Module 4

[Audio] Welcome to the Career Readiness & Externships: Soft Skills for Pharmacy Technician's Professional Behavior presentation. In this module, you will review the importance of maintaining a professional image, applying common professional behaviors and etiquette rules, fostering good interpersonal professional behaviors, and following company standards regarding professional behavior..

[Audio] In this module, you will: Develop a personal professional image. Understand professional behaviors that lead to success. Demonstrate professional behaviors. Understand professional courtesies. Learn how to manage interpersonal interactions professionally. Understand codes of conduct and company culture..

[Audio] The Module 4 Section 4.1: Professional Image and Behavior presentation for the Career Readiness & Externships: Soft Skills for Pharmacy Technicians program covers the basic concepts of professional image, behavior, and reputation as well as the transition from student to pharmacy professional..

[Audio] Recall that professional image describes the way an individual presents themselves in relation to their profession. Professional image is the combination of traits, such as professional actions, competence, poise, attire, and credibility. These traits together illustrate your professionalism. Professional behaviors are the actions you take in the workplace that demonstrate your ability to solve problems; act ethically; remain calm under pressure; and treat colleagues, supervisors, and customers politely and with respect. Your actions can affect your professional image. If you are not efficient with your time in the pharmacy, colleagues have to compensate, causing them to think poorly of you as a professional. Professional image directly affects your professional reputation, the beliefs or opinions that others have about your performance in the workplace. If people believe you are trustworthy and reliable, they are more likely to give you important tasks and responsibilities. Supervisors will know your reputation as someone who can be relied upon, which can lead to promotions over time..

[Audio] A student's behavior includes actions, such as going to class on time, studying for tests, and working well with other students on group projects. Most of these actions are good training for the workplace. However, the stakes are higher as you transition from a student to a pharmacy professional. Making a mistake in a lab course won't have the potentially life-threatening results that making a mistake in a compounding facility will. Being a student is the best time to cultivate professional behavior while you are still learning and can afford to make mistakes. The same behaviors that make you successful in the academic environment translate to the workplace. For example, if you successfully fulfill your part of a team presentation, you are likely to get a higher grade as well as gain the trust and respect of your classmates; completing your assigned duties in the pharmacy can positively affect your performance review, promote company goals, and improve relationships with your colleagues. Employers are looking for certain traits in their new hires that go beyond academic competencies and specialized skills. In his 2012 report Planning Your School-to-Career Transition, John J. Liptak, EdD, said that many employers complain that while new employees brought many technical skills to the workplace, they often lacked the skills to manage their careers and be effective employees. The skills new employees lacked included successfully adapting to the workplace, managing stress, and navigating workplace relationships. A classroom and lab setting can be very controlled and structured. These environments teach the technical skills needed to be a competent technician. However, be ready to operate in a potentially chaotic and less-controlled setting in the workplace.

[Audio] Expand Your Knowledge: Views of Professionalism. In 2013, York College of Pennsylvania's Center for Professional Excellence asked 400 employers to complete its National Professionalism Survey. Nearly half of the respondents stated that less than 50% of college graduates displayed professionalism in their first year. In 2015, the center conducted a similar professionalism study among 519 recent college graduates. In that survey, 62.2% of respondents stated that they possessed the professionalism skills needed to succeed in a workplace. This discrepancy suggests that students feel as if they are well equipped with professional skills for the workplace, but employers see otherwise..

[Audio] Learn from Experience. The transition from student to pharmacy professional begins with your externship experience, continues through your job search and interviews, and must be sustained throughout your employment. Any jobs you have held, even ones that do not directly relate to your career as a pharmacy technician, provided you with experiences in professional behavior. You have learned from your own interactions by observing others who demonstrate professional behavior and by making your own mistakes. Learning from experience is often referred to as learned behavior. Shadowing other technicians during an externship and learning how they communicate with customers will give you experiences to draw from when you are in the workplace. In addition to learning from experience, you may want to seek guidance on workplace behavior from professional workshops and seminars, your hiring facility's handbook, and your own research. Cultivate Professional Behaviors. The professional behaviors to cultivate as you make the transition from student to professional are being adaptable, managing stress, and navigating relationships. For example, when you are a student, you must adapt to your instructors' many different personality types. Some may be more personable, while others are strictly business with interactions. These experiences can apply to your first pharmacy position or externship. You will learn to identify and adapt to the personalities and work styles of your supervisors and switch your style to match. Another important behavior you will learn as a student and translate to the workplace is successfully managing stress. When you are a student, you encounter many stressors, such as managing competing deadlines, difficult assignments, difficult classmates, and your personal life and coursework. As a professional, you have to manage multiple prescriptions that all need to be filled, deal with difficult patients or coworkers, and manage work-life balance. Adapt the lessons you have learned as a student, and you will be more successful in the workplace. These behaviors and other professional behaviors will be covered in more detail throughout this module..

