4Front's 6Ps of Positive Practice

The deeper reason behind what we do - the 'why' that fuels our actions and contributes to something greater than ourselves.

• be person-centred,
• all pharmacists practice in a way that maintains and improves the health, wellbeing, care and safety of patients

•  serving the wellbeing of others, by using one's knowledge and skills.  
• For pharmacists in supervisory, management or leadership roles, this includes serving the wellbeing of yourself, your team and other healthcare professionals, in addition to serving the wellbeing of patients and their carers
• Demonstrating and maintaining high standards of personal and professional honesty and integrity

The deliberate and continuous process of developing oneself to reach their fullest potential, both personally and professionally

• Applying a 'person-centred' approach - including self and patients

• Leading by example
• Managing self to plan, manage, prioritise and delegate workload
• Promote and maintain personal health, wellbeing and resilience 
• Critically reflecting on personal practices, skills and performance to identify areas for growth

The systems, processes and environment that foster the ongoing process of acquiring, honing and integrating the knowledge, skills and competencies to excel in one's profession.

• Being professional and well-informed to build credibility and portray the profession in a positive light
• Reviewing and managing medicines
• Dispensing medication
• Administering vaccinations
• Recommending appropriate non-prescription products and advice for minor ailments
• Conducting patient consultations
• Adhering to quality systems and medicine management strategies
• Maintaining appropriate records
• Managing the supply chain
• Providing medicines information and education
• Engaging in public health initiatives 
• Self-governance
• Legal & ethical practice
• Commitment to life-long learning
• Commitment to evidence-based practice

• Recognising ethical dilemmas and seek guidance when needed
• Taking action to address unprofessional or unethical behaviour
• Confidently making sound decisions 
• Solving Problems, considering professional, ethical and patient safety factors
• Optimising scope of practice 
• Contributing to continuous quality improvement and risk management
• Leading for safety

People leadership is the art and science of cultivating engaged and high performing individuals and teams within an organisation, and positively influencing stakeholders who interact with the organisation, such as patients, carers, suppliers and other healthcare professionals.

• Demonstrating leadership
• Serving as a role-model, coach or mentor to colleagues, staff and students
• Encouraging dynamic two-way feedback
• Guiding and supporting self and team to reflect upon and modify behaviour and practice in response to feedback
• Addressing management issues
• Establishing and maintaining collaborating working relationships
• Participating, collaborating and advising on decision-making within a multi-disciplinary team
• Communicating effectively, through active listening, appropriate questioning and checking understanding
• Demonstrating respect, sensitivity, empathy, cultural & social awareness and empower others involvement when communicating
• Modelling equality, diversity and inclusion in my interaction with others
• Educating and empowering patients
• Influencing and negotiating skills 
• Managing team to plan, manage, prioritise and delegate workload
• Promoting and maintaining team health, wellbeing and resilience 

Delivering exceptional products and services, tailored to meet the needs of customers and their health and wellbeing.

• Adapting to change and innovation within my role
• Adapting to the evolving needs of patients, my team(s) and the healthcare system
• Embracing technology to improve patient care
• Pioneer and contribute to activities e.g. audit to improve and develop services

includes financial success, time freedom and individual and collective flourishing in health, wealth and happiness.  A prosperous environment is one where everyone has the opportunity to grow and succeed.

• Managing systems and processes within the workplace
• Managing resources and finance
• Considering the impact of my decisions and role on the environment
• Identifying opportunities for continuous quality improvement 
• Proactively identifying, managing, mitigating and reviewing risks in relation to the workplace, patients and the public.

The deeper reason behind what we do - the 'why' that fuels our actions and contributes to something greater than ourselves.

There are increasing numbers of studies indicating the connection between a stronger sense of purpose, health benefits and overall quality of life.  Leaders in the evidence-based field of positive psychology identify purpose as a cornerstone of happiness, flow, optimal experience & a life well-lived. 

In a healthcare work environment, fostering a purpose-driven practice environment has been shown to unlock numerous benefits, including increased job satisfaction, higher employee engagement, a stronger positive practice culture and greater innovation. On the other hand, we pay the price for misalignment through increased stress, reduced motivation & job satisfaction and increasingly negative practice environments. 

