Welcome to the "Value of Positive Practice"

Each month, we share insights about industry trends, best practices, and resources for building a sustainable business, plus opportunities to enrol in programmes to support your next STEPS towards your goals.?

Personal Note from Rachel

Time flies and we are 8 months into 2024 already!? For those of us in the northern hemisphere, we are still enjoying the longer days.? And I have had a house full of teenagers (my own and my brother's) to bring the youthful energy up!?

With that in mind, this month's focus on Professional Development reminds me that our growth as leaders, pharmacists, and coaches is not just about acquiring new skills but about deepening our understanding of ourselves, our purpose, and how we can best serve others professionally and personally.

At the heart of our work lies the 4Front’s 6Ps of Positive Practice, a framework that connects Purpose, Personal, Professional, People, Products & Services, and Prosperity. These interconnecting factors impact our ability to create a thriving, positive practice—within the pharmacy profession, and indeed hold true with clients I work with from other backgrounds too.? Professional development, in particular, is the key to staying ahead in any field, and even more vital in professions where lives are at stake.? Appropriate, informed CPD empowers us to provide the highest level of care and leadership - to ourselves, to our teams, to our clients/patients, to our communities and to the planet that sustains us all.

This month, I invite you to explore how you can further your professional development and encourage those around you to do the same. Whether it's through mastering new skills, engaging in reflective practice, or strategically taking the time to listen more deeply, every step we take towards growth benefits us and enriches our teams and the communities we serve.

Let’s continue to lead with curiosity, compassion, and a commitment to excellence.

And for my pharmacist colleagues who have recently been called for ePortfolio Review of your CPD, you will likely find inspiration for writing up your own CPD cycles in this newsletter.

4Front’s 6Ps of Positive Practice focus on Mastering Six Inter-Connecting Factors – Purpose, Personal, Professional, People, Products & Services and Prosperity.

This Month's Focus: Professional Development

?The Value of Professional Development in Cultivating a Positive Pharmacy Practice

Introduction: In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare and pharmacy, excellence isn't just a goal—it's a necessity. Creating a positive pharmacy practice that excels in patient care and inspires teams requires not only the right mindset but also the right practices. This journey from mediocrity to positivity is where the true transformation begins.

Understanding Mindsets and Practices: Before we dive into the journey, let's clarify what we mean by mindsets and practices. Mindsets are the underlying attitudes and beliefs that shape our actions and decisions. Practices, on the other hand, are the actions and behaviors that result from these mindsets. A positive pharmacy practice is rooted in both the right mindsets and the right practices.

The 6Ps Framework for Positive Practice: Our "6Ps of Pharmacy Excellence Self-Assessment Quiz" serves as a roadmap for cultivating a positive pharmacy practice. Let's explore how this framework empowers pharmacy professionals to embrace the right mindsets and practices:

1. Purpose: Purpose-driven mindsets inspire leaders to align their actions with their values and the greater mission of healthcare. The practice of setting a clear purpose fosters meaning and direction in the workplace.??
2. Personal: Personal growth mindsets prioritise well-being, resilience, and emotional intelligence. The practice of continuous personal development equips leaders with the tools to manage stress and adversity effectively.
3. Professional: A commitment to professional growth and adherence to industry’s evolving best practices are essential. Continuous learning is the practice that ensures pharmacy leaders remain current and at the forefront of their field.
4. People: Building strong relationships and fostering teamwork require the right mindset. The practice of effective teamwork creates a collaborative and patient-centric environment. Click here to read the complete article.

Interested in cultivating a positive Pharmacy Practice?? Consider Coaching.???Complete the ?Identify Your Saboteurs and/or VIA Strengths Finder Survey, then click the??"90-Minute Strategy Session" link to avail of one of a limited number of 1-2-1 sessions, and search my calendar for a suitable time for you.? .

My CPD Focus:? Enhancing Pharmacist Professional?Fulfilment and Mental Fitness through Positive Intelligence

Many pharmacists write up CPD cycles based on just on clinical domains of the Pharmacist Core Competency FrameworkPharmacist Core Competency Framework.? However, as every pharmacist knows, the trickiest parts of our role are often the non-clinical components of personal, professional, organisational and management skills and public health.? For your inspiration, below is one of my own non-clinical CPD cycles and how I have mapped it to the PSI Core Competency Framework.??

Introduction: Positive Intelligence (PQ) approach to mental fitness, peak performance, and positive workplace culture integrates cognitive behavioural science, positive psychology, performance science, and neuroscience. It aims to boost mental fitness, equipping individuals and teams, including healthcare professionals, with tools to combat stress, burnout, dysfunctional workplace culture and enhance professional fulfillment.

Self-Appraisal: According to national and international pharmacy industry reports such as the PSI Workforce Intelligence Report and FIP Sustainable Positive Practice Report, healthcare professionals face unprecedented challenges, leading to stress, burnout, and recruitment issues. Powered by Positive Intelligence, mental fitness coaching addresses these concerns by providing evidence-based strategies to build resilience, manage stress, and improve overall well-being.?

I want to explore the impact of

• Educating pharmacists in mental fitness coaching skills
• Providing pharmacists with mental fitness coaching

Click here to read the complete CPD Focus article.

If you are a pharmacist who has been called for ePortfolio Review this year, and you would value partnering with a pharmacist colleague to Just Get It Done, CLICK HERE to schedule a 1-2-1 session with Rachel. Most colleagues find this partnership approach to be way less stressful and more fun to meet regulatory requirements and create valuable learning.??

Introducing Therese Winters: Executive Assistant to Rachel

I am delighted to introduce you to Therese Winters, 4Front’s Operations Manager and my Executive Assistant.? With her extensive background in HR, Admin, Sales, and Marketing, I feel fortunate to have the support of her expertise on 4Front’s team.? Therese is based in the USA, bringing our team an international perspective.? Beyond work, she enjoys reading, cooking, and volunteering for causes of unity and inclusion.

What does this mean for you???

Therese excels at operational excellence and effective communication. With her support, you will likely notice her influence to enhance our work together. One way to begin getting to know Therese and to optimise 4Front’s response time to you is to copy [email protected] on email correspondence to me.

Connect with Therese on LinkedIn.

If you found this information valuable, there's more where that came from! Click here to read the full newsletter.