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(Written by Allie Sturm*) As little "L" (every pharmacist) and big "L" (formal) leaders, there is constant pressure to always be your best. How do we make sure we are being our best selves every day for our employees, colleagues, patients, and loved ones? In Becoming Your Best, Steve Shallenberger shares 12 principles and tools to help us as leaders turn our thoughts into actions, inspire and motivate ourselves and others, and to wake up every morning prepared to be at our best.

1. Be True to Character
   • Be strong when faced with tough decisions and be open to making corrections if you blow it. Have courage to be true to your principles and values.
2. Lead with a Vision
   • A vision is not the same as goals or objectives, which are created after a vision. The value of a vision is what it communicates to you and to others. It should set a positive and meaningful direction with a purpose and a cause.
3. Manage with a Plan
   • Use your imagination to create a vision, then develop goals as part of a long-range plan that supports the vision. Finally, of course, you have to summon the energy and determination to carry out that plan.
4. Manage your Time
   • Everyone wishes they had more hours in a day. Proactively plan for your week and make sure that you are doing what matters most and focus on high quality and high quantity (HQ/HQ) this is the high-performance zone. This requires discipline and sacrifices.
5. Live the Golden Rule in Business and in Life
   • The spirit of the Golden Rule is to treat others as you would like to be treated. Make an effort to care about everyone you interact with even if they were rude to you. Lead with compassion, empathize for others, and avoid prejudice and bias in every possible way.
6. Build and Maintain Trust
   • The first step is building a rapport based on shared experiences and mutual understanding. To build trust with someone, try these game-changing words: what is your story?
7. Be an Effective Communicator
   • Better communication begins not with speaking or expressing yourself, but with listening to others instead. How you listen to others says a great deal about your character. Master the art of receiving feedback and practice controlling your emotions.
8. Innovate through Imagination
   • The ability to tap the power of imagination to innovate and remain relevant over many years is a shared success factor of successful leaders. Here are 4 tips: 1) be curious and ask the right questions, 2) create a brainstorm of possibilities suing “group think” techniques, 3) walk away and let your subconscious work, 4) write about your ideas.
9. Be Accountable
   • When there is a misunderstanding, confusion, a missed meeting, something that is not going right, or a mistake –simply fess up – take responsibility – and move on.
10. Apply the Power of Knowledge
    • Your actions and your behavior follow your thoughts. If you thoughtfully engineer what goes into your mind and your heart, these factors of change will have an enormous impact on your ability to achieve your dreams and realize the best you can be.
11. Live in Peace and Balance
    • This is especially crucial for leaders who are striving for highest levels of success as this can be very stressful. Increase balance in your life, increase your peace through meditation, laugh often, and see yourself in a positive light through self-affirmation and positive self-talk.
12. Never Give Up!
    • According to Shallenberger’s research, high achievers typically experience at least 3-4 major failures and 7 major successes in their careers. This last principle makes all the difference between those who falter and those who finish.

Questions to Consider:

1. Which one of these principles do you struggle with the most?
2. Thinking about leaders that you look up to and greatly respect, which of these principles did they use often?
3. How can you use these principles to inspire your team or colleagues to be at their best?

*Allison Sturm, PharmDPGY1/PGY2
Health-System Pharmacy Administration Resident
Nationwide Children's Hospital
M.S. Health-System Pharmacy Administration Candidate 2016The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy

Email: Sturm.42@osu.edu