Welcome to i2P (Information to Pharmacists) E-Magazine for the week commencing 4 May 2015.
This week our focus is on leadership – or more specifically, the lack of it.
We tuned in to some of the major global thought leaders and found that leadership problems did not just reside in Australian pharmacy but it was also a problem in most major economies, and at all levels.
We also discovered that some of the best advisers, people who normally provided direction for heads of state, major corporations and representative leadership groups were all grasping at the problem of why there has been such a decline in leadership skills and their coordination.
They had been struggling themselves, as well.
If we had to sum up the ailment in a single sentence, it would be “the rise of global complexity coupled with a lack of understanding”.
One of our reference points, McKinsey & Co Management Consultants, has identified four forces colliding and transforming the global economy and simultaneously breaking all the trends.
Like the tectonic plates of continents rubbing together and creating environmental disruption in the form of earthquakes, volcanos, tsunamis, mountain building and ocean trench formation, the tectonic impacts of business are defined as:
* The rise of emerging markets.
* The accelerating impact of technology on the natural forces of market competition.
* An ageing world
* Accelerating flows of trade, capital, people and data.
And this subject is elaborated on by Mark Coleman in the first of a range of articles titled: “Why the Business World Feels so Different”
Good leaders are generally found among the entrepreneurs of the world – those people always looking for opportunity and willing to take risks.
They are also people bound up in a perpetual cycle of innovation, restructuring and growth and have a clear vision and the determination to see things through, no matter how long it takes.
i2P can see some glimmerings of leadership from the ranks of regular Australian pharmacists.
It only takes a spark to shine the light on a pathway, so let us hope that the spark builds to become a bushfire to light up an entire profession.
Also, in this edition, we have a directional article titled:
Retail Health Clinic Study – Many Positives
Health clinics in the US are now regarded as a value proposition and are becoming an integral component in the delivery of primary health care.
Funding for Australia’s health care seems to be moving away from Medicare and more towards private health insurance systems.
This means that pharmacy clinics can build potential to fill an economy-level gap in primary health care, can share or collaborate with other health professions (e.g. nurses) and can reduce the apparent over-supply of newly graduated pharmacists.
All good, and positive.
It just requires pharmacists with leadership potential to start moving.
Another article Evidence Based Design Will Encourage Patient Outcomes also serves as being directional and requiring leadership input.
Design is a very important element whether it is the design of a pharmacy, the design of pharmacy furniture to create direction and function, the design of a system – all require research and analysis before launching.
Putting all the pieces together in the right way and designing a pharmacy for enhanced patient outcomes creates the infrastructure for everything to “just happen”.
And of course, leaders need to be all over the design elements.
Harvey Mackay has his view on what characterises a leader and has written down his thoughts in article format as Breaking down the meaning of leadership.
This can form part of your own leadership training.
Our staff writers have come up with an article illustrating innovation.
Titled Making Universal Blood Through Enzymes we are able to illustrate what characterises the different blood types and convert them all to a universal format that enables donation of blood for everybody.
Another breakthrough that helps to reduce one complexity found in a hospital system.
Loretta Marron makes a contribution this week titled The truth about herbal ‘medicines‘.
Whatever your view on this subject, Loretta always provides some spirited arguments.
In this edition we also start reportage on The Australian Pharmaceutical Council.
They have published their first edition of their official newsletter, so we are republishing it in full for your convenience.
See APC Insights – a newsletter from the Australian Pharmacy Council.
Also, please find media releases from PSA and NPS.
Enjoy your reading for the coming week and please use any of the leadership material and store it within your own archives.
Neil Johnston
Editor
4 May 2015