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Growth & Innovation
Lead with Coaching - Empowering Sustainable Growth and Workforce Wellbeing Pharmacy, should be a sanctuary where brilliant people thrive, yet too often it becomes a graveyard for faded hopes and dreams. Written by Rachel Dungan, MPSI MCC ACTC
the healthcare system and the global context.
Have you tried everything you know? Have you noticed that no matter how hard you work, how many hours you put in, how many holidays and family events you sacrifice, it is never enough? Does it feel like a relentless treadmill, with no obvious or healthy escape?
• Enhancing Leadership Capabilities: Pharmacists and their teams are stepping into increasingly diverse and demanding roles. No single person has the capability or capacity to manage it all. Therefore the most future ready leaders are those who have the capability to create the environment where leadership is developed within and across the entire team, enabling them to be more responsive as they navigate change. Coaching builds the confidence and skills necessary to lead effectively,
It doesn’t have to be that way. When the way you are working isn’t working, a different approach is required. But what? Over the first 25 years of this century, community pharmacies have faced unprecedented challenges and opportunities, and the pace of change continues to accelerate. Pharmacists, once seen primarily as dispensers of medications, are now expanding their roles, integrating clinical services, embracing digital health, and collaborating more closely with other healthcare providers. This shift opens up vast potential for growth and innovation, but it also brings significant pressures, including workforce burnout, regulatory challenges and resistance to change. Coaching for Sustainable Growth Leadership development, and especially developing leaders to lead with a coaching style of leadership, is an essential tool for navigating these complexities. By focusing on personal, professional and team growth, within a systems based philosophy, coaching empowers pharmacy leaders to foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and sustainable growth and to thrive in the face of increasing complexity within their pharmacy businesses,
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develop teams, communicating a clear vision, and aligning strategies with the evolving demands of healthcare. • Driving Strategic Innovation: Community pharmacy is at the forefront of innovation, from tele-pharmacy to personalised medicine. Coaching equips leaders and their teams to embrace these innovations by fostering strategic thinking and adaptability. This growthmindset enables pharmacies to adopt cutting-edge technologies, explore new business models which create more value with less stress, creating sustainable initiatives. • Fostering Workforce Wellbeing: Burnout is a critical issue in the pharmacy profession. Coaching addresses
this by connecting back to purpose, promoting resilience and wellbeing among leaders and their teams, leading to higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover, and a more sustainable workforce. Overcoming Barriers with Coaching Despite the opportunities for growth, several barriers hinder progress in community pharmacies. Leadership development coaching plays a vital role in overcoming these obstacles. • Navigating Regulatory and Reimbursement Challenges: Many expanded services are not fully supported by current regulations or reimbursement structures. Coaching helps leaders develop the strategic skills needed to optimise their