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A Knock to the Head for Community Pharmacists

Posted by Benjamin Coakley on Tue, Jun 18, 2013 @ 09:39 AM


Here is a quick question for you: What do eating halibut in Alaska, snorkeling in the Cayman Islands and owning a community pharmacy have in common? 

halibutMost people would probably think absolutely nothing. However, there may be a few people - besides me! - who would say they have something in common. 

From my immediate perspective, because two members of our senior advisory team are leaving for vacation next week (one to Alaska and the other to the Caribbean), I am  left to manage the rest of our team as we continue our work taking care of pharmacists. It's a bit of a loopy three-way connection, but I am actually looking describe the imageforward to having time to catch up on some long overdue creative projects.

The point of all this "illogic" is to help you understand how three seemingly random things can actually be related despite the fact most of us are completely untrained to think this way. We have been taught to find the most logical answer when, in some cases, an illogical answer may be the best.

Because science and math drive most of what you do as a community pharmacist, your logical approach to finding the right answer is powerful and perhaps very difficult to put aside when doing so is not to your best advantage.

Logic is absolutely essential when it comes to filling prescriptions. However, when it comes to other aspects of your pharmacy and life, it may not always serve you so well. As an example, we were recently speaking with a pharmacist looking to buy a store who said he wished he could think creatively instead of always seeing the world from a math and science perspective.  The good news is you can train yourself to think creatively. Essentially, you can reprogram your brain. These are called "Knocks to the Head."

So, what aspects of your pharmacy might benefit from thinking more creatively? There are numerous, but the two we see most often benefiting from a little illogical thinking are marketing programs and delivering an exceptional and unique patient experience.

Here are some quick and easy steps for reprogramming your brain:

  • Don't assume the logical answer is the only answer
  • When pursuing something new and creative, have fun and don't worry about making mistakes
  • Bend the rules
  • Always look for more than one answer

We are not suggesting you abandon common sense, but we are saying it is often advantageous to think outside the box. We also believe taking a creative, seemingly illogical approach to some aspects of protecting, managing and growing your pharmacy is going to be a integral part of your future success, and the future success of community pharmacies as a whole. To help you get a "head start", we are offering free copies of A Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger von Oech to the first ten community pharmacy owners who agree to spend 15 minutes on the phone with us.

Click here to set up a call  with us and receive your copy of  A Whack on the Side of the Head


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McKesson Pharmacists, visit us at IdeaShare in Las Vegas

We are looking forward to seeing all of you at the IdeaShare Show in Las Vegas next week.  If you are interested in setting up a one-on-one session while in Las Vegas with a Waypoint Advisor to discuss anything related to pharmacy, please click below.  If you set up a one-on-one session, you will receive a free copy of the best selling book, The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall.

McKesson Pharmacists Click Here

 

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Topics: community pharmacy owner, community pharmacist, creative thinking