[Audio] Once you have gained a position or been placed in an externship, you will begin to cultivate a professional image. You will use the experiences you have gained as a student and in your externship to guide how to behave in the field. These behaviors have a direct effect on how your colleagues view you and consequently on your overall success in your new career. To create a professional image, consider how you currently view yourself. Recognize the Effect of Self-Perception. One of the most important factors of behavior is how you perceive yourself, known as self-perception. Your behavior reveals your temperament, self-confidence, and self-esteem. Your temperament, mood, and emotions play a large part in your behavior. Temperament is defined as the combination of a person's mental, physical, and emotional traits and natural disposition. It is considered innate and cannot be changed. There are many different temperaments—some people may be naturally outgoing and active, while others are quieter and more cautious. Knowing your temperament can help you learn how to develop effective professional behaviors that align with it. For example, if you are a shy person, you may need extra practice to work up the courage to serve customers at a pharmacy, or you might choose a role that does not require such interactions. Personality is another important aspect to behavior. Personality is defined as the collection of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that are associated with a person. Personality is different from temperament, because it is considered more malleable and is acquired on top of temperament. Personality is affected by factors such as education, culture, and experiences. Your personality and temperament have an effect on how you behave, both in and out of the workplace. Understanding your natural and learned behaviors will help you determine what areas you might need to focus on while developing a professional image..

[Audio] Other important factors in your self-perception are self-confidence and self-esteem. People who are self-confident trust their abilities, qualities, and judgments. Someone who is self-confident is able to recognize when a prescription has a potential error and feels confident in bringing it to the pharmacist's attention. People who are self-confident often have high self-esteem. Self-esteem is having intrinsic belief in one's own worth as a person. To measure your own self-confidence and self-esteem, complete the Self-Reflection in the next slide. Once you have determined your level of self-confidence and self-esteem, you will see how they relate to your behaviors in the workplace. An honest evaluation of your self-esteem allows you to identify areas of strength and of weakness. By building on your strengths and being aware of weaknesses, you will greatly increase your confidence and self-worth, making you a much more effective technician..

[Audio] For each of the statements, answer "always," "sometimes," or "rarely/never." Respond to statements as honestly as possible..

[Audio] Create a Positive Social Perception. Your professional image is shaped not only by how you think of yourself but also by others' perceptions of you. Your behavior determines if your supervisors, colleagues, and customers view you as trustworthy, motivated, flexible, and hard-working. If you create a positive social perception, others will want to work with you, and supervisors will want to hire you. Sometimes, there can be a discrepancy between how you see yourself and how others view you. For example, you may see yourself as confident and outgoing, but your colleagues may view the same behavior as cocky and obnoxious. To create a positive social perception and eliminate any discrepancies, observe others' reactions, ask for feedback, and make improvements. Observation. During workplace interactions, observe how your colleagues react to you. If you bring up an error, are they defensive? Do they avoid having friendly, personal conversations with you? You may be inadvertently making people uncomfortable by being too abrasive or talkative. Feedback. Ask your supervisor for feedback to determine your social perception in the workplace. When you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can begin to improve your behavior. Improvements. After you have determined how others view you, make improvements to your behavior to ensure that you have a positive social perception. Understand the Effect of Professional Behavior on Career Success. Professional behavior affects your career trajectory. If you exhibit poor professional behavior on a regular basis, you will have a harder time getting promoted or being considered for other opportunities. Tardiness or rudeness to customers will lead to disciplinary action. Maintaining professional relationships is also extremely important when looking for other career opportunities. If your colleagues think highly of you, they are more likely to recommend you as a candidate when you are searching for a new position..

