Dispensing Leadership: Adding Value Through Meaningful Connections

In Dispensing Leadership, a podcast offering from Drug Topics and RPhAlly, Shawn Bjorndal, PharmD, RPh, a visionary health care executive with over 16 years of experience and founder of PGxAlly, and Jesse McCullough, PharmD, a pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur with a passion for leadership development, discuss essential leadership skills for pharmacists, how to develop them, and, ultimately, how to advance the pharmacy profession.

In this episode, Shawn and Jesse explore what it really means to add value to others and how it can make a lasting difference in both personal and professional relationships. They reflect on everyday situations such as networking events and social media interactions, where people often make connections without offering anything meaningful or memorable. Jesse shares a personal story from a conference where someone challenged the idea of handing out business cards without creating a real connection, which led him to reconsider how value is shared and remembered.

The conversation centers on the idea that adding value is a conscious choice. Whether through asking thoughtful questions, offering genuine help, or simply showing appreciation, small actions can make others feel seen and supported. This is especially important in environments where people are often overwhelmed or under stress. Shawn and Jesse point out that leadership is not about having a title but about helping others move forward. True leadership happens when we make others feel better or more confident after interacting with us. Adding value does not require big gestures, just simple and intentional efforts that help build trust, connection, and impact over time.

Be sure to tune in every month on Drug Topics for important conversations that will help you develop your skills to become an effective pharmacy leader. All episodes of Dispensing Leadership will be available in a video format via DrugTopics.com, with an audio version available through Spotify.

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