actually help our team perform better?” We left the meeting feeling defeated
Afterward, our team sat down together and asked what had gone wrong That’s when the real issue became clear: we had never aligned on what the deliverable should look like, and Steve hadn’t asked for input or feedback early enough to course-correct To salvage the project, we regrouped and set clear expectations:
• • • What should the training program include?
What outcomes did management want to see?
What roles and responsibilities did each team member have?
With these expectations in place, we collaborated effectively and delivered a streamlined training program within two weeks Management was pleased with the turnaround, but the experience left a lasting impression on all of us, and personally modeled how I like to look at projects large and small
Because without clear expectations and a viable roadmap, time and energy might be wasted when the resolution is much easier to run down if you start with a plan We all found out the even the most enthusiastic leader can’t succeed without clarity and setting expectations at the start isn’t a formality; it’s the foundation of success.
Kind regards,
Jacob White
Senior IT Professional
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Fundamental #21: DELIBERATE AND DECIDE
Healthy, dynamic discussion and analysis create better solutions. Deliberate concepts without making issues personal. Debate ideas respectfully and push for the best solution and approach for the school rather than your solution through compromise.
Dear SSPPS Community, A simple Google search of the word “deliberate” returns the verb's meaning as “to engage in long and careful consideration ” The gift of deliberation is one of the vital rhythms of academia. Academics respect and honor the tradition of seeking perspectives and interactive dialogue on decision topics. It is in our culture and deeply embedded in our mission.
Then, a second Google search of the word “decide” returns the verb's meaning as “come to a resolution in the mind as.a.result.of. consideration ” I was taken aback at the realization that the natural progression of deliberation is, in fact, a decision and that a decision does not come to life without deliberation. I had never considered the two as the progression of one to the other. It’s a beautiful thought, especially for us in academia. Think of all the decisions, actions, and innovations that academic deliberation has contributed to the world. All around us and everywhere we turn, a thought-provoking idea in academia started the spark. Considering our world of health alone on our campus and in our school, our culture of deliberation and decision leads to ground-breaking innovation every day in research (“today"s research is tomorrow"s practice), academics (“today"s student is tomorrow"s innovator”), and clinical practice (today"s clinician is tomorrow"s positive outcome”)
Synonyms for "decide" don’t truly capture the spirit of this complementary and interwoven interaction between deliberation and decision It strikes me now the collaboration and engagement the entire school took to bring our fundamentals to life We deliberated over several months through meetings and town halls and “came.to.a.resolution” of 24 interwoven fundamentals. Today, because of our questions last year and our resulting decisions, we “embrace diversity:” we “embrace change and growth:” we “listen generously:” we “collaborate:” we “honor commitments,” and so much more. The magic of deliberation is that one does not engage in deliberation alone. As such, deliberation is a collaborative and multi-person endeavor that moves us toward making decisions together. The next time you embrace Fundamental #21, Deliberate and Decide, realize you are furthering our academic values and are bettering the world one question, one interaction, and one decision at a time. I know I will.
Kind regards, Michele Frankovich
Associate Dean for Finance & Administration
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Fundamental #22: Respond Promptly
Respond to inquiries and messages as quickly as possible, whether in person, on the phone, or by email. This includes simply acknowledging that you received the communication, and you are “on it,” as well as keeping those involved continuously updated on the status. Dear SSPPS Colleagues, Most if not all of us will be taking next week off to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Which is why the timing of my message today is somewhat ironic and may invoke some head scratching – RESPOND PROMPTLY You may be wondering how you are supposed to respond promptly when you are off enjoying yourself, whether for a day, a week, or longer Stick with me, I will give you some tips below
I imagine this is one of the least popular Fundamentals. I remember the sighs and eye rolls when it was first put on the table during a Culture by Design Extended Leadership meeting We are all busy – how are we supposed to respond promptly to every message? While it may seem inconvenient and daunting at times, responding promptly plays an important role in the culture of SSPPS. As Dean Altiere said in his original message about this Fundamental back in July 2024, unresponsiveness to emails, texts, or voice mails was an issue raised by the 2021 Campus and Workplace Culture Survey In fact, 36% of the 96 SSPPS respondents reported experiencing non-responsiveness It was the most common incivility reported by SSPPS faculty and staff Responding Promptly also ties into several other Fundamentals:
# 9 Invest in Relationships: Responding promptly shows respect, which goes a long way to investing in relationships You can respond promptly by picking up the phone rather than writing an email, or better yet, track down the person to have a quick chat or find time to have coffee
# 11 Collaborate, # 15 Honor Commitments, and # 17 Help Others Succeed: Your prompt response may help a collaborator take the next step on a project or make a decision that sets something else in motion It honors your commitment to your collaborators, and it helps others succeed by giving them the information they need to move forward
Now that I have convinced you how important responding promptly is, I want to give you some tips I will admit I am not the poster child for this Fundamental, but here are a few things I find helpful:
1
2 Use the 8 ‗ minute rule If you can read and respond to an email in 2 minutes or less, do it right away! This is a quick win that can also help you feel accomplished and in control
3
Acknowledge an email even if you are not able to give a thorough response right away Responding promptly does not necessarily mean you need to send a thorough and definitive response now. A simple acknowledgement of the email goes a long way – if you don’t forget to follow-up. To help me remember to follow-up, I will start a response that sits in my Draft folder Each workday, I review my Draft folder to see if any messages are ready to be finished and sent You can also use the flags in Outlook to mark emails that need a response Use out ‗ of ‗ office automatic replies This is my favorite tip Out-of-office automatic replies allow you to acknowledge an email right away when you are not checking email If you are going to be unable to respond to email for a period during the work week for any reason, you can turn on automatic replies to let people know they may not hear back from you right away Do this when you are focusing on a project (i e , writing a paper or grant, developing class materials), travelling for work or pleasure, or just taking a day for yourself…any reason that needs your time and focus and will make it difficult for you to respond promptly. It lets the person who reached out to you know when to expect to hear from you. Here are some tips on when to use an out-of-office message and how to write it, and here are instructions for setting up automatic replies in Outlook
I hope you find these tips helpful and feel empowered to take even one small step that can help you Respond Promptly Now go set up your automatic replies for next week! It is a well-deserved break for everyone, and I hope you can all take time to truly disconnect from work Have a joyous holiday season and Happy New Year! Kind regards,
Heather Anderson, PhD
Associate Professor, Director of Assessment and Outcomes
Department of Clinical Pharmacy
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Fundamental #23: Be A School Ambassador
Each of us is responsible for and benefits from our school’s image and reputation. Consider how your actions affect our reputation and be a proud ambassador for the Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences Make a genuine effort to support school initiatives and events Dear SSPPS Community,
As we begin a new year, I reflect with gratitude on the opportunities the CU SSPPS has afforded me throughout my career From giving me a chance in 1992 to prove myself as a green, 28-year-old assistant professor and cancer researcher to facilitating my return in 2019 from a medical journalism career to launch the MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Cannabis Science & Medicine Graduate Certificate programs, I am thankful for the diversity of opportunities that have allowed me to develop personally and professionally while working with and learning from some of the most creative and accomplished minds in pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences In return, I have always been a supporter of our basic, translational, and clinical sciences education and research efforts in any channel possible, even when associated with other institutions during my 18-year stint in North Carolina.
We owe it to ourselves and one another to promote the school and our fellow faculty and staff members at any opportunity – in chance conversations over holiday meals with young folks interested in the life sciences to representing our institution across campus and at national and international professional meetings And with today’s technology, we can each support and amplify each other’s accomplishments – and the external image of our school – by sharing CU Pharmacy news on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (I refuse to call it ‘X’), Bluesky, or any manner of social media outlets.
How can I do this with my busy schedule? Simply taking 90 seconds to repost news articles and social media posts by our highly capable Marketing & Communications office shows the greater community that we have pride in all that each of us do to contribute to our stature as one of the country’s premier schools of pharmacy And if you don’t have a presence on social media, take some time over the holidays to register for your own accounts, if for nothing else than to support your colleagues and cultivate a deep sense of satisfaction that you work daily with some of the world’s experts in their respective fields. But in 2025, being an ambassador for our school is not enough – as my colleague and CU Pharmacy alumnus, Chandler Follett, PharmD, reminded me in an email discussion about Fundamental #23, we need to be ambassadors for the profession of pharmacy As Dr Follett so elegantly shared with me:
“Being a school ambassador is wonderful, but in today’s landscape, we all need to act as pharmacy career ambassadors every day The reputation of our school speaks for itself, but we first need to spark students’ interest in pharmacy. It’s our collective effort to share what we do and why it matters that will improve understanding of modern pharmacy practice and inspire the next generation to pursue this rewarding career Enthusiasm for talking about pharmacy is key For me, whether it’s with strangers on a chairlift, at a social event, on airplanes, or anyone curious enough to ask, 'What do you do for work?' I embrace the opportunity to give my elevator pitch about where pharmacists work, what we do, why it’s a great career, and the impact we have across diverse environments These everyday conversations are crucial to reshaping public perceptions of our profession I encourage everyone to take pride in being a pharmacist and to use every opportunity, both formal and informal, to elevate our field ”
Remember that you do not need to be a pharmacist to be an ambassador for the profession – I’m not (although I earned my undergraduate toxicology degree from the country’s first college of pharmacy) Go to our student and faculty events to learn about the profession If you’re a basic scientist or staff member, ask to shadow one of your clinical colleagues at their practice site. Attend seminars outside of your field. Nominate your colleague for a campus or society award. Engage with our CU pharmacy alumni and preceptors at events throughout the year Just as we challenge our professional and graduate students, get out of your comfort zone and avail yourself of professional engagement and learning opportunities across the spectrum of pharmacy and the pharmaceutical sciences
I am grateful to each of you, dear colleagues, for the growth you’ve enabled me to attain and, in turn, contribute to the stature of our school – from our former deans and departed professors and administrators to the newest faculty and staff member And, yes, the students I have learned as much from my BS Pharmacy, PharmD, MS and PhD students as I’ve learned from those further along in their careers. And I now have the perspective to marvel at those whose accomplishments have eclipsed my own over the last 30+ years Remember that, through our collective actions, we also create ambassadors for our school and programs
By helping one another build our individual careers and gain visibility locally and outside Colorado, we build upon the stature and reputation of this great institution Yes, the day-to-day minutiae of our jobs can wear upon even those most noble and resilient But take time over the next few weeks to ask how you can best contribute in 2025 as an ambassador of the CU School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences and the profession of pharmacy.
Yours in service,
David J Kroll, PhD Professor of Natural Products Pharmacology & Toxicology Director, Master’s and Certificate Programs in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
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Fundamental #24: Enjoy What You Do
While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up your work. Keep perspective. Don’t take issues personally or take yourself too seriously. Have fun. Dear SSPPS Community,
When I reflect on this fundamental, the phrase "do what you love and love what you do" immediately comes to mind. It’s a powerful idea, but one that’s often easier said than done. Finding joy in your work isn't always simple, but it’s essential for long-term fulfillment. In fact, one of my favorite quotes captures this perfectly: “Joy beats discipline every day of the week. When you enjoy what you do for a living, you don’t have to talk yourself into doing it. You just do it!”
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to experience this firsthand. One of the most consistent pieces of feedback I receive from students is their appreciation for the passion I bring to teaching. They’ve told me that my enthusiasm for diabetes care is contagious, and it’s one of the reasons they feel inspired to learn more about the subject. This feedback means the world to me because it’s a reflection of something I’ve always felt to be true — I genuinely love what I do. I’m passionate about my clinical practice and equally passionate about teaching. Knowing that my love for this work comes through in a way that positively impacts others has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.
But as much as I believe in loving what you do, I’ve also come to recognize that this fundamental can feel a bit misleading at times. It’s tempting to think that if you love your work, it will always feel joyful and effortless. The reality is more complex. Love for your work doesn’t mean it’s always enjoyable in every moment. True passion often requires hard work, persistence, and moments of struggle. I’ve come to embrace the perspective shared in a video I watched recently — that if you’re working hard toward something meaningful and you’re passionate about it, it won’t always feel “fun” in the traditional sense. And that’s okay. Love for your work is deeper than fleeting enjoyment.
That’s why I think the essence of this fundamental is about balance. It’s about striving toward meaningful goals, embracing the hard work that’s required to achieve them, and recognizing that fulfillment comes from progress and purpose, not just from ease. At the same time, it’s equally important to keep things in perspective. The world has bigger problems than the daily challenges we face at work. We shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously or let small setbacks derail us. Part of enjoying what you do is knowing when to pause, reflect, and give yourself permission to smile and laugh along the way.
So, as we think about this week’s fundamental, I’d encourage all of us to reflect on how we’re approaching our work. Are we finding ways to connect with the deeper purpose behind what we’re doing? Are we giving ourselves space to find joy in the process — even on the hard days? And just as importantly, are we giving ourselves permission to not take everything so seriously all the time? Let’s strive to keep perspective, do work that’s meaningful, and enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Kind regards,
Jennifer Trujillo PharmD, BCPS, CDCES, BC-ADM Associate Dean for Education and Professor Department of Clinical Pharmacy
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Fundamental#1:ActwithKindness
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Onthefarsideofthesuperficialnicetiesinworkplaceinteractionsliesamorewholeheartedforce:Kindness.Sometimes,wemakethemistakeofseeingpolitenessasgenuinehuman connection.Wemayofferpleasantsmiles,warmmorninggreetings,andpassingcomplimentstoourcolleagues.Throughtheseactions,webelievewe'vefulfilledoursocialobligations anddoneeverythinginourpowertocreateaworkplacewherepeoplewillthriveprofessionally,feelsupported,andlikeuswellenough.However,amoreprofoundandintentionalact, kindness,requiresweslowourhurriedpacetoworktowarddeeperworkplaceengagement.
Wherekindnessdiffersfromsimplybeingniceisinitsconcernforanother'sprofessionalgrowth.Kindnesstowardourcolleaguesshiftsourfocustosupportingtheirsuccesswithless worryforourown.Tobekind,wemusttrustintheinherentgoodnessofourcolleaguesandwanttocreateanatmospheregroundedintrust.Kindnessisactionable:Itrequiresustolisten actively,demonstrategenuineconcernforourteammates,buildstrongerrelationships,andthatwearewillingtobeasupport.Kindnessgoesbeyondsurface-levelinteractionsandbuilds genuineconnectionsthatleavepeoplefeelingbetterthantheydidwhenyoufoundthem.Kindnessbuildsunstoppableteams.
Intheworkplace,whereefficiency,productivity,andbusyschedulesdictateourday,itcanbeeasytoneglecttheimportanceofworkplacekindness.Frankly,kindnesscanslowusdown... atleastinthebeginning.Studiescontinuallyshowthatteamswhocommunicateclearly,shareunderstandingofoneanother,andfosterpositiveworkenvironments,seeincreasesin moraleandproductivity.
So,howiskindnessoperationalizedintheworkplace?
Thinkaboutanexample:
Ourcolleagueishavingdifficultycompletingaproject.
Aniceresponsemayinclude:
• • Asurface-levelstatement:"Thatsoundstough.Ihopeyoufigureitout."
o Whilewemaythinkthisisempathetic,itdoesnotofferanypracticalhelpandmayimplyanunwillingnesstoengagefurtherwiththeirissue. Avoidingthesituation:Focusingonself-preservationtopreventanynegativeimpactononeself.Avoidingitbecauseyouneedtofigureoutwhattosay/do.
o Whileitcanbechallengingtoknowwhattosaytosomeonewhoisstruggling,thisisalsoanopportunityforgrowthandbuildingbetterteammorale.Transparencyisa goodsubstituteforavoidancesoifyoudon'thaveanimmediateanswer,justbehonestaboutit.
• Blanketpraisewithoutshowingmuchdeeperinterest:"Yourprojectlooksgoodsofar.Nicejob!"
o Bynotofferingactionablefeedback,weleaveroomformisinterpretationanduncertainty.Ourcolleaguemightwonderifwereviewedtheirworkfullyorifwearejust tryingtobenice.
Akindapproachcanbedoneinavarietyofways:
1. ExtendingaHelpingHand:
o o "HeyKristin,Inoticedhowhardyou'vebeenworkinghardonyourproject.Iamhappytobeanextrasetofeyesifyouneedsomehelp." "I'mfreetomorrowafternoon.Feelfreetograbmeifyouneedabreakorwanttobouncesomeideasoffsomeone."