[Audio] While it is easy to see that your behavior has a major effect on the trajectory of your career, you might not realize that it also influences many areas in the workplace. For example, your behavior directly affects workflow. In a retail pharmacy, if you are late or procrastinating, having personal conversations, or wasting time, prescriptions are not getting filled. This backup results in angry customers and can also disrupt other tasks that need to be completed. Your behavior also affects workplace culture. Workplace culture includes employee morale, job satisfaction, and camaraderie. If you have a negative attitude at work or complain about other employees, supervisors, or the company at large, you are bringing down the morale of your colleagues. If you are always gossiping with colleagues, for example, you will not be seen as trustworthy, and your coworkers may avoid talking to and confiding in you. Your workplace has a public image as well, and its employees are a direct reflection of the company. You have to behave professionally not only at work but also outside of work to help the company maintain a professional image..

[Audio] Think It Through: Social Media and Professionalism. How does your social media profile reflect on you professionally? Would you want a supervisor or person in your workplace to see your posts or photos? How could you cultivate a more professional online image?.

[Audio] The Module 4 Section 4.2: Professional Workplace Behaviors presentation for the Career Readiness & Externships: Soft Skills for Pharmacy Technicians program covers the basic concepts of professional workplace behaviors, including work ethic, attitude, integrity, and flexibility..

[Audio] One of the most valued professional behaviors is having a good work ethic. Work ethic is the principle that hard work is virtuous and worthy of reward. In a recent study on career readiness conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, those who hire college graduates were asked which professional competencies were essential to workplace success. Professionalism/work ethic topped the list with 97.5% of respondents identifying it as either "absolutely essential" or "essential" for a new college hire's success. Work ethic is driven by both intrinsic values (such as the satisfaction that comes from doing good work and helping others) and extrinsic values (such as job recognition and job security). Work ethic is also shaped by many factors, including positive attitude, initiative/motivation, and dependability. Additionally, good etiquette and professional courtesies are important elements of professional workplace behavior..

[Audio] In 2014, CareerBuilder conducted a national online survey of 2,138 hiring managers and human resource professionals to gauge the importance of soft skills in the workplace. The majority (77%) reported that soft skills are as important as hard skills ( job-specific skills or competencies) when reviewing a potential job candidate. In fact, 16% of respondents said that soft skills are more important than hard skills. Some of the desired personal behaviors and traits to cultivate as a pharmacy technician are a positive attitude, initiative, self-direction, competency in pharmacy skills, focus, honesty, integrity, flexibility, dependability, accountability, leadership, emotional intelligence, and critical-thinking skills..

[Audio] Adopt a Positive Attitude. Attitude is a way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, and it affects an individual's actions or behaviors. Attitude also dictates how a person responds to stressful situations. Leaders in many industries, including pharmacy, recognize the effects on the advancement of their careers when they display a positive attitude. For example, having a positive attitude might help impress your externship site mentors enough to stay in touch with you—and keep you in mind when a position becomes available. Positive thinking can be automatic. However, some people have a predisposition toward negativity..

[Audio] In the workplace, the effects of negative and positive thinking affect your colleagues, your job performance, and your career success, as shown in Figure 4.2..

[Audio] To assess your positivity or negativity in the workplace, complete this Self-Reflection. For each of the statements, answer "always," "sometimes," or "rarely/never." Respond to statements as honestly as possible. When I am at work, I… speak in a friendly tone of voice. smile and use people's names while speaking with them. show a genuine interest in others. strive to do the best work possible. treat others with patience and tolerance. praise others generously. ask questions and listen openly to their responses. consider others' feelings and points of view. communicate openly and honestly. solve problems instead of complaining. support others in decision-making processes. take a win-win approach to resolving conflict. work well as part of a team. have a good sense of humor. stay committed to reaching organizational goals. focus on the process as well as the results. take responsibility for the quality of my work. demonstrate personal motivation. maintain a proactive attitude..

