Managing an independent community pharmacy is hard work, and it’s not for everyone.
Managers must possess certain skills in order to effectively run a pharmacy business, including motivating employees and fostering a productive work environment.
Here are eight qualities that are vital to the success of an independent community pharmacy manager.
1. Instinct
You’ve probably been told to trust your instincts once or twice before.
As an independent community pharmacy manager, you’re obviously good at leading and decision-making, or you wouldn’t be in the position you’re in today.
And, if you think back to the times when things didn’t go your way, chances are there are some instances where you went against your instincts.
So, do yourself a favor and skip the self-doubt. Continue to trust your gut as you lead your pharmacy team.
2. Persistence
It’s important for managers to persevere in the face of setbacks and challenges.
By sustaining a positive attitude even when things go wrong at your pharmacy, and motivating your employees to do the same, you’ll be able to snap back quickly.
For example, if your pharmacy experiences a period where you don’t acquire any new patients, use that as motivation for starting a new marketing campaign or hosting an event. Employees will look up to you for being persistent, and your enthusiasm will rub off on them.
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3. Empowerment
The ability to empower employees is one of the most important characteristics of a manager.
Employees are a huge asset to your business. And, they need to feel appreciated if you want them to continue working hard for your pharmacy.
Reward employees when they excel at their jobs by offering bonuses, giving them an extra vacation day or having a special catered lunch.
4. Active listening
It’s important that you don’t just hear what your employees or patients say, but that you actively listen so that you can better understand them.
When you become an active listener, you earn more respect. And, by listening to what others have to say, you become a better problem solver and ultimately a better manager.
For example, when an employee expresses a concern, listen carefully and paraphrase what you hear in order to show you understand. Then, ask any follow-up questions you may have so you can respond appropriately and come up with a solution.
5. Collaboration
Managing a team requires collaboration.
Encourage employees to collaborate by organizing an event that requires you and your employees to work together, such as a charity fundraiser or a “shop local” event.
Additionally, assign more than one employee to a task, such as restocking shelves or managing your pharmacy’s social media, so they have to learn to work as a team.
6. Delegation
As a manager, it’s natural to want to be in control. But running a pharmacy is not a one-man job.
Passing off some responsibilities to your employees will help reduce stress, give you time to focus on more important tasks and allow you to capitalize on your employees’ strengths that differ from your own.
For example, maybe marketing and creativity is not your strong suit. Delegate the task of creating your pharmacy’s e-newsletter to an employee who has a knack for it.
7. Passion
Passion isn’t something that can be taught.
When your independent community pharmacy hits a rough patch, it takes passion for what you do to make it through the challenges.
If you have passion for what you do, your employees will see it—and hopefully want to emulate it. After all, if a manager isn’t passionate about his job or the pharmacy, why should his employees be?
8. Empathy
To effectively lead and manage your pharmacy team, you need to earn their trust.
Work on strengthening your relationships with employees by showing empathy.
For example, make sure your employees know they can openly express their concerns with you. Be understanding and work with them to fix any problems.
A pharmacy manager should demonstrate these traits of an effective leader.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