2. ShareKnowledgeandResources:
o o "Let'sgooverthistogether.Istruggledwithasimilarprojectlastyear.Ilearnedafewtrickstomakeiteasier.Theymightworkforyoutoo." "IfoundthisgreatonlinetutorialonX,Y,Z.Itmightbehelpfulforthatmorecomplicatedsection.Letmeknowifyou'dlikemetosendthem."
3. Comfort&Support:
o o OfferUnderstanding:"Wow,thissoundsreallychallenging,Kristin!It'sacomplexproject.Ijusthopeyouknowtheteamhaveallbeeninasimilarpositionandwe understandhowdauntingthiscanfeel.Wearecheeringyouon." Encourage:"Everythingyou'refeelingittotallyvalid.Youhavealwaysbeensoskilledatcreativethinking.Ifyoubreakitupintobitesizedsections,Ireallybelieveyou candoit.Butremember,weareheretohelpyou."
4. Collaborate:
o o "Let'sworkthroughthistogether.Sometimesafreshperspectivecanhelpusseesolutionswemayhaveoverlooked." "Howdoyoufeelaboutsplittingupthetasks?Icanhandletheriskassessment,andyoucanfocusonthemilestonesandtimelines."
AsweenteranewyearatAnschutz,let'sincorporatekindnessintooureveryday.
Kindregards,
KristinCarpenter
SoutheastExternalRelationsStrategist
ColoradoConsortiumforPrescriptionDrugAbusePrevention
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Fundamental#2:BeStudentCentered
Makeapersonalcommitmenttolearnaboutstudentneedsandsupporttheirsuccess.Createopportunitiesthat enhanceandengagethemintheirlearningexperience.Focusonhowbesttosupportstudentstoensurelongtermsuccessandastrongeducationalreputation.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Welcometothestartofanewyearandanewsemester!Aswestepinto2025,Ihopeeachofyouhadtheopportunityto enjoyawell-deservedbreak Whetheryourtimewasfilledwithrest,meaningfulmomentswithlovedones,orthe pursuitofafavoritehobby,Ihopeithelpedrechargeyourenergyforthemonthsahead
Thebeginningofanewyearbringswithitasenseofrenewalandpossibility achancetosetfreshgoalsandembrace newchallenges Similarly,thestartofanewsemestercansparkfeelingsofexcitementandmotivation It’san opportunitytoexplorenewideas,buildonpastexperiences,andstrengthenoursenseofcommunity
Personally,Ilovethefreshstartanewyearbrings.Forthepastfewyears,I’vefollowedGretchenRubin’smodelof selectingaone-wordthemeandcraftinga“25for2025”goallist.Whiletheinitialenergyofthenewyearisinspiring, maintainingthatmomentumtakespracticeandhabit.
Iimaginethisexperienceresonateswiththestudentexperienceatthestartofthesemester Manystudentsreturnfrom winterbreakfeelingrenewed,butthatenergycanfadeastheweeksprogress.Aswebeginthissemester,Iencourage eachofustofocusonmaintainingastudent-centeredapproachbynotonlyprioritizingtheirlearningexperiences,but alsotheirwellbeingandthehabitsthatsustaintheirlong-termsuccess.Together,let’smakethissemesteroneof growth,connection,andenduringenergy forourselvesandourstudents.
Sincerely,
SaraWettergreen,PharmD
AssistantProfessor,DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental#3:EmbraceDiversity
Valuetheuniqueattributeseachpersonbringstotheteam.Beopentoandacknowledgethevalueofthediverseideasand perspectivesofothers,nomatterwhatroletheyhave.Beawareofyourownprivilegeandtakeresponsibilityforincludingallvoices. Wemakebetterdecisionsandgaindeeperinsightwhenmultipleperspectivesareconsidered.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
MyparentsdivorcedwhenIwasnine,andmymothermovedmebacktoLosAngeles,whereshewasraised,myfatherremainedin Colorado.PriortomovingIattendedgradeschoolinParker,COwheremostofmyclassmatesmirroredmybackground,creatingauniform existencethatfeltnormalatthetime.However,myrelocationtoLosAngelesopenedmyeyestoavibranttapestryofculturesand languages,whereIexperiencedbeingaminority.Thisshiftwasapivotalmomentinmyunderstandingofdiversity,illustratingthat differencesextendbeyondskincolortoencompasstraditions,holidays,cuisines,relationships,values,lifeskillsandcommunication.
LivinginSouthernCaliforniaexposedmetoawealthofexperiences.Ilearnedabouthowmyfriend’sgrandparentsescapedtheArmenian genocide,attendedbarandbatmitzvahcelebrations,participatedinelaboratequinceañerasandbrokefastwithfriendsduringRamadan.I nowspeakSpanglish,cancookPadSeeEw,andcandancetheHopakwhenthemomentcallsforit.Embracingthisdiversitynotonly enrichedmylifebutalsoequippedmewiththetoolstonavigatelife'schallenges.Itinstilledinmeaprofoundgratitudeformyown upbringing,whilealsodeepeningmyunderstandingofthestrugglesfacedbyothers,particularlythosewhofledtheirhomelands.I developedpatience,anopenmindset,andawillingnesstolisten,learningfromthosewithhistoriesthatarefarmorecomplexthanmy own.
At32,IreturnedtoColorado,whichhastransformedsignificantlysincemychildhoodbutstillfallsshorttothedeepdiversityofLos Angeles.Icamebackwithauniqueperspectiveandacommitmenttoencouragingotherswhohavelivedinisolationfromdifferencesto appreciatethebeautyofdiversityandtheconnectionsitfosters.Ifanine-year-oldchildcanembracediversityandgrowintosomeonewho viewsherexperiencesasagift,Ifirmlybelievethatanyone,regardlessofage,canlearntoacceptandcelebratediversityiftheyremain opentoit.
Basedonmypersonalexperience,adiverseprofessionalenvironmentisessential.Adiverseworkplacefosterspatience,enhancesan openmindset,whichleadstobetterdecision-making.creatingamoredynamicandinclusivecommunitythatbenefitseveryone.Itis crucialtounderstandthatsimplyincreasingdiversitydoesnotautomaticallyenhanceeffectiveness;whattrulymattersishowthe professionalenvironmentnurturesandbuildsuponthatdiversitywhichwillcreateasustainableoutcome.
Sincerely,
RachelWagmaister,Manager OfficeofContinuingEducationandProfessionalDevelopment
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Fundamental#4:ActwithIntegrity
Demonstrateanunwaveringcommitmenttoactinghonestlyandethicallyineverythingyoudoandeverydecisionyoumake,especiallywhen nooneislooking.Betruthful,nomattertheconsequences.Ifyoumakeamistake,ownuptoit,sincerelyapologize,andmakeitright.
GreetingsSSPPSCommunity,
Ihopethisfindsyouwell AsIbegantoreflectonFundamental#4:Actwithintegrity,Iimmediatelythoughtofthebook“The4Agreements:A PracticalGuidetoPersonalFreedom”byDonMiguelRuiz Icameacrossthisworkseveralyearsbackandfounditthoughtprovokingandhelpfulon apersonalandprofessionallevel Someofyoumayalreadybefamiliarwiththebookoritscontent,butifyouarenot,Iwouldrecommendit In short,the4agreementsare:--
#1:BeImpeccablewithyourword
#2:Don’ttakeanythingpersonally
#3:Don’tmakeassumptions
#4:Alwaysdoyourbest
Theseareagreementsthatyoumakewithyourself,daily.Theseseemsimpleandstraightforward,butasyoudiveintoeachinmoredepththereisa complexityunderneaththatIfoundworthwhileexploring Inparticular,thefirstagreementIthinkresonateswellwithFundamental#4:Actwith Integrity Tobeimpeccablewithourwordmeanstospeakwithintegrity,sayonlywhatwemean,andavoidusingwordstospeakagainstourselves andothers,whetherthatisintheirpresenceornot Thecoreconceptisthatourwordhaspowerfulagency,withtheabilitytogreatlyimpact ourselvesandthosearoundus.Itisalsogroundedinthemindsetofwhatisbestforthecollectivegood,notpersonalbenefit.Theseprinciplesare foundationaltoactingwithintegrity,astheyemphasizehonesty,respect,andthepowerofourwordsinshapingourrealityandourrelationships IncirclingbacktoourSSPPScommunityandlookingtoimplementtheseprinciplesintomydailyworklife,IstrivetoembodyFundamental#4and TheFirstAgreementby:
•
•
•
• CommunicatingTransparently:Ensuringthatmywordsareclear,truthful,andconstructive,whetherIamteaching,collaboratingwith colleaguesormentoringlearners
RespectingOthers:Treatingeveryonewithdignityandappreciation,acknowledgingtheirefforts,andfosteringanenvironmentwhereopen andhonestdiscussionscantakeplace
Takingresponsibility:Owninguptomymistakes,sincerelyapologizing,andmakingamends Thisnotonlyhelpsbuildtrustbutalso hopefullysetsanexampleforothers.
PromotingEthicalBehavior:Upholdingthehighestethicalstandardsinallmyactionsanddecisions,evenwhennooneiswatching.
TherearemanydaysthatIamcertainlynotsuccessful,butthatiswhereagreement#4comesin Ihopethatbysharinghowactingwithintegrity landsandresonatesformethatitwillpromptsimilarreflectionforeveryone.Let’sstrivetobeimpeccablewithourwordsandactions,fosteringa cultureofintegritythatsupportsourcollectivegrowthandsuccess
Sincerely,
TobyTrujillo,PharmD,BCPS,FCCP,FAHA
Professor LearnmoreabouttheCUPharmacyWay,includingweeklyemailarchives,photos,cultureresources,andmore
Fundamental#5:EmbraceChangeandGrowth
Moveoutsideyourcomfortzoneandadapttonewwaysofdoingtaskswhennecessaryforprogress.Whatgotushereisdifferentfrom whatwillgetustothenextlevel.Beoptimisticbythepossibilitiesthatchange,innovation,andgrowthwillbring.Beflexible,express enthusiasm,andfosteragrowthmindset.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Ilovechange.
Businessmanagerswouldsaythatputsmeinthe20%ofpeoplewhoare“changefriendly.”while30-40%are“changeresisters,”andthe remainingfolkssitonthefence.
Ienjoyrearrangingfurniture,welcomingnewneighborsandcolleagues,andexperiencingthechangeoftheseasons.Changebringsnew challenges,andwiththat,newsuccessesandfailuresthatmakelifeinteresting,rewarding,andreal.
AndhereattheCUSSPPS—noonecandenythatweareenteringaphaseofsignificantchange.Theunknownmaycauseanxiety,sadness, excitement,orallthreeplusmorefeelings.Letyourselffeelwhateveryouarefeeling,butlookforthepositivesinchange.
Idon’tbelievethat“changeresisters”dominateourculture.Peopleresistchangeinsomesituationsforperfectlyrationalreasons.I,forone, resistchangeeverytimemyphoneupdatesitsoperatingsystem,introducingnewwaystohighlightmytech-illiteracy.
Changeandgrowthareeasytoembracewhenpeopleperceiveachangetobeintheirbestinterest.But…evenwhenpeopleagreechangeis needed,theymayNOTagreeonhowitshouldbeexecuted.
Takehealthcare.Ourhealthcaresystemneedstochangetoaddressbigproblemsitfacesrelatedtocost,healthequity,accesstocare,and implementationofevidence-basedmedicine.And…bitbybit,itischanging,andpharmacists,includingouramazingfacultyandthestudents, residents,fellows,andgraduatestudentswetrain,arepartofthatchange.Healthcareisateamsport,andthatteamneedsamedication expert!
However,healthcarehascompetinginterestsfromhealthinsurancecompanies,healthcareprofessionals,pharmacybenefitmanagers, governmentpayers,policymakers,thepharmaceuticalindustry,and…lestweforget…patients.Ourprofessioncanand isservingasaforce ofchangeinthebettermentofhealthcareandhealthcareteams,andourschoolistrainingthefuturepharmacistswhowillembraceandlead thischangetoservetheirpatients.
Kindregards,
SarahBillupsPharmD,BCPS
AssociateProfessor,DirectorofPopulationHealthPharmacy DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental#6:ActwithTransparency
Withappropriaterespectforconfidentiality,shareinformationfreelythroughoutyourteam.Themorepeopleknow, thebettertheycancollaborate.Learntoaskyourself,“Whoelseneedstoknowthis?”Engageotherpartiesas appropriatepriortomakingfinaldecisions.Themorepeopleunderstandthereasonforwhatisbeingdone,themore activelytheycanparticipateinthesolution.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Actingwithtransparencyisn’tjustaboutbeingopen it'saboutfosteringtrust,encouragingcollaboration,andcreatinga culturewhereeveryoneunderstandsnotjustwhatishappening,butwhy Whenweactwithtransparency,weprovideclarity aboutdecisions,expectations,andthereasoningbehindactions Thisapproachempowersteamstofeelincluded, respected,andmotivatedtocontributetheirbest.
Atitscore,transparencymeansclearlycommunicatinggoals,challenges,andchanges Butitgoesbeyondjustsharing information.Truetransparencyrequirescreatinganenvironmentwherepeoplefeelsafetoaskquestionsandseekclarity. Thisincludesexplainingwhycertaintasksarebeingassigned,whyaspecificprocessisinplace,orwhyachangeis necessary Whenemployeesunderstandtherationalebehinddecisions,they’remorelikelytobuyintothemandaligntheir effortstowardasharedvision
Forleaders,transparencyinvolvesbeingopenaboutchallengesandowninguptomistakes Forteammembers,itmeans beinghonestaboutprogress,challenges,orideas.Wheneveryonecommitstothismindset,theworkplacebecomesmore collaborativeandproductive.Misunderstandingsanddistrustdissolve,replacedbyasharedsenseofpurposeand accountability
Transparencyisalsocriticalforprofessionalgrowth.Whenemployeesunderstandwhytheirworkmattersinthebigger picture,they’remoreengagedanddriventodelivermeaningfulresults Likewise,whenleadersexplainthereasoningbehind strategicdecisions,itfostersalignmentandreducesresistancetochange. Ultimately,transparencyisaboutconnection.It’sthebridgebetweenintentionandaction,ensuringeveryoneisonthesame pageandpullinginthesamedirection Byactingwithtransparency,wedon’tjuststrengthenourteams;wecreateaculture whereeveryonethrives
Sincerely,
JohnBunker,CourseDeveloper OfficeofEducation
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Fundamental#7:ListenGenerously
Listenactivelybygivingothersyourundividedattention,andbybeingpresentandengaged.Listeningismorethansimply“notspeaking.”Minimizedistractionsandletgooftheneedtoagreeor disagree.Suspendyourjudgmentandbecurioustoknowmore,ratherthanjumpingtoconclusions.Aboveall,listentounderstand. Havingamaster’sdegreeincounseling,Isometimesjokewithcolleagues,“WhatIactuallyhavehangingonmywallisadegreeinlistening ”AndwhileIcan’tsaythatIperfectlyexecutetheartoflistening generouslyinmypersonalandprofessionallives100%ofthetime,Icansayovermy25+yearcareer,IhavewitnessedthepowerfulimpactthisFundamentalhasinbuilding,sustaining,andevenrepairing relationshipsfirsthand
AnycommunicationcoachwilltellyoulisteningisTHEmostcriticalcomponentincommunicatingeffectively Period Andlistening“generously”takeslisteningastepfurther Itisdifferentthansimply “hearing”or“payingattention ”itisleaningintowhatsomeoneissaying seekingtounderstandwithoutthecloudofpreconceivedjudgmentsorbiases Itisharnessingyourcuriosityandgenuinelylooking forcontext,framework,meaning,andevenemotionsintheirwords,bodylanguage,etc
Whenwelistengenerouslytoothersinourworkplace(orinanysetting),wecommunicaterespectandappreciation;wedemonstratethevalueforothers’ideasandopinions Leaderswholisten generouslyalsoinspireloyaltyandmotivationinothers Ultimately,whenwelistengenerously,webuildtrust Unfortunately,therearemanyobstaclesandpitfallswhichcansabotageourabilitytolistengenerouslyintoday'sfast-pacedworld AsImentioned,itisaskillthatmayneverbe“perfected”bymostofus butshouldalwaysbetopofmindinourinteractionswithothersifwewanttohavethebestoutcome Therefore,Ihavecompiledsomestrategiestoboostyourgenerouslisteningskillsamidstsome commonchallengesandpitfallswearelikelytoencounter:
1 EliminateDistractions:Createaconduciveenvironmentforlisteningbyminimizingexternaldistractions Putawayyourphone,turnoffnotifications,andfocusonthepersonspeakingina culturallyappropriateway Thiscanbeespeciallychallengingindigital/Zoomspaces,sodoyourbestbyshuttingdownotherwindows,positioningtheperson’simageclosetoyourcamera,etc
MakeTime:Creatededicatedspaceinyourcalendartoallowyourselfasufficientamountoftimetofullylistentotheotherperson(s) Donot“squeeze”thistimeinbetweenother projects/whiledriving/etc (see#1),andifyoudon’thavethetimenow,scheduleanothertimesoon
BEQUIET:Allowthespeakertoexpressthemselvesfullywithoutinterrupting Givethemtimetoarticulatetheirthoughtsandfeelings,eveniftherearepausesorsilences SimonSinekcredits NelsonMandelawithsaying “Practicebeingthelasttospeak ”especiallyinagroupsetting
StayCurious:Curiousmindsareopenminds Whilegivingyourfullattentiontothespeaker,avoidmakingassumptionsorformingopinionsbeforehearingthespeakerout Don’tgetcaughtup inthinkingaboutwhatyouwillsaynext(see#3)orletyourmindwander Ifyouhavecarvedoutenoughtimefortheconversation(see#2),youwillhavetimetoshareyourthoughtswhentheyare donesharing
StayMindful:Ifyounoticeyourselfreactingtowhatsomeoneissayinginadefensiveoremotionallyreactiveway,yourabilitytolistengenerouslyisbeingthwartedbyyourlimbicsystem Itis absolutelyappropriatetotakea“timeout andshareyourneedtopausetheconversationtore-groupsothatyoucanshowupforyournextconversationasyourbestpresentandcuriousself (see#4) Justbesuretorescheduleatimetocontinue,don’tputitoff(see#2)
CheckforUnderstanding:Howdoyouknowifyouhavelistenedgenerously?Ask!Reflectbacktothepersonwhatyouheardandmostimportantly whatyouunderstood Thisallowsforan opportunitytoclarifyanymisunderstandingandshowsthespeakeryoucareaboutthemandwhattheysaid Note:thisdoesnotmeanthatyouagreewithwhattheyhavesaid SeekFeedback:Askforfeedbackonyourgenerouslisteningskillsfromtrustedfriendsorcolleagues Constructivefeedbackcanhelpyouidentifyareasforimprovementasyoucontinueto practicetheartofthiscriticalFundamental
Remember,improvinglisteningskillstakesconsciouseffortandpractice,buttherewardsarewellworthit Formorehelpfultoolsandtidbitstoincreaseyourgenerouslisteningacumen,Iencourageyou tovisitthefollowing:
https://sparqtools org/lara/ ReflectionPoint HarvardBusinessReview
SimonSinek stheArtofListening Withgratitude,
JenniferPlace MA LPC LAC(she/her/hers) SeniorProgramManager
ColoradoConsortiumforPrescriptionDrugAbusePrevention CenterforPrescriptionDrugAbusePrevention LearnmoreabouttheCUPharmacyWay,includingweeklyemailarchives,photos,cultureresources,andmore
Fundamental#8:SpeakOpenly
Professional,respectfulsharingofthoughts,ideas,andespeciallyissuesiscriticalforfuturesuccess.Speak honestlyinawaythathelpstomakeprogress.Saywhatyoumean,andbewillingtoaskquestionsorraiseissues, eveniftheymaycausecontroversy,withoutlosingsightofrespectful,professionaldialog.Wheneverpossible, addressissuesdirectlywiththosewhoareinvolvedoraffected.Takeresponsibilityforcreatingasafeandrespectful environmentwheretheseconversationscanhappen.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
AsIreflectonFundamental#8:SpeakOpenly,IamremindedofoneofthemostvaluablelessonsIhavelearnedoverthe years–noonebenefitsfromavoidingtoughconversations.
