After last month’s winter meeting of the Board of Regents, I reflected on how challenging it is to serve in a leadership role during unsure times. Uncertainty has become a defining characteristic of our current environment because of shifting health care policies, evolving clinical guidelines, global crises, and other rapidly emerging challenges. Effective leadership in uncertain times requires a steadfast commitment to core values, mission-driven decision-making, and an initiative-taking approach to guiding and reassuring members.

Remaining Steadfast to Core Values

Above all, during uncertain times, organizations must remain anchored to their core values. The core values that characterize ACCP are:

• Passion for extending the frontiers of clinical pharmacy
• Dedication to excellence in patient care, research, and education
• Commitment to challenge the status quo, state our beliefs, and act on them
• Integrity, honesty, reliability, and accountability
• Commitment to embrace diversity and inclusion
• Courage to lead while remaining responsive to our members

Leaders must resist the temptation to react impulsively to external forces and must instead rely on value-based principles to inform decision-making. By trusting their core values, leaders can provide stability and continuity to ensure that members receive the support and advocacy they have come to expect from their professional organization.

Applying an Organizational Statement Development Framework

Last year, a small task force of board members and ACCP staff were charged to draft a framework for decision-making during turbulent times. This framework was approved by the Board of Regents and is used to guide a structured, objective approach to decision-making. First and foremost, this framework prioritizes ACCP’s mission. A clear mission serves as a steady force during times of uncertainty. ACCP’s mission—to improve human health by extending the frontiers of clinical pharmacy—should drive its decisions and actions. By remaining mission focused, the College can navigate uncertainty with clarity and purpose, ensuring that resources are directed toward initiatives that best serve our members and our patients. In addition to mission, the framework assesses the alignment of potential actions with ACCP policies and other considerations. By carefully assessing these factors, leaders can determine when to act or when restraint is warranted.

For example, when a health care policy change emerges, ACCP leaders employ the framework to evaluate its relevance to clinical pharmacy, its impact on members, and the potential positives or negatives of issuing a public statement. A challenge of this approach is determining whether ACCP can have a significant impact on an issue versus the potential negative impact on members, organizational reputation, financial stability, or strategic priorities by remaining silent and not releasing a statement. Having a systematic approach in place helps ensure that organizational responses are well reasoned, mission driven, and in the best interests of members.

Leading Organizations Through Uncertain Times

In a Harvard Business Review article, Timothy R. Clark outlines 4 essentials needed during uncertainty: trust, compassion, stability, and hope. As I reflect on these, I’m reassured by having observed the Board of Regents thoughtfully prioritize these elements in its approach:

Trust: Transparent and consistent communication fosters trust. Effective leaders consistently seek to ensure that members receive timely updates and honest assessments of ongoing challenges and opportunities.

Compassion: Recognizing the emotional and professional strain on members is crucial. Leaders must create a supportive environment that acknowledges concerns and offers reassurance.

Stability: Providing clear direction and reinforcing organizational priorities help create stability. The ACCP organizational statement development framework is an example of this.

Hope: Inspiring confidence in the future is essential—for example, highlighting growth opportunities that may arise from ongoing health care inefficiencies and related factors that can position clinical pharmacy for advancement.

In a recent Forbes article, Jonathan H. Westover emphasizes that successful leadership in the face of uncertainty requires agility, innovation, and emotional intelligence. I witnessed just that around the Board table last month as ACCP board members applied these principles to enhance their effectiveness. Indeed, I am learning A LOT from them!

During uncertain times, it is also natural to experience a degree of paranoia. In Great by Choice, Jim Collins and colleague Morten Hansen describe “productive paranoia,” a leadership trait that enables organizations to anticipate challenges and prepare accordingly. A certain level of caution is healthy and necessary, particularly in a field as dynamic as health care. We should continuously assess potential risks, adapt to emerging trends, and develop contingency plans to address uncertainties. This proactive mindset will ensure that ACCP remains resilient and prepared to lead through change.

In his work on positive leadership, Shawn Quinn emphasizes that leaders must cultivate optimism and resilience to drive progress in uncertain times. He notes, “It is through authentic human connection that leads to effective collaboration, learning, and communication, which gives us the confidence to find our way through uncertainty toward successful outcomes.” Fostering an environment that empowers members to innovate and excel despite challenges is key to our success during these uncertain times.

Concluding Thoughts

Leading in uncertain times requires a commitment to core values, a focus on mission-driven decision-making, and a proactive approach to guiding and reassuring members. By incorporating a mission-driven framework and prioritizing trust, compassion, stability, and hope, ACCP leaders can navigate complex issues with confidence and strategic clarity. Embracing agility, innovation, and emotional intelligence can further enhance the College’s ability to lead effectively in uncertain times. In doing so, we strive to support our members, advance clinical pharmacy, and remain a trusted voice in health care. I hope you will consider joining an upcoming Town Hall (the next one will be held before the May board meeting) or reach out to [email protected] to provide feedback and share your thoughts on these uncertain times.

References

1. American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Organizational Statement Development Framework. 2024. Approved by the Board of Regents.
2. Clark TR. What employees need from leaders in uncertain times. Harvard Business Review 2024.
3. Collins J, Hansen MT. Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All. Harper Business; 2011.
4. Kotter JP. Leading Change. Harvard Business Press; 2012.
5. Quinn S. Leading through uncertainty with positive leadership. University of Michigan Ross School of Business; 2024.
6. Westover JH. Leading organizations through uncertain times. Forbes 2023.