[Audio] Show Initiative and Self-Direction. Taking initiative is important in the workplace. That initiative might include volunteering to fill in for a colleague, thinking of new ways to accomplish tasks, doing tasks that nobody else wants to or has time for, or staying late to complete a project. For example, if you have an idea of a better way to complete a cart-fill order, you may draft a proposal and create a document that shows how technicians will use your new system. This shows initiative and creativity and can help you get noticed in the workplace. Self-direction is also a quality that employers want in their employees. You need to be able to work on an assigned task with minimal oversight, set deadlines for yourself, and solve problems on your own. If you are having a conflict with another technician, it is important to attempt to solve the problem on your own before going to the pharmacist. Being proactive about problems will help you maintain a professional image and allow the pharmacist to focus on more important tasks. Demonstrate Competencies. Throughout your academic career as a pharmacy technician student, you have acquired important knowledge and skills. You will demonstrate this knowledge not only on a résumé and during your job search but also within your career once you are in the field. Employers look to build teams that draw from a variety of skill sets and work well together. If you excel at extemporaneous compounding and math, demonstrate it to your employer to make it clear you can be relied upon for these activities. Being the go-to person for a particular task is invaluable to a pharmacy..

[Audio] Maintain a Work Focus. An important aspect of being successful in your career is managing time well. Working hard to complete your daily, weekly, and monthly goals demonstrates that you take your career seriously. It is hard to achieve your professional goals and maintain a professional image if you are constantly distracted. Avoid unprofessional behaviors, such as making personal phone calls, sending text messages, surfing the internet, and spreading gossip, all of which can serve as major distractions to getting your tasks done during the workday. Act with Honesty and Integrity. Honesty is the fairness and straightforwardness of your conduct as well as the adherence to facts. Integrity refers to one's adherence to a code of moral values. These two qualities are linked together—acting with honesty means being truthful and straightforward, while acting with integrity means adhering to moral principles. One can be honest while not having integrity, but one cannot have integrity without being honest. These traits are both important behaviors to consistently exhibit in the workplace. Some examples of how you can demonstrate integrity in your career include: • Presenting yourself honestly in your résumé, cover letter, and letters of reference. • Adhering to your facility's policies and procedures. • Not using equipment, such as computers and phones, for personal use. • Never stealing supplies (or medications) from the workplace. • Never accepting praise for someone else's work. Show Flexibility. Pharmacy practice is always changing. New technologies mean that workflow and responsibilities will shift, such as when pharmacies began to accept e-scripts in addition to paper prescriptions. The roles of a pharmacy technician are shifting as well. As more pharmacists take on patient counseling and care, pharmacy technicians take on greater responsibilities, such as tech-check-tech, medication reconciliation, and medication therapy management. These changes are not consistent across all states, but employers are still seeking technicians that can adapt to the changing field. Flexibility is defined as the willingness to change or compromise. Being willing to change work responsibilities, priorities, expectations, and environments shows that you are flexible. Flexibility may also mean going outside your job description or regular work hours to accomplish tasks..

[Audio] Think It Through: Learning New Skills. Many healthcare employees are resistant to change. Have you ever had to learn a new skill set or be trained on new technology in the workplace? How did you respond?.

[Audio] Demonstrate Dependability and Accountability. Dependability is the quality of being able to be relied upon. If your supervisors see you as someone who they can count on, you are more likely to get positive performance reviews, challenging projects, and promotions. Consider an employee who always meets deadlines, double-checks work, and rarely makes mistakes. Now consider someone who often misses deadlines and does sloppy work. Who is more likely to be a lead technician or supervisor? Even the most careful and diligent employees make mistakes, however. Accountability is taking responsibility for one's actions. If you make a mistake, it is important to admit where you went wrong, identify an acceptable solution, and learn from the mistake. For example, if you mixed up two soundalike drugs on the shelves, it is important to quickly rectify the situation and place the items in their proper places. Instead of blaming an external factor—"I was distracted by all the customers waiting in line"—it is important to be accountable and say, "I made a mistake. I was placing items on the shelves while trying to serve customers and got distracted.".

[Audio] Display Leadership. Because you will be starting out in an entry-level position, you may not consider the importance of leadership early in your career. However, you do not need to be in a leadership position to act like a leader. The following are common qualities of a leader: • organized • confident • fair • respectful • influential To show you are leadership minded, do not be afraid to go above and beyond your assigned responsibilities. Volunteering to take on extra work shows that you are interested in advancing in your career and willing to do what it takes to achieve your goals. If there are opportunities to work in teams, you can assume a leadership role and demonstrate how you are organized, confident, and fair with your team. Once you have some experience in your job, offer to help newer employees learn their roles and responsibilities. This training offers you the opportunity to display leadership to your supervisors, can help strengthen your own skills, and help build camaraderie with teammates..