Inmyfirstprofessionalroleasanadmissionscounselor,Idreadedhavingtodeliverbadnewstoprospectivestudents No onewantstofindoutthattheyweredeniedtotheirfirst-choiceschoolorthattheyweren’tselectedforascholarship program,andIhatedthefeelingthatIwascrushingastudent’sdream Iwouldoftentrytosugarcoatthingsoravoid addressingdifficultissuesdirectly.Afterobservingoneofmyearlyconversationswithaprospectivestudent,mysupervisor andmentorpulledmeasidetoinquirewhyIavoidedtalkingabouttheweaknessesintheirapplicationandthelikelihood thattheywouldnotqualifyforadmissions Atthetime,Ithoughtthekindestthingtodowastoremainpositiveand encouraging Mymentorthensharedsometoughfeedbackwithme:caringisn’talwayscomfortable
ForthoseIworkwithoften,youalreadyknowthatI’mabigfanofKim’sScott’sbook,RadicalCandor.Inthebook,Scott providesacommunicationframeworkthatencouragesindividualstochallengedirectlyandcarepersonally.Ineducation,I oftenfindthatpeopledon’tavoiddifficultconversationsbecausetheydon’tcare,butrathertheyavoidthembecausethey caredeeplyanddon’twanttohurtanyone’sfeelings Ifthatresonateswithyou,Iencourageyoutoreframeyourthinking Caring-aboutastudent,aproject,acolleague,oralovedone-requiresyoutoleanintothisweek’sfundamentalandspeak openly.
Ifyou’recuriousabouttheRadicalCandorframework,checkoutthisshortvideowhereScottbreaksitdowninsixminutes.
Warmly,
AmandaRyder
DirectorofAdmissionsandStudentRecruitment
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Fundamental#10:PracticeBlamelessProblem-Solving
Focusonsolutionsratherthandwellingonproblemsormakingaccusatorystatements.Identifylessonslearnedtoimprove yourselfandourprocessessothesamemistakesarenotmadetwice.Getsmarterwitheverymistake.Learnfromevery experience.
Goodmorning,SSPPScolleagues!
Thisweek’sfundamentalresonateswithmeforvariousreasons,soIwasexcitedtotakeagoofwritingaboutmyperspectivesonit.Inmy priorrolesasacommunitypharmacistandmanagerandthenhospitalpharmacisttohospitalpharmacy/laboratorydirector,Iwasfaced withvariousproblemsoften.Thoseproblemsvariedfrompatientsafetyproblems,tostaffingproblems,to“culture”problems,andthey arealargepartofwhoIamtoday,asapharmacist,andasahuman.
OneofmybiggestlessonsandpiecesofadviceisthatbeingmadorupsetaboutaproblemisOK.Sayingthingsoutloudthatare demeaningorthreateningiswhenitisnotok.IalwaystrytorememberthequotebyformerPepsiCoCEOIndraNooyi:“Whateveranybody saysordoes,assumepositiveintent.”(Pepsi>Coke,bytheway�)Ourcolleaguesandourstudentsaren’tusuallytryingtobejerkson purpose,anditbodeswellforyourbrainhealthifyoucangoinwiththatmindsetuntilprovenotherwise!
Oneitemthatreallychangedmyperceptionofproblem-solvingwasthestudyofhowhumansinteractwithtechnology.TheCPPS(Certified Professionalin-PatientSafety)certificateofferedbywww.ihi.orgwasoneofthemoretransformativeitemsthatIhavedoneinmycareer.It isacredentialgivenafterstudyingandpassinganexamcoveringfourpatientsafetydomains,twoofthoseinclude“Culture”and“Human FactorsEngineering.”Learningaboutmistakesthroughthelensofahumanmakingamistakeduetopossibleenvironmentalor technologicalfailuresorworkaroundshelpedmetotakethe“blame”fromthepersonwhendealingwithmistakes.Isyourteamculture onewherepeoplefeelsafetospeakorreportissues?Istechnologyhelpingtosetthepractitionerandpatientupforsuccess?(Insertany otherdescriptorfor“practitioner”and“patient”asneeded,Iknowourscientistsneedaccuracyandeffectiveprocessesintheirresearch.)
Ifyoufindyourselfalwaysthinkingofhowyoumessedsomethingup,orhowsomeoneelsedid,takeastepback,breathe,andthink through:“Whatfactorscouldhavecontributedtothisproblem,andhowcanIprovidesolutionstohelpintheprocesstokeepimproving andmovingforward?”Focusingonsolutionstosolveaproblemathandissomeofwhatmakestheworldgo‘round,right?
Takesometimetotakethepersonoutoftheproblemandseewhatactionsmightpreventre-occurrence.Itneverhurtstohavea“crucial conversation”aswell,thismaysaveyourrelationshipandpreventfutureproblemsofthesamesort.Attheendoftheday,alotof problemsgetsolvedwiththoroughcommunicationandcareforoneanother!
Haveanawesomeweek,everyone!
Kindly,
DebbieGallegos,PharmD,CPS,CPPs2019-2025
AssistantDirectorofExperientialPrograms,HealthSystemIPPECourseDirector, AdvancedIPPECourseDirector
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Fundamental#11:Collaborate
Shareinformationandworktogetherasappropriate.Workasateamforbetteroutcomestoadvancetheschoolandsupportone another.Collaborationgeneratesbetterideasandoutcomesthanworkingalone.Helpeachothersucceed.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Fundamental#11:Collaborateisareminderthatthestrengthofourworkliesintheconnectionswebuildandthepartnershipswe cultivate Collaborationisnotjustaboutsharingtasksbutaboutcomingtogetherwithasharedpurposeandleveragingthediverseskills andperspectivesthateachofusbringstothetable OurSchoolishometosuchavariedgroupofindividualswithuniqueprofessional backgroundsandwhenweworktogether,wecreateacultureofmutualsupport,openness,andinnovation Weeachhaveunique strengthsthat,whencombined,leadtobetteroutcomesthanwhenweworkinisolation Bycollaborating,wecanenhancenotonlythe qualityofourworkbutalsotheimpactwehaveonthesuccessofourresearchendeavors,patientoutcomes,andfuturesofourstudents.
Frommyjourneyasastudenttomycurrentroleasafellow,I’veseenfirsthandhowcollaborationfuelscreativityanddrivesprogressin bothresearchandeducation Lastmonth,Dr TomAnchordoquy,Dr DmitriSimberg,recentToxicology-alumDr ScottTilden,andIwere interviewedby Futurum Careers,aresourceforhighschoolstudentsexploringSTEMcareers.Theprojectwediscussedexemplifiesthe impactofdiverseperspectivescomingtogethertoadvancescienceandpatientcare InFebruary,Ihadtheopportunitytopresentthis workatthestateHOSA(FutureHealthProfessionals)Conference,highlightingtheSSPPS’commitmenttocollaborativeresearchto inspirethenextgenerationofhealthcarescientists.
Ontheeducationalfront,I’vehadtheabsoluteprivilegeofworkingalongsideDr RichardRadcliffeandDr RobScheinmantofurther developourfirst-yearpharmacologycourse,strengtheningthebridgebetweenfoundationalandclinicalsciencesthroughinteractive activitiesandteachingmethods.Thepositivefeedbackfromstudentsaffirmsthevalueoftheseimprovements,andwelookforwardto continuingthiscollaborativeeffortincurriculardevelopment Theseexperienceshavereinforcedthatwhencollaborationisattheheart ofourdailywork,wecanstrengthenourcollectivecommitmenttoexcellence
Whetherit’stacklingachallengingproject,developingnewinitiatives,orsupportingastudent’sacademicjourney,themostimpactful solutionscomewhenwecombineoureffortsandexpertise It’simportanttorememberthatcollaborationisn’tjustaboutagreeingor poolingresources-it’saboutengaginginconstructiveconversations(Fundamental 7: Listen Generously and Fundamental 8: Speak Openly),sharinginformationopenly(Fundamental 6: Act with Transparency),andsupportingeachothertoensureeveryonesucceeds (Fundamental 9: Invest in Relationships and Fundamental 19: Focus on the Team).
Let’scontinuetomakecollaborationapriority,notonlyforachievingbetteroutcomesbutforbuildingasupportive,cohesivecommunity whereweallthrive
Warmly,
MadisonHRicco,PharmD
Post-DoctoralAcademicFellow
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Fundamental#12--MaketheMostofEachDay
Haveapassionforwhatyoudoandbefullyengaged.Approacheverytaskwithenergy,focus,andpurpose.Workwithasenseof commitmenttocompletetasks.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Ihavealwaystendedtobeamorningperson,probablygettingitfrommymom.Shewakesatearlydawn,brightandfullofenergywithout assistancefromcoffee,readyforconversationsandstories,muchtothechagrinoftherestofthefamilyduringholidays,whoarebarely awake.
Thephilosophydescribedbythisfundamentalhasalwaysresonatedwithme.WhetheryousubscribetoStephenCovey’s7Habits,and intentionallystructureeachdayofyourweektoachievegoalsinyourpersonalandprofessionallives,orshapeyourfuturethroughJames Clear’sAtomicHabits,wheresmall,dailyroutinesbuildtomakeimpressiveimpactsovertime,makingthemostofthedaywecurrentlyface helpstokeepusinthepresent,focusingonareasweareabletochange,andsetsthefoundationforprogress.
Meditationprinciplesspeaktolivinginthehereandnow,lettinggoofpastregretsanddisappointmentsaswellastheuncertaintiesof tomorrow.Theideathatallwehaveisthismomentinfrontofus,andlearningtoappreciatetheflavor,thecolor,thetextureoflifeaswe experienceitcanbeatranscendingexperience.Iadmirethosepeopleinthisworldwhocandisregardtheturmoil,negativityandchaosof modern-daychallengesandinsteadfocusonthebeautyandlovethatispresentinart,innature,inmusic,inpeople.Forme,makingthe mostofeachdaydependsgreatlyonmyframeofmindandmyattitude,andfindingthosesmalljoys,thosethingsthatmakemesmileand appreciatelife,isabsolutelycriticalinmaintainingmyowncenterandbalance.
Havingpassion,beingfullyengaged,andapproachinglifewithenergyandpurposecomesdowntomindsetandattitude.Buildingthat mindsetbytakingcareofyourself,prioritizingtimeforactivitiesyouloveandvalue,andfindingjoyinthesimplisticcreatethedeep resourcefulnessweneedtofaceandovercomelife’schallenges.Makingthemostoutofthedaydoesnotnecessarilytranslatetohowbusy youare.TherearemanydaysitfeltIbarelyhadafewminutestocatchmybreath,butuponreflectionthetimespentfellwellshortofgood, muchless“best”.Mymostproductivedaysarewell-balanced,whereIdeliberatelycarveouttimetodotheself-rewardingactivitiesthat bringmesatisfactionandpatience,andcreatethepositiveattitudeIcarrythroughouttheremainderofmyday.Inotherwords,takecareof yourself,andtherestseemstoworkitselfout.Unfortunately,I’vefoundtheoppositetoalsobetrue.Ifyoudon’ttaketimeforself-care, approachingtaskswithpositiveenergyandpurposecanbedaunting.Fillyourowncup,andthenyoucanfillothers’.
Regards,
WesleyNuffer,PharmD,BCPS,CDCES,BC-ADM
Professor,AssistantDirectorofExperientialPrograms
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References
1.Covey,S.R.(2013).The7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople:PowerfulLessonsinPersonalChange.NewYork,NY:Simon&Schuster.
2.Clear,J.(2018).AtomicHabits:AnEasy&ProvenWaytoBuildGoodHabits&BreakBadOnes.NewYork,NY:Avery,animprintof PenguinRandomHouse.
Fundamental#13:StriveforExcellence
Takeprideinthequalityofeverythingyoudo.Alwaysaskyourself,“Isthismybestwork?”Asaschool,wewanttobethebestatwhat wecollectivelydo,whichmeansthatwemuststrivetobethebestatwhatweeachdo DearSSPPSCommunity,
Ihopealliswell,andhellofrominternationalborders!Ifindmyselfdrawntoourcommunitybecauseofthisfundamental,whichisahuge reasonwhyIwantedtosharesomeofmythoughts.Thisfundamentalemphasizestheimportanceofpersonalresponsibilityinachieving collectiveexcellence.Thatforusalltobethebest,wemustalldigdeepandtakeprideinourownworkandgiveourown100%effort.WhatI loveaboutthiscommunityisthatwevaluethateveryonehastheirpartinthecollectiveworkwearedoing,andwevaluethateveryonegiving theireffortmakesusexcellent.
WhatIalsoappreciateisthatexcellenceisnotaproductofchance,itisaproductofintentionality.Weallknowwhenwegiveourbest effort,itisanindividualandintentionaldecision.Wecanshiftourmindstounderstandingthatqualityisthebaseline,andwhenweaddour piecetothepuzzle,wecanseethebigpicture.Ourcultureisaresultofus,collectively.Wecaneachdoourpart,andbuildexcellence, whichthenenhancesourculture.
