I always thought being in management would be a walk in the park. Especially for those of us who mistook our Social and Behavioural Pharmacy to be a free ticket to the Maldives! If only it would be as easy and as freestyle as those lectures were!
If I were given a chance to choose my boss, I’d choose my boss over again, why? Because at the end of the day, he’s moulded me into the kind of manager and leader I’d want to be.
All along my expectation was that we’d get to agree on almost everything just like Butch and Sundance, but that was never the case. He is the transactional kind, at the end of the day he wants that contract or deal. I am relational, at the end of the day, yes I’d want the deal or contract but not at the expense of the relationships I’ve nurtured. This has helped me try and be rela-ctional, knowing that having a little both of two creates a balance and gets the job done without the extremes.
I’d like to think of my boss as a NO person as this is the first thing he says when you approach him with an idea. He’s probably said No to me more times that even my parents ever have. But that’s why he’s my boss! Haha! Too strict or such a snob, you think so? Allow me introduce you to perspective two as you can always view things more than one perspective.
With every time he’s said NO, I’ve had more time to think of the idea better and enrich it, incubate it and pitch it in a different way, with some valor. This has also improved my negotiation and pitching skills as a pharmacist. Excellence is indeed in the details and not just the whim of a great idea or project that you’ve just thought of.
I have grown as I look back at the few months of experience and I sure have learnt a lot. As a pharmacist, we have it in us to be great managers but having a boss who actually takes his time to mentor you is another level of commitment.
So here’s to all those bosses out there who deem it necessary to equip us, challenge us and push us beyond our limits, not to break us but to see us bring forth the best version of ourselves. God bless you all!
Signed,
Dr. Rivaroxaban