Spring 2019 Tenet-Advocate for your team

“Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.”
                                                                            -Theodore Roosevelt

“The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already.”
                                                                            -John Buchan

In health-systems pharmacy, teams come in many shapes and sizes.  We have our peers, we have other members of the pharmacy department we work with, we have rounding services or prescribers, nurses we rely on, committees we participate in and individuals we may manage.  As the quotes above describe, acting as an advocate for a team you belong to is not only important for success, I feel it is your responsibility as a professional.  Regardless of how your team is constructed, advocating for that team is an important part of leadership and you certainly do not have to be the leader of that team to be a leader on that team.  Speaking up for those who cannot, defending individuals who are not present to defend themselves, protecting those who do not have the strength to do it alone and promoting the greatness of your team are valuable assets and traits to possess.  At times acting as an advocate can be quite challenging; but doing the right thing, for the right reasons will always bring fulfillment.

As you read this, it will be just after the completion of our annual spring meeting.  I hope those of you that attended had a wonderful experience that included educational sessions, vendor displays, networking, and social interaction.  The Board worked tirelessly planning a successful educational experience for you, with a bit of fun thrown in for good measure.  I would like to congratulate our award winners from both MSHP and our Research and Education foundation, as your recognition was well deserved.

Residency Match results will also be in by the time you read this.  I hope the process went well for all involved; programs and candidates.  Celebrate your success through this challenging and time consuming process. 

As the weather starts to warm up and the days get longer, take a moment to enjoy some time outdoors, shake off the winter blues and remember that advocating for your team, especially when they cannot advocate for themselves, is a wonderful way to help unlock that greatness that already exists within them.

Respectfully,

Tony Huke, PharmD, BCPS

MSHP President