TheSSPPSfacultyandstaffrepresentanamazinggroupofindividualscommittedtoexcellenceintrainingthebestfuturepharmacistsand scientists.Asweapproachourdailyrolesandresponsibilities,ourindividualeffortsultimatelyimpacttheoverallsuccessoftheschool. Likewise,eachmember’sindividualprofessionalgrowthwillhopefullybeenhancedastheorganizationcontinuestothrive.Achievingand sustainingexcellenceisnoeasytaskandrequiresustoconsistentlybringourbestselvestoworkeachday.Bothindividualand organizationalfactorsimpactourabilitytoconsistentlyproducethehighestqualityworkandultimatelyachieveexcellence.
Asadistancerunner,Ithinksometimeswecandoubtourabilities.AsCoachBennett,NikeRunClub’sGlobalCoachsays,“Sometimes crossingthestartinglineisharderthancrossingthefinishline.”Wearenotperfect,norareweexpectedtobe.Butwecantryand strive.So, Ileaveyouwiththisencouragement:Strivebecauseyoubelieveinyourself,andwhatyouarecapableofaccomplishing.Iguarantee,if everyonedoesthat,itwillbeaweektoremember.
Stayhappyandhealthyeveryone,andIlookforwardtoseeingeveryonewhenIgetbackthisfall!
Withloveandgratitude,
KaylaBethea
ChangeandEducationInitiativesProgramManager
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Fundamental#14:Takeapositiveapproach
Youhavethepowertochooseyourattitude Strivetobeauthenticallypositive–yourattitudeaffects andinfluencesothers.Actwithoptimism,beapproachable,andbewelcomingtoothers.Givepeople thebenefitofthedoubt.Bringyour“bestself”toeverydayandeverytask.
SSPPSCommunity,
Thisfundamentalisonethatspeakstomethemost Everyday,Itrytocometoworkwithapositiveattitude withhopesthatIcanspreadpositivitytomycolleagues,students,andpatients.IamcurrentlyreadingThe HappinessAdvantagebyShawnAchorwhodescribes7principlesthatleadtosuccessandachievement bothprofessionallyandpersonally Admittingly,Ihavenotfinishedreadingthisbook,butthefirstprinciple, “TheHappinessAdvantage”,grabbedmyattention
Weneedtofocusonthelittlethingsthathappeneverydaythatbringusjoyandhappiness Boosting positiveemotionsimprovesourperformanceandfocusandcanraiseourhappinessbaselineifpracticed consistently Thefollowingaresomepracticesthatcanhelpexercisethishappinessskill:
•Meditation–Takejust5minutesadaytofocusonbreathingandresettingthemind
•Findsomethingtolookforwardto–Anticipatingfuturerewardscanbringsimilaramountof pleasuretothebrainastheactualreward
•Commitactsofkindness–Theseactsofkindnessdonotneedtobegrandiose Theycouldbeas simpleasofferingtohelpacolleagueorbringingafriendacoffee
•Physicalexercise–Exercisecanboostmoodandenhanceworkperformance.Simplygoingfora lunchtimewalkduringyourworkdaycanbebeneficial Exerciseasignaturestrength–Thinkaboutthethingsyouaregoodatandfindactivitiesortasks thatexercisethatstrength.
• Yourpositivityiscontagioustoothers,andthisstartswithyourownhappiness Goingforward,Iplanto exercisemypositivitymusclesbyaddingsomeofthesepracticesintomyroutine.Iamoptimisticthat throughthis,Icancontinuetobringmybestselftoeveryday.
Kindregards,
Bryn(Lindley)LoutzenhiserPharmD,BCPS
AssistantProfessor DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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FundamentaloftheWeek#15–HonorCommitments
Dowhatyousayyou’regoingtodoandwhenyousayyou’lldoit.Ifacommitmentcan’tbefulfilled,notifyothers assoonaspossibleandagreeonanewdeliverabletobehonored.Holdyourselfaccountableforhonoringyour commitment.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Oneofmyfavoritejazzgroups,Incognito,hasasongwiththeline,"Alltherightintentionsandpromisesdon'tmeana thingifyoucan'tgetthejobdone."Thisresonateswithmeregardinghonoringcommitments.I'damenditto,"Alltheright intentionsandpromisesdon'tmeanathingifyoucannothonoryourcommitments "
Despiteourbestefforts,unforeseencircumstancescanchallengeourabilitytofulfillcommitments Howweaddress thesechallengescanmakeorbreakoursuccess.Forexample,lastyear,Iagreedtospeakataschoolprogramduringmy vacation Valuingmyvacationtime,Ifoundasolutionbyfulfillingmyspeakingobligationandmakingupforthelosttime later
Modifyingcommitmentscanriskquestioningyourreliabilityandtrustworthiness.Honoringcommitmentsiscrucialfor establishingtrustandbuildingrelationships.Whenfacedwithchallenges,thefearofdamagingrelationshipsand breakingtrustcanbedaunting
Tonavigatethis,wecanusetoolstopracticehonoringcommitmentsandcommunicateeffectivelyaboutchanges At ourlastfacultystaffretreat,Dr.ReginaLewisintroducedtoolsforcourageousconversations,fosteringblameless, collaborative,anddeliberatedialogue Theseprinciplesalignwithour24fundamentals,includinghonoring commitments
AnotherresourceisthePercipioAISimulator,whichoffersscenariostopracticeconversationsaboutwork-related situations,usingAItosimulatedialoguetohoneyourcommunicationandemotionalintelligenceskills.Here’sascenario whichyoucanusetobecomefamiliarwiththeplatform:PercipioAISimulator
Iencourageyoutousethesetoolsasyoureflectonyourexperienceshonoringcommitments Ialsoacknowledgeyour commitmenttoourCulturebyDesignprojectandhopeitprovidesthegrowthyouseek.
FundamentallyYours, JaronBryant
StrategicInitiativesManager
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Fundamental#16:ShowRecognitionandAppreciation
Celebratecolleagues’achievementsandsuccesses.Regularlyextendmeaningfulacknowledgementandappreciation in alldirectionsthroughouttheschool
Dear SSPPS Community, When.someone.does.something.well?.applaud*.You.will.make.two.people.happy¡..Samuel.Goldwyn
Abouttwodecadesagomymotherwentoutofherwaytobuyoneofmycousinsaniceweddinggift Momwasalreadyretired,and thegiftstretchedherbudget.Shewrappeditup,includedacardfullofgoodwishes,andshippeditofftoNewYork.Shenever receivedawordofthanks.Mysweetmother,whoisnowinhernineties,occasionallyrevisitsthatincident.MayaAngelouonce said,"amongitsotherbenefits,givingliberatesthesoulofthegiver ”Butthemissingexpressionofappreciationhitmymomhard Hersoulwasdefinitelynotliberated.
Weallwanttofeelvalidated Wewanttohavesomeproofthatwe’remakingadifferencethroughresearch,teaching,clinical practice,andstrivingforexcellenceinourvariousroles Recognitionisoftenfocusedonmajorsuccesseslikesecuringagrant, publishingapaper,wrappingupabigproject,orreceivinganaward Theseachievementsareusuallycelebratedinourdepartment meetingsandthroughonlineposts Butappreciationisdifferent Itinvolvesnoticingandvaluingthepositivethingsmembersofour SSPPScommunitycontributeeveryday
Genuinerecognitionandappreciationneedtoradiateinalldirections.Notjustamongyourclosedepartmentpeers.Notjustto yourdirectreports Notjustfromtoptobottom Theyneedtobreakthroughtheformalhierarchy,crossallboundaries,andactively movethroughoutourschool
Afteryouhaveapositivethoughtaboutsomeone,howoftendoyouactuallyshareit?Ordothosepositivethoughtsstaysilently tuckedawayinyourmind?Thenextstepistotakeactiontoexpressyourappreciationinameaningfulway It’susuallynotenough tojustsay,“Greatjob!Thankyou!”Bespecificandauthentic ThisHarvardBusinessReviewarticleofferssomepracticaltipsfor doingjustthat.
Fundamental#16remindsusoftheimportanceofnoticingandacknowledgingthestrengthsandcontributionsofthosearoundus Genuinerecognitionandheartfeltappreciationrequireintentionandeffort.Small,regularactsofappreciationhavethepowerto strengthenourSSPPScommunity,makeoursharedjourneymorepleasant,andmakeourworkmorefulfilling.
Kindregards,JuliaRawlings,PharmD,BCPS,CPPS
AssociateProfessor,ProgramDirector–HCPFContractsandPartnerships DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental#17HelpOthersSucceed
Takeresponsibility,bothformallyandinformally,tocoach,guide,andmentorothers.Helpothersgrowandsucceed.The bestwaytoinfluenceothersisthroughyourownexample.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
“Elphie–nowthatwe’refriends,I’vedecidedtomakeyoumynewproject!”
ThoseofyouwhoknowmewellknowthatIamahugefanoftheBroadwaymusicalWicked(especiallythoseofyouwhomIhave draggedalongtoseeit!) Thesearetheopeninglinestotheplayfullypopularsong‘Popular?"wherethepretty,privileged,and, somewouldsay,superficialcharacterofGalindanoblyvowstohelpamisfitandmisunderstoodElphabafitinamongtheirpeers atShizUniversity WhileGalinda’smotivesforhelpingElphabamaybemixed,wecanallstrivetoapproachhelpingeachother withthesameenthusiasmthatsheexhibitsinherendeavor
Investingourtimeandenergyintohelpingothersisnotalwayseasy,butitcertainlycanberewarding Asaproud(andexhausted!) momofa3-year-oldanda5-month-old,I’vecometolearnthateverydayisanotheropportunitytofostersuccess.Sometimes successmeansallowingforasafespacetofail;othertimesitmeanslendingahandorshowingtheway;andstillothertimesit meansprovidingvalidationandencouragement.Therewardcomeswhenyouwitnessthesurpriseintheireyeswhentheyrollover bythemselvesforthefirsttime,ortheirexcitementwhentheyfinallyfigureouthowtoputtheirshoesonthecorrectfeet.
HereatSSPPSwehaveauniqueopportunitytofostersuccessinavarietyofplaces–ourownschoolandclassrooms,research labs,clinicalpracticesites,andthroughoutthecampuscommunity Todothiswell,wecanlooktosomeofourother Fundamentalsforguidance Forexample,whenwe#Act with Kindness and#Invest in Relationships,wetakethetimetogetto knoweachotherandshowthatwecareaboutothers’well-being Whenwe–Collaborateand–Focus on the Team? we acknowledgeoursharedgoalsaswellasoursharedresponsibilitiesandcancollectivelycelebratesuccessesastheycome Everysuccess,nomatterhowbigorsmall,isimportant Sowhetheryoursuccesstodayismeasuredbythepositiveinteraction youhadwithastudent,theimpactyoumadeonapatient’slife,theresearchpaperyoufinallygotpublished,orsimplygettingyour shoesontherightfeet,let’salldoourparttohelpeachotherintheserespectiveendeavors,becauseasthecharactersinWicked remindus-“Everyonedeservesthechancetofly ”
Best,
RhiannaFink,PharmD,BCACP,BC-ADM AssociateProfessor DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental18:Findaway
Takepersonalresponsibilityforcompletingtasks.Maintainasolution-focusedmindsetratherthanexplainingwhyitcan’tbedone.Be resourcefulandshowinitiative.Don’tmakeexcusesorwaitforotherstosolvetheproblemorseizetheopportunity.Workwitha senseofcommitmenttoseesolutionsthroughtotheircompletion.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Findingawaystartswithbelievingthatthereisawaytobefound.Forme,thisbeliefisrootedinmyFaith.Philippians4:13states,"Icandoall thingsthroughChristwhostrengthensme.”Ihavetakenthisversetoheartandhaveamindsetthatifallthingscanbedone,thenit’sjusta matteroffindingaway.
So,whenIopenanemailorsomeoneasksmetodosomething,Iautomaticallybeginlookingforawaytoaccomplishit.Itrynottofocuson theobstaclesbutratheronhowI’llmaneuverthroughthem.BelowaresomewaysI’vefoundtoapproachtaskstomaintaina“findaway” mindset.
•Focusontheproblemyou’retryingtosolve:Askclarifyingquestionsandfocusontheendgoal.Ifyou’veknownmeforanylengthof time,you’veheardmeask,“Whatistheproblemwe’retryingtosolve?”Ifindthataskingthisquestionhelpspeopletostopandthink aboutwhattheywanttoaccomplishandrevealsotheroptionsforreachingthesamegoal.
•Expressyourselfthoughtfully:Whenrespondingtochallengingrequests,taketimetoletpeopleknowyouarewillingtoworkwith themtofindasolution.Letthemknowifyouneedtimetoinvestigatepossibilities.Taketimetohaveaconversationoutsideofemailif youneedclarification.Often,thefirstrequestapersonsendsdoesn’tcontainallthenecessaryinformationtorespondwithfinality.
•Keepmovingforward:Actonyourideasanddon'twaitfortheperfectmoment.ErikaFrietasoncephrasedthisas“progress,not perfection.”Startwhereyouarewithwhatyouhave,andreviseasneeded.Nothingisperfectlyexecutedthefirsttimeit’stried. Thinklikeascientist:Don'tviewfailuresassetbacksbutasvaluablelessonsthatcanhelpyouimprove.Mistakesareboundto happen.AsThomasEdisonsaid,"Ihavenotfailed.I'vejustfound10,000waysthatwon'twork.”Formulateanewideaandtryagain. Askaround:Engagewiththosearoundyoutoseeifsomeoneelsehasalreadyfoundasolutionorhasasuggestion.OurSchoolis madeupofindividualsfromallovertheworld.Tapintothisdiversityofthought,chancesareyou’llfindapathyoudidn’tknowexisted. Refreshyourself:Engageinactivitiesthathelpyourelax,recharge,andmaintainapositiveoutlook.It’shardtoseeapathforward whenyou’reexhaustedeithermentally,physically,orboth.Oncerested,seeifyourperspectivehaschangedandapathisnowvisible.
• • • Workingonacampusoverrunwithpolicyandpaperworkcanmakeitseemlikenothingisdoable.Andoftentimes,wewillneedtomodifyour requeststofallwithinthosepolicies.Butthatdoesn'tmeanwecan’tdoit;wejustneedtofindaway.
Now,takeamomenttowritethewords“findaway”onastickynoteandplaceitsomewhereitisvisibletoyouwhileyouwork.Nexttimeyou receivearequestthatseemsimpossible,lookatthatnoteandbelievethatthereisawaytobefoundandyou’rejusttheonetofindit.
Regards,
ShellyLange SeniorBusinessOperationsProfessional LearnmoreabouttheCUPharmacyWay
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Fundamental19:FocusontheTeam
DearColleagues,
Aswereflectonthevaluesthatdriveourschoolforward,Iwanttohighlightoneofourcorefundamentals:Focus ontheTeam.Asaformercollegiateathlete,thisfundamentalparticularlyresonateswithmegiventhatI subconsciouslystriveforateammindsetinvirtuallyallaspectsofmypersonalandprofessionallife.
Inanacademichealthsciencesenvironmentlikeours,successisneverachievedinisolation.Itisthrough collaborativeeffort,sharedvision,andmutualrespectthatwemakemeaningfulprogressandcreatelasting impact.
•Inresearch,teamworkfuelsdiscovery.Multidisciplinarycollaborationallowsustoapproachcomplex problemsfromnewangles,leveragediverseexpertise,andsecurecompetitivefunding.Fromlabmembers tocross-departmentalandinstitutionalpartnerships,weadvancescientificdiscoverywhenwework together.Withoutteamwork,wewouldnotdriveinnovation,acceleratediscovery,andimprovehealth outcomes.
•Inclinicalservice,patientcareisoptimizedwhenweoperateascohesive,communicativeteams.Whether inpharmacypractice,interprofessionalrounds,ortransitionsofcare,itisourcollectivecommitmentthat ensuressafe,effective,andcompassionatecareforourcommunities.
•Ineducation,wearemostsuccessfulwhenweunitearoundasharedgoal:developingthenextgeneration ofscientistsandhealthcareleaders.Faculty,staff,preceptors,andpeermentorsallcontributeuniquelyto ourstudents’growth.Oursupportofoneanotherstrengthensthelearningenvironmentandmodelsthe kindofcollaborationwewishtoinstill.Importantly,teamworkenablesustosupportourMS,PhD,and PharmDstudentswitharich,interdisciplinarytrainingexperiencethatpreparesthemtomeetthe challengesofscienceandpatientcare.Noneofthiswouldbepossiblewithoutthededicationand partnershipwefosteracrossourschool.