Especially as leaders and managers, consciously aligning our own sense of purpose, with our profession's purpose and the purpose of the organisation in which we work, and leading from a place of increasing integrity, has a positive ripple effect throughout our personal, professional and business life. 

Coaching provides the space to consciously and proactively focus attention to intentionally align and re-align our mission, vision, values and purpose with our goals and actions, reaping personal, professional and organisational health benefits. 

The deliberate and continuous process of developing oneself to reach their fullest potential, both personally and professionally

As healthcare professionals, we need the health and vitality to sustainably fulfil our demanding roles, day-in, day-out.  

Recent studies show that pharmacists are at especially high risk of succumbing to occupational signs and symptoms of chronic stress and burnout such as

• physical: exhaustion, insomnia, headaches, muscle tension, gastro-intestinal issues
• mental: brain fog, difficulty concentrating, reduced creativity, dread of working with certain clients
• emotional: heightened anxiety or fear, anger, irritability, cynicism, depression, detachment
• behavioural: impatience with patients and colleagues, increased use of alcohol & drugs 
• occupational: reduced job satisfaction, diminished sense of enjoyment of career, decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, high staff turnover rates

Despite the myriad of systemic factors which increase our risk of burnout, there are also protective factors proven to help us mitigate the risk and create positive practices and positive environments.  

Executive and team coaching is effective at empowering pharmacy leaders and their teams to create increasingly positive practices by equipping them with the mindset and skillset to identify and sequentially eliminate negative practices and replace them with evidence-based positive practices.  

People leadership is the art and science of cultivating engaged and high performing individuals and teams within an organisation, and positively influencing stakeholders who interact with the organisation, such as patients, carers, suppliers and other healthcare professionals.

Even when pharmacist education includes leadership and management training, leadership best practice is continually evolving at a rapid pace.  Many of the competencies that pharmacists must continually develop as supervisors, managers and leaders are coaching core competencies. Global and healthcare environments are becoming increasingly complex.  Individuals and teams are increasingly unwilling to put up with outdated leadership styles and expect leaders and managers who enable their growth & development and provide a safe, innovative, intellectually challenging work environment. 

Leaders, who lead with coaching (competencies below), have been show to 

• increase employee engagement and motivation
• improve communication, team work and collaboration
• enhance patient satisfaction and quality of care
• better problem solving and decision making
• successfully adapt to changes and innovations
• have higher retention and attraction of professional and support staff
• enhance patient safety and care outcomes

The World Health Organization identifies relationships with family, friends and colleagues as a key determinant of health and wellbeing for ourselves and our patients.  Coaching provides transferrable skills that enrich both personal and professional relationships, benefiting health & wellbeing at home and at work.

Domain

Competency

Foundation

1.      Demonstrates Ethical Practice

Definition: Understands and consistently applies coaching ethics and standards of coaching

2.      Embodies a Coaching Mindset

Definition: Develops and maintains a mindset that is open, curious, flexible and client-centred

Co-Creating the Relationship

3.      Establishes and Maintains Agreements

Definition: Partners with the client and relevant stakeholders to create clear agreements about the coaching relationship, process, plans and goals.  Establishes agreements for the overall coaching engagement as well as those for each coaching session.

4.      Cultivates Trust and Safety

Definition: Partners with the client to create a safe, supportive environment that allows the client to share freely. Maintains a relationship of mutual respect and trust.

5.      Maintains Presence

Definition: Is fully conscious and present with the client, employing a style that is open, flexible, grounded and confident.

Communicating Effectively

6.      Listens Actively

Definition: Focuses on what the client is and is not saying to fully understand what is being communicated in the context of the client systems and to support client self-expression

7.      Evokes Awareness

Definition: Facilitates client insight and learning by using tools and techniques such as powerful questioning, silence, metaphor or analogy.

Cultivating Learning and Growth

8.      Facilitates Client Growth

Definition: Partners with the client to transform learning and insight into action.  Promotes client autonomy in the coaching process.