Asgraduationapproaches,wecelebratenotonlyourstudents'achievementsbutalsothecollectiveeffortittook togetthemthere.Eachstudent’ssuccessisareflectionofoursharedcommitmenttotrainthenextgeneration ofscientistsandhealthcareprofessionals.Aswemoveforward,let’scontinuetofocusontheteam—supporting eachother,sharingknowledge,andbuildingthefutureofpharmacyandbiomedicalsciencetogether.
Regards,
RebeccaMcCulloughPhD AssistantProfessorToxicologyGraduateProgramAssociateDirector LearnmoreabouttheCUPharmacyWay
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Fundamental21:DeliberateandDecide
Makingcriticaldecisionsinaworkenvironmentrequiresabalanceofthoughtfuldeliberationanddecisive action.Whetheritischoosingaprojectdirection,navigatingteamconflicts,orselectingstrategiesfor businessgrowth,thewayweapproachdecision-makingcandirectlyimpactoutcomes.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
KeyStepsforEffectiveDecision-Making:
1.ClarifytheProblemorGoal:Clearlydefiningtheissueorobjectiveensuresthatthedecisionisfocused andalignedwithcompanypriorities.
2.GatherRelevantInformation:Assessingallavailabledata,consultingstakeholders,andanalyzing potentialrisksleadtomoreinformedchoices.
3.ConsiderDifferentPerspectives:Encouragingdiscussionamongteammembersfostersdiverse viewpoints,whichcanuncoverblindspotsandleadtobettersolutions.
4 EvaluatetheOptions:Weighingtheprosandconsofeachchoice consideringfeasibility,potential impact,andalignmentwithlong-termgoals—isessential.
5 DecideandTakeAction:Onceacourseischosen,committingtoitwithconfidenceensuresclarityin execution.
6 ReflectandAdjustifNecessary:Reviewingdecisionsandtheiroutcomeshelpsrefinefutureapproaches, fosteringacultureofcontinuousimprovement.
Whenmyteamfacesdifferingopinionsonaproject,weembraceconstructivedebate.Wediscusstheprosand consofeachidea,ensuringthateveryperspectiveisheardandconsidered.Byvaluingcollaborationover competition,wecreateafinalproductthatreflectsthecollectivewisdomoftheteam.Afterahealthydebate,I consolidatethisinformationtomakeaninformeddecisionfortheproject.
Effectivedecision-makingintheworkplaceisacombinationofcarefulanalysisandtheconfidencetoact.By fosteringaculturethatvaluesdeliberationandteamwork,organizationscanmakeinformedchoicesthatdrive success.
Regards,
ShaunaHannon,MA
InstructionalDesignManager
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Fundamental#22:RespondPromptly
Respondtoinquiriesandmessagesasquicklyaspossible,whetherinperson,onthephone,orbyemail Thisincludessimplyacknowledgingthatyoureceived thecommunication,andyouare“onit,”aswellaskeepingthoseinvolvedcontinuouslyupdatedonthestatus. DearSSPPSColleagues,
RespondPromptly andPersonallyWhenPossible
We’veallhadthatmoment:you'rediggingthroughyourinboxandrealizeyoumissedanimportantemailorforgottoreplytosomeone Thatsinkingfeeling?Yep,we've beenthere It’susuallynotintentional life(andyourinbox)justgetsawayfromyousometimes Buthere'sthething:whenitcomestocommunication,timelyresponsesreallymatter Theyshowrespect,reliability,andhelpbuildtrust Ontheotherhand,whenreplies aredelayed,itcanunintentionallyleavepeoplefeelingignored,undervalued,orconfused evenifthatwasneveryourintention TheRealityofModernCommunication
Emailisthesecondmostcommonformofcommunicationtoday,rightbehindmessagingapps Onaverage,officeworkersandprofessionalsreceivebetween100–120 emailsperday evenmoreifyouareinamanagementrole Addanother30–50personalemailsdaily(manyofthemmarketingorspam),andit’seasytofeel overwhelmed
Keepingupwithyourinboxcanseemlikeanimpossibletask believeme,organizingmyinboxhasbeenaconstantbattlewithamixofwinsandlosses
TipsforStayingonTopofYourInbox:
1 Aimtorespondwithin24hours(onbusinessdays):Evenifit’sjusta“Gotit,I’llgetbacktoyousoon,”itletspeopleknowyou’reonit
2 Don’tcheckconstantly checkintentionally
o oWhenyoudocheck,knockouturgentmessagesfirst Can’treplyrightaway?Flagit�,Categorizeit,ordropitina“ToDo”folder andcirclebackbefore
Allocatededicatedtimesduringyourdaytocheckandrespondtoemails/messages Thatway,you’renotdistractedallday,andyoustillstayontopofthings theendoftheday Setcategories,flags,orreminders-MicrosoftSupport
Ifyouneedtocheckyouremailoutsideofregularhours,usethe'schedulesend'featuretodraftyourreplyimmediatelywhileensuringit’sdeliveredduring normalbusinesshours DelayorschedulesendingemailmessagesinOutlook-MicrosoftSupport o
3 UseRulesFeatureinOutlook:Setuprulestoautomaticallysortincomingemailsintofoldersbasedonsender,topic,orurgency OrganizeyourinboxinOutlookfor Windows-MicrosoftSupport
4 KeepYourInboxandWorkspaceOrganized:Archiveordeleteoldemailsregularlysotheimportantstuffdoesn’tgetburied Amessyinboxmakesittooeasytomiss things BeUnderstandingWhenDelaysHappen
Weallknowhowcrazythingscanget Sometimes,despiteourbestefforts,responsesgetdelayedorforgotten Ifyoudon’thearbackfromsomeoneinatimelymanner, especiallyifit’sunusualforthem,givethemsomegrace Itisnotintentionalaseveryonecangetoverwhelmedandmissthings Ifithasbeenawhileandyouhaven’t heardback,it’sperfectlyfinetosendagentlefollow-upreminder
BeyondEmail:ACaseforIn-PersonCommunication
WhilethisFundamentalfocusesonrespondingpromptly,Ialsowanttomakeaplugforrespondingpersonallywheneverpossible Intoday’sdigitalworld,it’seasytodefaulttotextsandemails Yetin-personcommunicationoffersmanybenefits:
• • • Non-VerbalCues:Bodylanguage,tone,andfacialexpressionsoffervitalcontextthatwrittenmessagessimplycan’tconvey StrongerRelationships:Personalconversationsfosterdeeperrapportandstrengthenprofessionalrelationships DemonstratingImportance:Takingthetimetocommunicateinpersonshowsthatyouvaluetheconversationandthepersonyouarespeakingwith Itconveys thatthetopicisimportantandworthyourtime Wheneveritmakessense,considerwalkingovertosomeone'sofficeorschedulingaface-to-facemeetinginsteadofsending"anotheremail" Sometimes,afive-minute conversationcansavehoursofback-and-forthandreapgreatrewards Summary:
•
• • • Respondpromptlytobuildtrust Stayorganizedtopreventmissedcommunication Havegracewhendelayshappen Wheneverpossible,connectinpersontodeepenrelationships(whenindoubt justgosayHi!)
Kindregards,
SherylVondracekBSPharm,PharmD,FCCP,BCPS
AssociateProfessor DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental23:BEASCHOOLAMBASSADOR
Eachofusisresponsibleforandbenefitsfromourschool’simageandreputation.Considerhowyouractionsaffectourcollective reputationandbeaproudambassadorfortheSkaggsSchoolofPharmacyandPharmaceuticalSciences.Makeagenuineeffortto supportschoolinitiativesandevents.
Goodmorning,fellowBuffs!
OneofthemostrewardingaspectsofbeingpartoftheSkaggscommunity,forme,istheopportunitytorepresentandchampionthevalues thatdefineus.Today(whatapeculiarcoincidence!)marksmy6thanniversaryattheschool,andI'mroutinelyamazedathowmuchmytime herehasopeneddoorstomeaningfulcollaborations,impactfulresearch,andconnectionswithdedicatedcolleagueswhocontinueto inspireme.Theseexperienceshavedeepenedmyappreciationfortheroleweeachplayasambassadorsofourinstitution. Perhapsoneofthegreatestjoysofourworkiswitnessingthesuccessofourstudentsandgraduates.Fromtheirfirstdaysinourprogramto themomenttheywalkacrossthestageatgraduation,weseetheirgrowth,determination,andcommitmenttoadvancingscienceand patientcare.Theirachievementsinresearch,clinicalpractice,industry,andanarrayofotherareaswithinourfieldserverepeatedlyasa testamenttothestrengthofourschoolandthecollectiveeffortthatsupportsthem.Eachsuccessstoryreinforcestheimportanceof mentorship,education,andthelastingimpactofourcommunity.
Butambassadorshipextendsbeyondjustourfacultyorleadership...It'saresponsibilitycarriedbyeverymemberofourschool.The presenceandengagementofstudents,staff,faculty,andalumniamongstcampusandstatepartnersandthebroadercommunityshapethe reputationandinfluenceofourinstitution.Whetherthroughprofessionalinvolvement,outreachinitiatives,interdisciplinarycollaborations, orsimplysharingtheincredibleworkhappeninghere,eachofusplaysaroleinstrengtheningourschool’slegacyandadvancingthefieldof pharmacyandbiomedicalsciences.
Manyofyouhavelearnedoverthepastfewyearsaboutmypassionforbirds.Someofourstudents,andevensomeofmypharmacy colleaguesfromaroundthecountry,mostlikelyassociatememorewithstatebirdsthanwithmyworkinpharmacy...I'mnotsureifthisis goodorbad.Regardless,Idon'twanttomisstheopportunitytochampionthespirtedlittlefellafromColoradowithmymessagethisweek: Knownforitsadaptability,resilience,andstrikingseasonaltransformation,thelarkbuntinginmanywaysmirrorstheroleofaschool ambassador.Justasitnavigateschangingenvironmentswithconfidenceandflair,we,asfacultyandprofessionals,representCUineverevolvingacademic,clinical,andresearchspaces.Whetherguidingstudents,fosteringpartnerships,orengagingwiththebroaderhealthcare andscientificcommunities,ourambassadorshipstrengthenstheschool’spresenceandinfluence--muchlikethelarkbunting’sdistinctive songleavesanimpressiononthosewholisten!Aswecontinueourmission,let’sembracetheresponsibilityofbeingambassadors, championingthevaluesofexcellence,innovation,andcollaborationthatmakeourschoolextraordinary.Ourvoices,actions,and commitmenttothoseweserveundeniablycontributetothefutureofpharmacyandscience,andthroughourcollectiveefforts,webuildan institutionthatinspires,leads,andmakesalastingdifference.Belikethelarkbunting:embraceeverythingthatmakesourCUcommunitya greatplacetoliveandworkandbesuretoshowitoffwithflairtoanyonewhowilllisten!
Takecare,
LukeOrthPharmD,BCPPS
AssistantProfessor
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Fundamental#24:EnjoyWhatYouDo
Whileourpassionforexcellenceisreal,rememberthattheworldhasbiggerproblemsthanthedailychallengesthat makeupyourwork.Keepperspective.Don’ttakeissuespersonallyortakeyourselftooseriously.Havefun.
Dear SSPPS Community, Last month we celebrated an annual milestone Graduation! A time of celebrating persistence, and
achievement Yet,asDr TalBen-ShaharexplainsinHappier:LearntheSecretstoDailyJoyandLastingFulfillment,achievingagoaldoesn’tguarantee lastinghappiness,aconcepthecallsthe“arrivalfallacy ”
Asarecoveringachiever�,achieverbeingmytopStrengthsFindertrait,themindsetthatachievementequalssuccessand satisfactionshapedmuchofmylifeandcareer.Inmycollegiateathleticyears,successmeantworkingharder,doingmore, andbeingrewardedformeetingexpectations.Inmyearlycareer,successmeantsettingbiggoalsandproductivity.Butover time,especiallyasacareercoach,I’velearnedthatsuccessandlastingfulfillmentcomefromknowingyourvaluesand aligningyourworkandlifewiththem.
Ioftenaskourstudents:howdoyourchoicesreflectwhatyoucareaboutandwhereyouspendyourtime?Afewyearsago,I hadtoaskmyselfsimilarquestions Feelingrestlessandcaughtintheachievementcycleof“Ineedtodomore,”Ipausedto reflect Ididn’tneedtodomore;Ineededtoalign MarthaBeck’sTheWayofIntegrityofferedguidance,definingintegrityas wholeness;wherethoughts,feelings,words,andactionsalign.Misalignmentbreedsdissatisfactionandburnout;fulfillment comesfromhonestself-awareness
Throughherframework,Iexaminedmybeliefsandletgoofachievementasmymeasureofsuccessandsatisfaction.I reconnectedwithmyvaluesofcommunityandcollaboration,whichIhadneglectedamidworkandlifedemands Thatshift ledmetoinvestmoreincollaborativeprojectsandrelationships Now,Idefinesuccessbyapplyingmyvaluesofcuriosity, collaboration,andself-reflection,anddrawinguponmyotherStrengthsFindertraitsoflearning,strategy,andrelating AsFundamental#24guidesourwork,let’scelebrateachievementsandenjoythejourneyofreachinggoals,anddeliberately definesuccessforintegrationthat’sfulfillingandsustainable Howdoyoudefinesuccessinyourlifeandwork?Inwhatwaysareyourvaluesalignedwithoursharedfundamentalstocreate lastingfulfillment?
Kindregards,
LaurieSein,MBA,CPRW
DirectorofCareerServices
OfficeofStudentServices
SkaggsSchoolofPharmacyandPharmaceuticalSciences
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Ourrelationshipsgodeeperthansimplybeingcolleaguesasfaculty,staff,andstudents.Wegenuinelycareforandabouteach other.Chooseyourwordswiselyandbeconsiderateofothers.Showyourcompassion,whetherit’sakindwordduringatough stretch,afriendlysmileeachmorning,orahelpinghandinstressfultimes.
Dear SSPPS Community, I chose this fundamental because it is personal to me. Since grade school, I’ve often been told, “You’re too nice,” usuallysaidwithirritation ortodismissmeorthesituation.Foralongtime,itmademefeellikebeingkindwasaweakness,somethingtosecondguess.Whatstruck meovertime,though,wasthatmanyofthesamepeoplewholabeledmethatwaywouldalsoact“nice”butonlywhentheywanted somethinginreturn.Thatcontrastmademequestionthedifferencebetweengenuinekindnessandperformativekindness,anditdeepened mycommitmenttochoosingtheformer.
Intoday’sworld,kindnessoftentakesabackseattoego.ManyofourdailyinteractionsfallintoapatternofwhatIcall“fauxkindness”or people-pleasing.Doingthingsnotoutofgenuinecompassion,butinhopesofgainingsomethinginreturn. Thesebehaviorsareexhausting.Theycomefromadesiretobeseen,accepted,orrewarded,notfromaplaceoftruehumanconnection. Overtime,thiscyclebecomesanemotionalhamsterwheel,wekeepgiving,hopingtoreceive,yetrarelyfeelfulfilledandattimes disappointed.
Butwhatifwereplacedallofthatwithsomethingsimplerandmoresincere?Whatifwechosetoactwithkindness,notforpraiseor approval,butsimplybecauseit’stherightthingtodo?
Kindnessdoesn’trequiregrandgestures.Itisinsideeverydaymoments.Sayinggoodmorningtoastranger,holdingthedoor,offeringa sincerecompliment,oraskingsomeonehowthey’redoing,andreallylistening.Thesesmallacts,donewithoutexpectation,canshiftyour moodandbrightensomeoneelse’sday.
Oneofmyfavoritequotes,whichcapturestruehumanconnectionfromkindness,isfromMarkTwain, “Kindnessisthelanguagewhichthe deafcanhearandblindcansee.”Tomethisreadsthatkindnessmaystartasagesture,butittransformsintoafeelingandthenmemory. Kindnessisnotweakness.It’squietstrength.Andinaworldthatdesperatelyneedsmorecompassion,choosingkindnesswithnostrings attachedmightjustbethemostpowerfulthingwecando.
Sincerely,RachelWagmaister,Manager
OfficeofContinuingEducationandProfessionalDevelopment
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Fundamental#2:BeStudentCentered
Makeapersonalcommitmenttolearnaboutstudentneedsandsupporttheirsuccess.Createopportunitiesthat enhanceandengagethemintheirlearningexperience.Focusonhowbesttosupportstudentstoensurelong-term successandastrongeducationalreputation.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
DuringmyeightyearsinalumnirelationsattheCUSkaggsSchoolofPharmacyandPharmaceuticalSciences,Iwasfondof saying,“Happystudentsmakehappyalumni.”Thatmantrastickswithmetothisday.Itoriginatedfrommyearlierworkin theExperientialProgramsOffice,whereIsupportedstudentsthroughthefirstthreeyearsofthePharmDprogram.That experiencedeeplyreinforcedtheimportanceofbeingstudent-centeredasasharedcommitmenttotheirsuccessandwellbeing
Workingcloselywithstudents,Iwitnessedfirsthandhowtheirdrive,resilience,andpotentialtocreatepositivechangewere trulyinspiring Watchingthemtransitionfromstudentstoprofessionals andseeingtheimpacttheymakeasalumni has beenoneofthemostrewardingpartsofmyjourney.
Onemomentthatstandsoutwaswhenagroupofstudentslosttheirbelongingsinanapartmentfire.Theschoolcommunity ralliedaroundthem,offeringsupportineverywaypossible.Evensmallgestures,suchasdonatingtheremainingbalanceof agiftcard,carriedimmensemeaning Itwasn’taboutthedollaramount;itwasaboutsaying,“Weseeyou Wehearyou You matter ”Thatmoment,andmanyotherslikeit,reflectedtheschool’sunwaveringspiritofcompassionandsolidarity
Theseexperiencescreatedlastingbondsbetweenstudents,faculty,andstaff.Theyremindedmethatwhenweeachbring ourbest whetherit’stheschool’sbest,yourbest,ormine wecreateaculturewherestudentsthrive Istandwithyouinputtingstudentsatthecenterofallwedo.Beencouragedtobringyourbesthoweveryoudefineitand remainSkaggsHealthyandCUBuffintheCUPharmacyWay!
FundamentallyYours,
JaronBryant, StrategicInitiativesManager
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Fundamental#4:ActwithIntegrity
Demonstrateanunwaveringcommitmenttoactinghonestlyandethicallyineverythingyoudoandeverydecisionyou make,especiallywhennooneislooking.Betruthful,nomattertheconsequences.Ifyoumakeamistake,ownupto it,sincerelyapologize,andmakeitright.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
ActwithIntegrityfocusesontheimportanceofbeinghonestandethical.Morethanthat–itisbeingconsistentlyhonestand ethical(notethewords“always”and“ineverything”inthedefinitionabove) Thisfundamentalhelpssupportaccountability amongcolleagues,researchteams,andotherworkinggroupsintheschool Giventhatmistakesareaninherentbyproduct ofhumanwork,actingwithintegrityhelpsustoacknowledge,address,andlimittheirfutureimpactinreal-time.Makinga mistakeisnotideal,ofcourse;butwhat’sworseismakingamistakeandnotbeinghonestaboutit.Whenweownour mistakes,wecanworktogetherforasolutionbyidentifyingtheproblemandworkingonasolutionfornexttime. Iworkinclinicalresearchwithhumanparticipants Integrityisthemostimportantpartofmanagingthesetypesofstudies WeActwithIntegrityinclinicalresearchstudiesbyworkingwithethicalandregulatorybodiestominimizethepotentialfor participantharms.Duringtheday-to-day,whethersecuringstudyparticipantfilescontainingprotectedhealthinformation orlabelingaclinic-collectedspecimenforlabprocessinginade-identifiedway,everythingmustbedonewithintegrityto ensurepatientprivacyisupheldandstudydataiscollectedresponsiblyandstoredsecurely
Howweachieveoursuccesses,bothinacademicsandinresearch,mattersjustasmuchasachievingtheminthefirst place ThisfundamentalisagreatreminderforallofustofocusonhowweallcanActwithIntegrityinourwork
Sincerely,
RyanCoyle,MPH SeniorProfessionalResearchAssistant DepartmentofPharmaceuticalSciences
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Fundamental#5:EmbraceChangeandGrowth
Moveoutsideyourcomfortzoneandadapttonewwaysofdoingtaskswhennecessaryforprogress.Whatgotushere isdifferentfromwhatwillgetustothenextlevel.Beoptimisticbythepossibilitiesthatchange,innovation,and growthwillbring.Beflexible,expressenthusiasm,andfosteragrowthmindset.
DearSSPPSCommunity,Changemightbeoneofmyleastfavoritethings Ihaven’tevenupdatedtoWindows11yet(Sorry
Gabe!)becausesomething insideofmekeepssaying“thisversionofWindowsisworkingjustfine;whychange?!”DespitewhatIbelievetobeanatural responsetochange,IalsohaveseenthemanybenefitsofchangethroughoutmylifeaswellasmytimeatSSPPS
WhenIfirstarrivedattheschool,IworkedasanAcademicStudentAdvisorfortheDistanceDegreePrograms.Withinthe first6months,Iexperiencedtwochangesinsupervisors,arestructuringthatbroughtmeovertotheOfficeofStudent Services,aswellastheannouncementofourprogramsbeingsunset AfewmonthslaterItransitionedtoyetanother supervisor Itwasawildrideforthefirstyear,butlookingbackitnotonlyaffordedmetheopportunityfornetworkingand buildingconnectionsacrossmultipledepartmentsbutalsoallowedmetoquicklygrowinmyknowledgeofourprograms andfortheschooltobettermeettheneedsofourstudents.
WithanationalDeansearchunderway,weallknowchangeiscoming.AlthoughyoucanGoogle“ChangeTheory”and receiveanumberofresultsthatwilllikelyguideyouthroughthechange,IpersonallyrecommendandhaveusedtheADKAR Model Itnotonlyallowsfortimetoprocesschangebutalsomakesspaceforquestionsandthesharingofknowledge (Remember,knowledgeispowerbutonlyIFitisshared!)
Forthoseofyouwhosuperviseteamsorleadmeetingsthisweekandwanttodiscussthisfundamental,youcanaskCopilot to“CreateadiscussionguideusingtheADKARModel”andyouwillgetasummaryofeachofthestages,discussion prompts,andfacilitatortips.
Optimismisakeypartofthisfundamental,andIencourageeveryonetokeepthatinmindduringthe“not-so-fun”moments ofchange Atthesametime,Iinviteyoutobeopenandhonestaboutyourfeelings;processingandsharingfrustrationsisa naturalpartofthechangejourney,andyourvoicemayhelpothersfeelseenandsupported
Sincerely,
LizMacLean,M.A. SeniorAcademicStudentAdvisor OfficeofStudentServices
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Fundamental#6:ActwithTransparency
Withappropriaterespectforconfidentiality,shareinformationfreelythroughoutyourteam.Themorepeopleknow,thebettertheycan collaborate.Learntoaskyourself,“Whoelseneedstoknowthis?”.Engageotherpartiesasappropriatepriortomakingfinaldecisions. Themorepeopleunderstandthereasonforwhatisbeingdone,themoreactivelytheycanparticipateinthesolution.
GreetingsSSPPSCommunity,
AsIbeginmyjourneysupportingthevibrantcultureofCUSSPPS,Ifindthisfundamentalabouttransparencyinvaluable.Currentlyhigher educationlikelyfeelsfraughtwithuncertainty—thismaycontributetofeelingsofanxiety,fear,andmistrustinasystemwewanttobe successful.Ibelieve,however,transparencyservesasapowerfulantidoteandpreventativeactionwecanusetoaddressthosefeelingsof discomfort.
TherearethreelessonsIcarrywhenthinkingabouttransparencyandhowtobemorehuman-centeredaswebuildaculturethathelpseveryone thrive:
1.Whenwegather,ask“whoismissing?”.Transparencyisfoundationalforcollaborationandtrustindecision-making,remindingmeofthe mantra“NothingAboutUs,WithoutUs”rootedindisabilityadvocacywork.Theindividualactofsharinginformationisnotsufficientwhenthose impactedbydecisionswerenotincludedtobeginwith—itisimperativewedonotlosetheirperspectiveaspartoftheconversation.
2.Whenwehesitate,ask“whomaybeharmed?”.Ioftensharemybeliefthat“knowledgeispower”andIaimtobemindfulhowwemay gatekeepinformationwithdifferingintentions.Inmomentswemayhesitatetoshareinformation,itcanbevaluabletochallengetherationale—is itforavalidconfidentialitypurpose,areweavoidingdisruptionsinpowerimbalances,ordowefearthepotentialforpanic?Questioningand unpackingthereasonisusefultoevaluatewhetherwithholdinginformationmaycontributetomoreharmintheend.
3.Whenweact,ask“whoiswatching?”.Regardlessofourrolesashealthcareproviders,supportpersonnel,researchers,and/oreducators, wemustacknowledgethereisalwayssomeonewatchingandlearningfromourbehaviors.Acrossthesesettingsitiscrucialwemodel transparency,thereisconsistencybetweenwhatwesayandhowweact,andwesetexpectationsforourcommunity.Bemindfulofhowyou wouldliketobetreatedandemulatethattothebestofyourabilitieseachday.
Asyoumayhavegathered,mymotivationtolivebythisfundamentaloriginatesfrommyexperiencesinmomentswheretransparencywasnot valued.Ihavefeltthepainassociatedwithalackofcommunicationaboutdecision-makingprocessesandIhavewitnessedhowalackof transparencycanhavesignificantpersonalandprofessionalconsequenceswithinanorganization.Mycommitmentistosupportacultureof transparencythatenhancescollaboration,encouragesopenness,andremainsaccountabletobuildingtrustingrelationshipswithinour community.IlookforwardtohowIwillbeabletofostertransparencywithintheschool,especiallyforthoseweserve.
Sincerely,
MichaelWolcott,PharmD,PhD,BCIDP
AssistantDeanforStudentAffairsandAssociateProfessor
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Fundamental#7:ListenGenerously
Listenactivelybygivingothersyourundividedattention,andbybeingpresentandengaged.Listeningismorethansimply“notspeaking.” Minimizedistractionsandletgooftheneedtoagreeordisagree.Suspendyourjudgmentandbecurioustoknowmore,ratherthan jumpingtoconclusions.Aboveall,listentounderstand.
GreetingsSSPPSCommunity,
Ibelievethattheheartoflisteninggenerouslyisadeepdesiretounderstandtheworldandtofindtruth–andthatdesiremustsurpassany internalneedtoberight.Listeningrequiresanabilitytoquiettheinnerdialogue,temporarilyplaceoverwhelmingemotionsintoaseparate mentalbox,andsettleinquietlytolearnmoreaboutanother’sexperienceoftheworldwithcompassion.Listeninggenerouslyduring disagreementsrequireshumility,butalsoastrongenoughsenseofselfthatthethreatoffindinganerrororchangingyourmindwon’tthreatento crushyourownself-identity.
“Oppositiongivesusasenseofstandingforsomething,afalsesenseofindependence,power,andcontrol.Compassionandhumilitydon’tgive
usasenseofcontrolorpsychiccomfort.Wehavetobewillingtoletgoofourmoralhighgroundandhearthetruththattheotherpersonmaybe speaking,evenifitisonly10%ofwhattheyaresaying…Ifweareintocontrolandpredictability,wewillseldomdescendintothevulnerabilityof undefendedlisteningorthescarinessofdialogue ” –RichardRohr,“CompassionateListening,”CenterforActionandContemplation,July25,2022
Asidefromtryingtoadoptsomeofthecharactertraitsandphilosophicalideasunderlyinglisteninggenerously,Ihavefoundsomepracticaltips tobehelpful.Iassumewehaveallreadarticlesontipsforactivelistening,butusuallyintheheatofastressfulconversation,thosestrategies aren’tevenonmyradar.Boostingmymentalhealthbeforehandallowsmetoaccessthebetterpartsofmyselfbeforestartingahard conversation,andthenIammorelikelytobeabletoaskthoughtfulquestions,showempathy,andnotmakeassumptions.Ifyoulistenforlong enough,Ihavefoundthatyoucanalmostalwaysfindthat10%(ormore)oftruththattheotherpersonisspeakingandthenuseitascommon groundtomovetheconversationforward.
Sincerely,
JessicaEaddy
SeniorExternalRelationsStrategist
ColoradoConsortiumforPrescriptionDrugAbusePrevention
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Professional,respectfulsharingofthoughts,ideas,andespeciallyissuesiscriticalforfuturesuccess.Speakhonestlyinawaythathelps tomakeprogress.Saywhatyoumean,andbewillingtoaskquestionsorraiseissues,eveniftheymaycausecontroversy,withoutlosing sightofrespectful,professionaldialog.Wheneverpossible,addressissuesdirectlywiththosewhoareinvolvedoraffected.Take responsibilityforcreatingasafeandrespectfulenvironmentwheretheseconversationscanhappen.
GreetingsSSPPSCommunity,
Speakingopenlysoundssimple,butitisnotalwayseasy.Itcanbechallengingtoshareideas,askquestions,andbringupconcernsinawaythat ishonest,respectful,andkeepsthingsmovingforward.
Inacademicpharmacy,thereareplentyofmomentswhenitcanfeelawkwardtospeakup.Maybeyounoticeacourseisusingoutdated guidelinesbutareunsurehowthatwilllandinameeting.Maybeyouhaveconcernsaboutanewpolicybutfeelintimidatedbypowerdynamics or assumethedecisionisfinal.Ormaybeyouareoverwhelmedwithworkloadanddonotwanttoappearasifyoucannothandleyour responsibilities.
IhavebeenreflectingonhowIcanspeakmoreopenlysincefinishingAACP’sAcademicLeadershipFellowsProgram.Oneofmycommitments goingforwardistobemorevisibleandvocalinmyleadership.MystrengthsofIntellection,Input,andLearnermeanIlovetothinkthingsthrough andgatherinformation,butmuchofthishappensinmyhead.Iamworkingonlettingpeopleinonthatthoughtprocesssoonerandcreating more opportunitiesfordialogue.
Iremindmyselfthatspeakingupisnotabouthavingtheperfectresponse.Itisaboutbeingwillingtostarttheconversation,listen,andkeepit respectfulevenwhenthetopicischallenging.Ifyouwanttojoinmeingettingbetteratthis,IrecommendthebookCrucialConversations.It offerslotsoftipsforhandlingdiscussionswithconfidenceandrespect.
Let’skeepfindingwaystohelpeachotherspeakopenly.
Kindregards,
KimberlyStultz,PharmD
AssociateProfessor|AssistantDeanofExperientialPrograms
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Makeabonafideefforttoknowyourcolleaguesonamorepersonallevel.Talkmoreandemailless.Understandwhat'simportantto others.Strongrelationshipsenhanceourdailyexperienceandenableustoworkthroughdifficultissuesandchallengingtimesmore successfully.
Goodmorning,SSPPScommunity!
OneofthemostenduringlessonsI’velearnedinmytimeinpharmacyisthatrelationshipsarenotincidentaltoourwork–theyarethework!My favoritememoriesdon’tcomefromemailssharingnewsofanacceptedmanuscriptornewfunding.TheyallinvolvethepeopleI’vegottento knowandworkalongsideinthehallways,classrooms,andtheclinic.Whethermentoringstudents,collaboratingwithcolleagues,developing patientrapport,orpartneringwithourcommunities,thestrengthofourrelationshipsdeterminesourimpactandthesenseofrewarditprovides. Strongconnectionsdon’tjusthappen.Theygrowfromsmallactions.Takingtimetolisten,followingupafteraconversation,celebrating someone’ssuccess,lendingahandwithoutbeingasked...Thesemomentsbuildtrust,andtrustiswhatmakescollaborationssucceed. Inbothhealthcareandeducation,teamsthatinvestinrelationshipsconsistentlydeliverbetteroutcomes.AquickPubMedsearchrevealsthat cohesiveteamssolveproblemsfaster,commitfewermedicalerrors,improvepatientandstakeholdersatisfaction,andarelessimpactedby burnout.Relationaltrustisakeydriverofinnovationandsustainedprogress.
Butifyou’vebeenpayingattention,youknowonemoreimportantquestionmustbeasked.Towhichbirdshouldweturnforinspiration?The purplemartin,ofcourse!NorthAmerica’slargestswallowsarethesocialbutterflies(well,birds)ofthesky.Theyliveinlargecolonies,returning tothesamenestingspotsyearafteryear.Theyexcelatinterdisciplinaryrelationshipsofsorts,relyingonbothhuman-builtstructuresfortheir housingandtheirowntightknitflocksforprotectionandcommunityastheymigrateacrosscontinents.We,too,flourishwhenwebuildand nurtureournetworks.Likethepurplemartin,weareatourbestwhenwepursueconnection,sharingconversations,challenges,andmentorship. Acrossdisciplinesandacrossspecies,themessageisclear:investmentinrelationshipsmakesourworkmoreenjoyableandmoreeffective. Wishingyouaweekfilledwithcollaborationandkindness.
Takecare,
LukeOrth,PharmD,BCPPS
AssociateClinicalProfessor
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Fundamental#10:PracticeBlamelessProblem-Solving
Focusonsolutionsratherthandwellingonproblemsormakingaccusatorystatements Identifylessonslearnedtoimproveyourselfandour processessothesamemistakesarenotmadetwice.Getsmarterwitheverymistake.Learnfromeveryexperience.
Goodmorning,SSPPScommunity!
“Learnfromeveryexperience” Asanexperiencedesignerandaneducator,thisphraseexcitesme!Ilovethatunderstandingissues,applyinginnovative solutions,andrefiningourapproachesispartofourCulturebyDesign Thisprocessoftrial,error,andre-trialisessentiallyamapofdesignthinking an approachthathashelpedmeinpracticingblamelessproblemsolving
Someproblemsareextremelydifficulttomanage,andthefast-pacednatureofhighereducationandmedicinecanmeanit’sdifficulttointentionallyaddress them Someissuesaresocomplex,widespread,andmutable(especiallyinhealthcareoreducation)thattheyseemimpossibletosolve!Indesign,theseare knownas“wicked”problems.
Wheredoyoustartintryingtosolveawickedproblem?Designthinkingaimstoprovideasetofstagesthatfosterinnovationforjustthisverything In2021, Culveretal providedacyclespecificallytailoredtochangeinhighereducation:
Whilesomethingcanbelearnedineverystepofthisprocess(andIencourageyoutoexplorethem),IwanttofocusontheIdeate,Prototype,andTeststages specifically Thesephasesrelyonopen,non-critical,and“blameless”creativity Ideationfocusesonquantityofideas,notnecessarilyconsideringtheir feasibility Havinganon-judgmentalspacetoproposeideasmeansopeningdoorstosolutionsthatmayhaveotherwisebeenoverlookedornotconsidered Prototypingrequireslearningbybuildingasnewissuesarerevealed,evenafteraproblemhasbeenagreedupon.Testingfocusesoniteration;pre-conceived notionsmustbesuspendedinfavorofmeasureddata
Designthinkingisaseriesofcirclesthatencouragesdesignerstofocusonandbuildmomentumtowardsthenextstep Thatmomentumisthesecretbehind innovation,aswellasgoodinstitutionsofhighereducationandgoodpharmacists “Learnfromeveryexperience”
Sincerely,
EmmaRau,MA AcademicServicesSeniorProfessional ExperientialPrograms
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Shareinformationandworktogetherasappropriate.Workasateamforbetteroutcomestoadvance theschoolandsupportoneanother.Collaborationgeneratesbetterideasandoutcomesthanworking alone.Helpeachothersucceed.
Goodmorning,SSPPScommunity!
Collaborationisacornerstoneofathrivingworkplace Itfostersaculturewherediverseperspectives,skills, andexperiencesconvergetodriveinnovation,solveproblemsmoreeffectively,andachievesharedgoals. Whenemployeescollaborate,theybuildtrust,improvecommunication,andcreateasenseofbelongingthat enhancesmoraleandengagement.
Teamworkencouragesaccountabilityandmutualsupport,allowingindividualstolearnfromoneanother andgrowprofessionally.Italsoreducesduplicationofeffortandstreamlinesworkflows,making organizationsmoreagileandefficient.Inchallengingenvironments,collaborationenablesquickerdecisionmakingandbetteradaptabilitytochange.
Inmypersonalexperience,myteamandIcollaborateonawiderangeofprojectsandengagewithvarious teammembersacrossdepartments.Thisdynamicapproachensuresthateveryonegainsacomprehensive understandingofthedifferenttasksrequiredtocompleteajobsuccessfully.Bysharingknowledgeand responsibilities,wenotonlystrengthenourindividualskillsetsbutalsobuildamorecohesiveandcapable team.
Inessence,collaborationisn’tjustaboutworkingtogether,itisaboutleveragingcollectiveintelligenceto elevateperformance,fosterinnovationandcreativity,andbuildaresilientorganizationalculture Regards,
ShaunaHannon,MA
InstructionalDesignManager
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Fundamental #12: Make the Most of Each Day
Have a passion for what you do and be fully engaged. Approach every task with energy, focus, and purpose. Work with a sense of commitment to complete tasks.
“Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long.” – Michael Gungor
Dear SSPPS Community,
I’ve been a list maker since about the sixth grade, finding satisfaction in crossing off tasks and getting things done. Over time, my to-do lists became more elaborate and eventually overwhelming. Mortgage payments, clinical responsibilities that no longer fit into 8-hour days, parenting, childcare, grad school, travel plans, car maintenance, yardwork, insurance, continuing education, and out-of-state conferences became regular entries, and each one demanded my attention.
For a long time, I stuck with the familiar system that had served me well for so long. But eventually I hit a wall. I could feel deep burnout. I remember sitting spaced out at the dining room table late one night, paralyzed by the sheer volume of what I thought I had to accomplish.
To cope, I started making small changes: walking outside during work breaks, listening to lively Mozart instead of the news on my morning drive, taking meditation classes, exercising a bit more, living simply in the redwoods during trips to Northern California, learning a few new piano pieces, and renegotiating deadlines when necessary. These and other changes gradually helped me reshape a largely self-imposed and unrealistic belief that in order to be valuable I also needed to be endlessly productive.
I absolutely still use lists to manage my busy life, but now I forgive myself when I fall short. I am committed to my work and truly enjoy my role. I strive for excellence, but no longer at the expense of my well-being and no longer with my goals tied to such rigid personal timelines as in the past
When we're tired and depleted, we don’t have the energy to focus on what needs to be done, much less muster up much passion or excitement about doing it.
Be gentle with yourself (you perpetual overachiever!). Loosen up your 5-year plan just a little. Do fun and silly stuff. Laugh until you cry. Lose yourself in a hobby or cooking or hiking for a few hours. Notice and appreciate the amazing things happening around you every day. Don’t avoid being human for too long.
Make the most of each day.
Kind regards,
Julia Rawlings, PharmD, BCPS, CPPS
Associate Professor, Program Director–HCPF Contracts and Partnerships Department of Clinical Pharmacy
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Take pride in the quality of everything you do. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” As a school, we want to be the best at what we collectively do, which means that we must strive to be the best at what we each do.
Dear SSPPS Community, In professional football, few moments demand more grit than playoff games on the road to the Super Bowl. For the Philadelphia Eagles and star wide receiver A.J. Brown, the January 2025 playoff game against the Green Bay Packers marked the culmination of a season built on discipline, focus, and the pursuit of greatness. A viral photo of A.J. reading the book Inner Excellence on the sidelines captured the essence of elite performance—not just physical, but mental.
Jim Murphy’s Inner Excellence has resonated across athletic and corporate circles with its central message: excellence begins within. High performers, Murphy argues, train their minds as intentionally as their bodies. They cultivate calm under pressure, clarity in chaos, and a purpose beyond personal success.
As faculty and staff in a School of Pharmacy, we understand high standards. We coach and mentor students for healthcare and research environments that demand competence, resilience, ethical decision-making, and grace under pressure. Like coordinators on the field, we help shape their performance, encouraging them to leave everything on the field.
As we enter the thick of the semester, Inner Excellence invites us to reflect: How do we model excellence from within? How do we inspire our students and colleagues to rise to their own “Super Bowl moments”? And how do we pursue excellence not just in outcomes, but in mindset and intention?
The Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX victory reminds us that excellence is not a moment—it’s a mindset, forged long before game day. By committing to preparation, teamwork, and purpose, we can shape outcomes that reflect the very best of who we are, both on the field and in pharmacy. Go Birds!
Chris Aquilante, PharmD
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Jim Murphy. Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life. Orion, 2025. Learn more about the CU Pharmacy Way, including weekly email archives, photos, culture resources, and more.
Youhavethepowertochooseyourattitude.Strivetobeauthenticallypositive–yourattitudeaffectsandinfluencesothers.Actwith optimism,beapproachable,andbewelcomingtoothers.Givepeoplethebenefitofthedoubt.Bringyour“bestself”toeverydayand everytask.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Positivityislikesunlightthroughawindow–itdoesn’tchangetheview,butitbrightenseverythingyousee.
Takingapositiveapproachdoesn’tmeanignoringdifficulties;itmeansfacingthemwithcuriosity,resilience,andabeliefthatprogressisalways possible.Whetherwe’renavigatingchange,solvingproblems,orcollaboratingacrossteams,thismindsethelpsusstayfocusedonsolutions andremainenergized.
Leadwithquestionsratherthanaccusationsorassumptions:
•“Whomighthaveafreshperspectiveonthis?
•“Whatstrengthsdowehavethatwecanleanon?”
• “Howcanwesupporteachotherthroughthis?”
•“What’sonethingwe’velearnedfromthis?”
•“Whatskillsorinsightsarewebuildingthroughthis?”
•“What’sonesmallstepwecantakerightnow?”
•“Howmightthischallengehelpusimprovegoingforward?”
Intentionallychoosingtorespondtosituationswithanattitudeofpositivityleadstoaworkenvironmentthat’snotonlymoreenjoyablebutalso moreproductiveandcollaborative. Regards,
ShellyLange
SeniorBusinessOperationsProfessional
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Dowhatyousayyou’regoingtodoandwhenyousayyou’lldoit.Ifacommitmentcan’tbefulfilled,notifyothersassoonaspossibleand agreeonanewdeliverabletobehonored.Holdyourselfaccountableforhonoringyourcommitment. DearSSPPSCommunity,
We’veallhearditbefore:Followthrough.Walkthetalk.Ifyoustartsomething,finishit.Lovelyintheory,but…whatdoesitreallylooklikeinthe messyrealityofdailylife?
Myrationalbrainknowsweallhaveafiniteamountofenergy,focus,andmotivation.YetIstilltakeontoomuch,feeloverwhelmed,andstruggle tohonormycommitments.I’vefeltthestingofforgettingtofollowupandlettingsomeonedown—notbecausethetaskwasmonumental,but becausethetrustbehinditmattered.
Thisweek,insteadoffocusingsolelyonaccountability,Iinviteyoutopracticeradicalself-compassionandawareness.Thetherapistinme encouragesamindfulapproachtohonoringcommitments—notjusttoothers,buttoyourself.Beforesayingyestosomethingnew:
• Pauseandassessyourcurrentenergy.
•Ifyou’reoverwhelmed,it’sokaytorenegotiateorsayno.
•Communicateearlyandclearly.
• Letgoofperfection.
Oneconceptthat’shelpedmeisstrategicunderperformance:intentionallyunderperformingonlow-leveragetaskstopreserveenergyonhighimpactgoals.Wheneverythingfeelsurgentandlifemovesfasterthanmynervoussystemcanhandle,Iremindmyself: Perfectistheenemyof done.Prioritizewhattrulymatters—andletgoofwhatdoesn’tmoveyouforward.
Thisisn’taboutneglectingresponsibilities.It’saboutshowingupwithintention.Ibelievewe’realldoingourbesttohonorourcommitmentsand communicatewhenthingschange.Thisweek,Ichallengeyou:chooseoneortwogoalsthatmattermost.Honorthosewithcare—andlettherest go.
Regards,
ToniQualantone,MA,NCC DirectorofStudentSuccessandWellness OfficeofStudentServices
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Celebratecolleagues'achievementsandsuccesses.Regularlyextendmeaningfulacknowledgementandappreciation-inalldirections throughouttheschool.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
IwanttostartbythankingeachandeveryoneofyouforyourhardworkanddedicationtoSSPPS.EachpersonintheCUFamilybringssomething uniqueandspecialtothetable,andIwantyoutoknowthatyouareverymuchappreciated.
Showingrecognitionandappreciationdoesn'thavetobelimitedtocelebratinghighachievementsorsuccesses.Icompleteda3-month intensiveprofessionaldevelopmentandemotionalintelligenceprogram7yearsago,andoneofmyfavoritepartswas"acknowledgements".At varioustimesthroughouttheprogram(especiallyatgraduation),wewouldtakethetimetoacknowledgeeachotherfornotonlyour accomplishments,butfortheimpactweeachmadeonthosearoundusjustbybeingwhowewere.
Doyouhaveacolleaguewhogoesoutoftheirwaytohelpanytimeyoureachouttothem?Whataboutthatcolleaguewhomakesworkmore enjoyableandfunsimplybybeingthere?Thesearesmallbutmightypointsofimpactthatoftengounrecognized.
AccordingtoForbes,"employeerecognitionisacriticalcomponentofbuildingastrongworkplacecommunityandfosteringemployeeloyalty.By recognizingandvaluingemployees'contributions,organizationscancreateapositiveandsupportiveworkplaceculturethatencourages employeestostayanddotheirbestwork".
Idon'tknowaboutyou,butwhenIamtoldI'mappreciatedorthatIammakinganimpactwithmywork,Ifeelaheightenedsenseofpurposeand likewhatIdotrulymatters.(Italsomotivatesmetoworkevenharder.)Howmightyoumakeacolleague'sdaybyacknowledgingtheminan unexpectedwaytoday?
Regards,
StaceyHollen,PharmD,BCACP
ClinicalAssistantProfessorChronicPainManagement DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental#17:HelpOthersSucceed
Takeresponsibility,bothformallyandinformally,tocoach,guide,andmentorothers.Helpothersgrowandsucceed.Thebestwaytoinfluenceothers isthroughyourownexample.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Onapersonallevel,thisfundamentalresonatesdeeplywithmyownprofessionaljourney Ihavebeenfortunatetolearnfrommentorswhotookthetimeto challengeandsupportme,andIstrivetopaythatforwardbyfosteringgrowthinothers whetherbyofferingconstructivefeedback,creatingopportunitiesfor professionaladvancement,orsimplybeingavailabletolisten
But,asahighlycompetitiveperson,thiswasn’teasyformeearlyinmycareerasItriedtomeettheexpectationsforindividualsuccessinacademia Lettinggo ofpersonalcompetitioninfavorofcollectivesuccesstakeshumility,patience,andtherealizationthattrueleadershipisdefinednotbypersonalvictories,but bythesuccessofthoseyouhelprise Ittookafewmisstepsandsomechallengingsituationsalongtheway,butIfinallyfoundthatbalance,anditiswhathas drivenmetowardsmygoaltoservethedepartmentofclinicalpharmacy,SSPPS,andthepharmacyprofession
HelpingotherssucceedisattheheartoftheSSPPScommunityandembodiesoursharedvalues Fundamental#17remindsusthatindividualachievementis amplifiedwhenweliftthosearoundus students,colleagues,staff,patients,andpartners towardtheirownpotential.Inacademiaandclinicalpractice, ourgreatestimpactoftencomesnotfrompersonalaccoladesbutfromenablingotherstogrow,learn,andthrive
AtSSPPS,weseethiseveryday:facultyguidingstudentsthroughchallengingclinicalconcepts,postgraduatesmentoringpeers,andteamscelebratingshared accomplishments Helpingotherssucceedcreatesacultureoftrustandexcellencethatbenefitseveryone fromlearnerstothepatientswhoultimately receivebettercare Byinvestinginothers’development,wereinforcetheprofession’sfoundationofcompassionandlifelonglearning
Helpingotherssucceedisn’tjustanactofkindness it’saprofessionalresponsibility Whenwecommittoteaching,mentoring,andsupportingoneanother, weupholdtheCUPharmacyWayandensurealegacyofexcellenceforgenerationstocome Successisnotazero-sumgame;themoreweelevateothers, themoreweallrisetogether
References:
1 Maxwell,JohnC The360°Leader:DevelopingYourInfluencefromAnywhereintheOrganization ThomasNelson;2005 https://www amazon com/360-Degree-Leader-Developing-Organization/dp/1400203597
2 CoveySR The7HabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople Simon&Schuster;2020 https://www amazon com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1982137134?tag=simonsayscom
3 Kram,KathyE MentoringatWork:DevelopmentalRelationshipsinOrganizationalLife UniversityPressofAmerica;1988 https://www amazon com/Mentoring-Work-Developmental-Relationships-Organizational/dp/081916755X
4 Kouzes,JamesM ,andBarryZ Posner TheLeadershipChallenge:HowtoMakeExtraordinaryThingsHappeninOrganizations 7thed Jossey-Bass; 2023 https://www amazon com/Leadership-Challenge-Extraordinary-Things-Organizations/dp/1119736129
Regards,
TyKiserPharmD,FCCM,FCCP,BCCCP,BCPS Professor,InterimChairCriticalCarePharmacy DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental#18:FindaWay
Takepersonalresponsibilityforcompletingtasks Maintainasolution-focusedmindsetratherthanexplainingwhyitcan’tbedone Beresourcefulandshow initiative Don’tmakeexcusesorwaitforotherstosolvetheproblemorseizetheopportunity Workwithasenseofcommitmenttoseesolutionsthroughtotheir completion.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Ifyouknowme,youknowIconstantlydaydreamaboutmountaineeringadventuresandthoughtsofwhatIwanttoclimbnext So,whenIsawtheoptionfor“FindaWay,”I couldn’thelpbutthinkofmyclimbuptheEmmonsGlacierrouteofMountRainier(MountTacoma)thisJuly 14,410feet(4,390m)ofchallenge,grit,andexhilaration
Thisclimbstartsat4,300feet;it’softensteep,sometimesicy,butthereisnoplaceelsemorebeautifulthanthoseglaciatedpeaks Arandomrockfallcouldruinyourday,and youraveragepackweighs55pounds Soundsfun,right?Bythetimesummitdayarrivesondaythree,you’rereadytofindawaytothetop Now,lifeisn’tjustaboutreaching thesummit;it’saboutembracingthejourney,butI’llsavethatsoapboxforanotherFundamental Onourfirstnight,wefaced60mphwindsandverylittlesleep;imaginetryingtosleepinsideapotatochipbagduringatornado Thenextafternoon,asweapproachedCamp Schurman(around9,500ft),wesawtheaftermathofthesamewindstorm:tentsscatteredincrevasses,otherscrumpledlikepaper,andafewbarelyhangingoninthesnow Uphigh,wecouldseeateaminchingdowntheglacierafteranexhaustingsummitpush Whentheyfinallyreachedcamplatethatnight,theysharedhowthey’dbeenonthe mountainfornearly20hours,delayedbyacollapsingsnowbridgethatforcedthemtobuildanchorsonbothsidesandcrossthebridgeonebyone,hopingitdidn’tfallunder them Oh,andnowthey’vereturnedtofindtheirtentsalloverSeattle Yet,theywereproudandalmostboastfuloftheirperseverance howthey“foundaway ”
Butwhatiffindingawaysometimesmeansfindinganotherway?Forcingthewaycanpotentiallyleadtounexpectedoutcomes
Thenextday,whenourteamreachedthatsamesnowbridge,insteadofpressingonrecklessly,wechosetodescendpartoftheclimbandnavigatearoundthecrevassetoa safercrossing Thatdecisioncausedoursummittotakelongerthanplanned(10hours)andrequiredmoreenergy,butitreducedriskandledtosuccess
SSPPShasbeenaroundsince1911 Wehaveawayofdoingthings,butisitalwaystherightway?Whatifinsteadofsaying,“Inthepast ”wechuckthetinyrearviewmirror, throwonourbadassCoachPrimesunglasses,andfocusonthemassivewindshieldofopportunityahead?
Everyday,wehavethechancetofindawaytobebetter tomeetchallengeswithconfidenceandresilience,tobeinnovative,andleadchange Sometimes,thebestway forwardstartswiththecouragetosay:“Let’sfindanewway ”
PS:Ok,ok,onlybecauseyouasked:IwanttoclimbtheVolcanoesofMexiconext:ElPicodeOrizaba(18,491ft /5636m),SierraNegra(15,354ft /4680m),LaMalinche (14,636ft /4461m)
Regards,
ChandlerFollett,PharmD
AssistantProfessor,ManagerofOutreachandEngagementPrograms DepartmentofClinicalPharmacy
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Fundamental#19:FocusontheTeam
It’sabout“us,”notanyindividual.Don’tletyourpersonalagendagetinthewayofdoingwhat’sbestfortheteam.Bethereforeachother andbewillingtostepintoanotherroleorhelpacolleaguewhenthat’swhat’srequiredforsuccess.
Dear SSPPS Community,
That’s what we are — a community. A team. We work together, whether in person or remotely, to move toward our shared goals. When I reflect on the phrase “It’s about us, not any individual,” I’m reminded that effective teamwork means setting aside personal agendas and focusing on what best serves the group as a whole.
We are fortunate to have so many talented individuals within our school, but talent alone can only take us so far. As Michael Jordan once said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” When we embrace a team-focused mindset, we expand our perspective beyond what each of us knows individually and toward what we can achieve collectively. While our individual strengths are valuable, we limit our growth if we rely on them in isolation. By embracing collaboration, we unlock our shared potential — and together, we can go the distance.
There are many strategies and ideas for strengthening teams, but one article I recently read offered a framework for building a “dream team.” What stood out to me was how many of its principles align with our own SSPPS Fundamentals. For example, Fundamental #6 Act with Transparency reminds us that openness and honest communication are essential for progress. Likewise, Fundamental #16 Show Recognition and Appreciation highlights how creating a culture of gratitude motivates and uplifts us all. Fundamentally (pun intended), we must look out for one another. Life brings its challenges, and having a supportive team to rely on can truly make all the difference in our work experience. When we focus on each other more than ourselves, we not only find greater joy in our day-to-day interactions, but we also rise beyond the minimum and reach our limitless potential.
We truly are better together.
As I close my thoughts on this week’s fundamental, I want to express my gratitude to every one of you for being part of this team. I look forward to continuing to learn, grow, and succeed alongside you.
Fundamentally yours,
Kayla Bethea M. Ed.
Program Manager PharmD Education Dean's Office
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Fundamental#20:GetClearonExpectations
Createclarityandavoidmisunderstandingsbydiscussingneedsandexpectationsupfront.Setexpectationsforothersandaskwhen you’reunclearaboutwhattheyexpectofyou.Endallmeetingswithclarityaboutactionitems,responsibilities,andduedates.
Dear SSPPSCommunity,
AsIreflectontheimportanceofsettingclearexpectations,IamremindedofBrenéBrown’sconceptof“paintdone”fromherbookDaretoLead To“paintdone”istoprovidesomeonewiththeexactdetailsofwhatthefinalproductshouldlike.Ifyouarelikeme,youcanprobablythinkof numerouspersonalexamplesofwhyexpectationsareimportant,sohereareafewhelpfultipsfromBrownonhowtodothismoreeffectively.
Howto"paintdone"
•Startwiththerequest:Whengivingorreceivingatask,takeamomenttoaskthepersonto“paintdoneforme.”
•
•
• Collaborateonthepicture:Discussthespecifics,suchasthedeadline,theformatofthefinaloutput,thepurposeofthetask,andany potentialobstacles.
Adddetailandcontext:Theconversationshouldgobeyondjustthefinalproducttoincludeinformationlikewhatdatatouse,whatthe endproductwillbeusedfor,andtheconsequencesofnotcompletingit.
Encouragequestions:Thisprocesscreatesspaceforcuriosityandallowsteammemberstoaskclarifyingquestionstofullyunderstand theexpectations.
•Aimforsharedunderstanding:Thegoalistoco-createasharedvisionofwhatsuccesslookslike,whichfosterscommitmentand collaboration.
Benefitsofusing"paintdone"
•Reducesmisunderstandings:Thissimplephasecanhelpuncover"stealthexpectations"andensureseveryonehasthesame information.
•Improvescollaboration:Co-creatingavisionfosterscuriosityandlearningbycreatingasharedpictureofthework.
•
• Increasesefficiency:Byclearlydefiningthetaskupfront,itpreventswastedeffortandrework. Boostssuccess:Ultimately,itleadstogreatersuccessbecauseeveryoneisworkingtowardthesamecleargoals.
Happypainting!
Warmly,
AmandaRyder DirectorofAdmissionsandStudentRecruitment
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Fundamental#21:DeliberateandDecide
Healthy,dynamicdiscussionandanalysiscreatebettersolutions.Deliberateconceptswithoutmakingissuespersonal.Debateideas respectfullyandpushforthebestsolutionorapproachfortheschoolratherthanyoursolutionthroughcompromise. DearSSPPSCommunity,
AssomeonegoingthroughaMaster’sprograminCounseling,oneofthemostpowerfultoolsIusetofostergrowthisthephrase“Yes,and…”It’s asimpleshiftinlanguage,butitopensthedoortopossibility,collaboration,andprogress.Insteadofshuttingdownideaswith“Yes,but…,”we buildonthembyacknowledgingwhat’sbeensaidandaddingsomethingnew.It’samindsetthatinvitescuriosityandconnection,ratherthan defensivenessordismissal.
Thisweek’sFundamental,remindsusthathealthy,dynamicdiscussionisessentialtofindingthebestsolutions.It’snotaboutwinningan argumentorpushingourownagenda;it’saboutengaginginrespectfuldebatethatmovestheschoolforward.Whenwedeliberatewitha“Yes, and…”approach,wecreatespaceforinnovation,compromise,andsharedownershipofideas.
We’veallbeeninmeetingswheretensionrisesandperspectivesclash.That’snormalandevennecessary.Butwhenwerememberthat disagreementisn’tpersonal,andthateveryvoiceaddsvalue,weshiftfromcompetitiontocollaboration.Westoptryingtoberightandstart tryingtogetitright.
Thismindsetisespeciallyimportantinaschoollikeours,wherediverseexpertiseandexperiencesconverge.Whetherwe’rediscussing curriculum,studentsupport,orstrategicplanning,ourstrengthliesinourabilitytolistengenerously,challengerespectfully,anddecide deliberately.
So,thisweek,Iinviteyoutopractice“Yes,and…”,inconversations,inmeetings,andeveninmomentsofdisagreement.Let’sbuildoneach other’sideas,pushforthebestoutcomes,andkeepourfocusonwhatservestheschoolasawhole. Cheers,
BradBobel,BA
Digital
MarketingProfessional
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Fundamental#22:RespondPromptly
Respondtoinquiriesandmessagesasquicklyaspossible,whetherinperson,onthephone,orbyemail Thisincludessimplyacknowledgingthatyoureceivedthe communication,andyouare“onit,”aswellaskeepingthoseinvolvedcontinuouslyupdatedonthestatus DearSSPPSCommunity,
WhenIreadthisfundamental,Iimmediatelythinkaboutemailresponses IsmyOutlookallcleanandshiny?NOPE DoIhavewaytoomanyflaggedemails?OHYEAH!Ialso havebeenblessedwithabrainthatlikestowakemeupat2:00AMandsay,“Rememberthatemailyousaidyouwouldreplytoyesterday?!”soIknowtheimportanceof dedicatingtimetoemailmanagement Ontopofthis,myrolewithinourOfficeofStudentServicesinvolvesmeetingwithourlearnersandhelpingcoachthemthroughtime managementandprioritizingskills YouthinkIwouldbeanexpert,butweareallaworkinprogresswhenitcomestorespondingpromptly(unlessyouhavemasteredit,in whichcase,whyareyounotwritingthis?!?)soIdecideditwouldbebesttosimplyserveupsometipsandtricksthathelpmakerespondingpromptlyabiteasier!
OutlookFeaturestoEnablePromptEmailResponses:
•
• UseFlagsandCategories:Flagemailsforfollow-upandcolor-codecategories SetUpQuickSteps:Automatecommonactionslike'Reply&Archive'
o MyFavorites:ForwardtoManager,TeamNotify,MarkasRead&MovetoaSpecificFolder
• CreateRules:AsmentionedbyDr Vondracekinapreviousfundamentalcycle,automaticallysortorhighlightemailsfromkeycontacts
o UsefulRules:FlagEmailsfromyourManager,ForwardStudentEmailstoaSharedInbox,AutomaticallyMoveCertainEmailtoaDifferentFolder TimeManagementStrategies
• ScheduleEmailBlocks:Checkandrespondatsettimes(e g ,9AM,1PM,4PM)
o IalwayshaveMondaymornings,andFridayafternoonssetasideforemailreviewandreply ThismakessureIcansleepeasyovertheweekendandanything emergentthatcameinonSaturdayandSundayistackledfirstthingMonday
• • Usethe'Two-MinuteRule':Ifareplytakeslessthan2minutes,doitimmediately DelayDeliveryforThoughtfulReplies:Use'DelaySend'toreviseorbatchresponses BehavioralTips
• KeepRepliesShortandClear:Usetemplatesorcannedresponses
o o Afewofmygo-to-templatesareacknowledgingreceipt,providinginformation,andredirectingorreferring YoucanevenstoreyourtemplatesinOutlookandpullthemforuseasneeded!
• • MarkEmailsas'Unread'or'To-Do':Forlaterattentionifyoucan'trespondimmediately UsetheDraftsFolderStrategically:Startreplieswhenyouhaveamoment,finishlater Thispostwouldn’tbecompletewithoutbringinginmydearfriend,Co-Pilot YoucanaskCo-PilothowtosetupQuickSteps,CreateRules,andDesignandUploadsomegreat EmailTemplatesintoOutlook
Iwillwrapupthisfundamentalbysayinggracecangoalongway Manyofuscontemplatesendingthegentlenudgeorreminderforfearitwillbereceivedpoorlyorbeviewed asaggressive Trynottobedefensiveifyoureceiveareminderandputyourselfintheirshoesastheymayhaveotherswaitingonthemaswell Hereistohopingthenewyear startsoffwithabalancedandmanageableinbox!
Sincerely,
LizMacLean,M A SeniorAcademicStudentAdvisor OfficeofStudentServices
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Fundamental#23:BeaSchoolAmbassador
Eachofusisresponsibleforandbenefitsfromourschool’simageandreputation.Considerhowyouractionsaffectourcollective reputationandbeaproudambassadorfortheSkaggsSchoolofPharmacyandPharmaceuticalSciences.Makeagenuineefforttosupport schoolinitiativesandevents.
DearSSPPSCommunity,
Irecentlysawsomethingaboutthepriceofyour“village”or“community,”oftenbeinginconvenient.Theexamplewasthatsometimesshowingup forothersinvolvesdoingitonadateortimethatcouldbeinconvenientforyou,oratimeyoujustwanttobeathome.Showingupforotherscan inconvenienceyouinthemomentbutthenofferstherewardsofothersshowingupforyouwhenyouneedit.
Debbie,howdoesthisrelatetobeinga“schoolambassador?”
Iviewthisschoolandallofyouasalargepartofmyvillage.Participatingineventsthatmaketheschoolthriveandhelpbuildrelationshipsamong employeesandstudentsisasmallpricetopayforgrowingmycommunityandforshowinghowawesomeourschoolistooutsiders. BeinganambassadortoourschooltomeisvolunteeringwhenIcantohelpsetuporteardownaneventorbeafriendlyfacetoanewgroupof potentialstudentscomingtocheckusout.ItrytopayattentiontostudentannouncementsandparticipatewhenIcan.Tossingacoupleofbean bagsonmylunchhourhaspaiddividendsbackincollegialrelationshipswithyouallandourstudents.
Ialsoviewthisasreppin’CUPharmacyonmyclothing.Ihavefounddifferentitemsthroughourstudentorganizationfundraiserswhichisagreat waytogetsomethingnewwhilesupportingourstudents.CUAnschutzjustputoutabrandstore,somaybetheywillhavetheabilitytoprovide somethingforyou.Hereisthelink.Ourlogocanbeplacedonavarietyofitems.
Therearemanywaystobeaschoolambassador,andIhavesharedacoupleofwaysthatcometomymindfirst.I’dlovetohearwhatthismeans toyou!
HaveafantasticDecemberahead!
Kindly,
DebbieGallegos,PharmD,CPS,CPPs2019-2025
AssistantDirectorofExperientialPrograms,HealthSystemIPPECourseDirector, AdvancedIPPECourseDirector
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Fundamental #24: Enjoy What You Do
While our passion for excellence is real, remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up your work. Keep perspective. Don't take issues personally or take yourself too seriously. Have fun.
Dear SSPPS Community,
I’ve been reflecting on how easy it is for our days to become packed with responsibilities and deadlines, and how important it is to stay connected to the parts of our work that genuinely bring us joy. “Enjoying what you do” isn’t about expecting every moment to be effortless, it’s about noticing those sparks that remind us why we’re here: mentoring a student through a breakthrough, celebrating the passion for discovery that drives our science, or sharing a meaningful conversation with a colleague.
When we give ourselves permission to enjoy these moments, our work becomes more fulfilling, and that positive energy doesn’t stop at the office door. It spills into our personal lives, making us more present, more balanced, and more grounded for the people around us.
Enjoyment is contagious. When we bring enthusiasm, curiosity, and joy into our daily interactions, it helps create an environment where we all feel inspired and our colleagues feel supported. It strengthens our community in ways both big and small.
Have a great week!
Kindly,
Julio Aguado, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
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