[Audio] Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to control your emotions and identify the emotions of others around you. When we think of intelligence, we often think of it in the classical sense: people who are intelligent are "book smart" and have a depth of knowledge on specific subjects. However, employers say that they are looking for employees with high levels of emotional intelligence, not necessarily employees who are classically intelligent. According to Daniel Goleman, psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence, 67% of all abilities associated with a strong job performance are related to emotional intelligence. Goleman, the first to apply the concept of emotional intelligence to business, listed five elements of emotional intelligence. 1. Self-Awareness. Emotionally intelligent employees know their strengths and weaknesses. If you struggle with a particular type of calculation, you should not pretend to know how to do it and risk making a dangerous mistake. Instead, you should admit to your colleagues that you struggle with certain calculations and ask them for help. Emotionally intelligent employees are also open to learning how to improve their weaknesses. 2. Self-Regulation. Self-regulation is being able to control one's emotions. When dealing with difficult customers, emotionally intelligent people have developed ways of coping. For example, they might know that they need to take five deep breaths before responding to a demanding customer. 3. Motivation. Emotionally intelligent workers are also motivated. They consistently work toward their goals and maintain a high work ethic. They take pride in the work they produce. 4. Empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Empathy is an extremely important quality to have as a pharmacy technician. There will be many times in your career when you encounter patients dealing with major life struggles—such as a parent whose child is going through cancer treatments or customers who just lost their jobs and are struggling to pay for medications. If you can put yourself in those patients' shoes, you will be able to provide them with respectful, courteous, and empathetic care. 5. Social Skills. People with good social skills act as team players, helping to strengthen the entire department. There are often many different personalities among pharmacists and technicians working together. Social skills can help resolve difficult interpersonal problems..

[Audio] Engage in Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue to form a judgment. In the workplace, you may rely upon the objective information you learned in school (in other words, knowing which drugs have which side effects, how to dose medications, etc.), but more often, you will be challenged with critical-thinking problems to solve. For example, what do you do when you are filling an order for 10 pills and have exactly 10 in stock, and then you drop one on the floor? Or how would you handle a situation in which you have three patients waiting for the same inhaler drug but only two inhaler drugs are on the shelf? How would you choose which patients to serve and which to keep waiting? Learning how to develop critical-thinking skills is an important part of developing a professional image..

[Audio] Expand Your Knowledge: Importance of Critical Thinking. In 2012, the Chronicle of Higher Education and American Public Media's Marketplace conducted a survey among employers to understand their perceptions of the role of colleges in career preparation. This survey, titled The Role of Higher Education in Career Development: Employer Perceptions, focused on the discrepancies between the soft skills new hires possessed and the soft skills needed by employers in different industries. In the healthcare field, the largest discrepancy occurred in the survey area of making decisions and problem solving..

[Audio] The Module 4 Section 4.3: Professional Courtesies presentation for the Career Readiness & Externships: Soft Skills for Pharmacy Technicians program covers the basic concepts of greeting people appropriately and being courteous to customers and coworkers..

[Audio] Courtesy is defined as behaviors that display manners and respect for others. Showing courtesy in a pharmacy leads to satisfied patients and potentially advances your career as a technician. These courtesies apply both to customers and coworkers..

[Audio] For each of the statements, answer "always," "sometimes," or "rarely/never." Respond to statements as honestly as possible..

[Audio] Your first chance to display your professional presence occurs when you meet your potential preceptor or employer. Good eye contact, a firm handshake, and professional introduction convey confidence and competence. Make a habit of initiating a professional greeting when you meet someone in both personal and professional situations. This will help you gain confidence for times when the greeting truly matters, such as a job interview. Here are some principles to apply when greeting someone appropriately for the first time: • Stand when you are introduced to someone. • Give your full name and say it clearly and not too fast. • Listen carefully to the person's name and use it in the initial conversation to remember it. Use a person's formal title when addressing them until told differently. There are three types of formal introductions for which you should prepare: meeting someone you don't know (in which you initiate the introduction), meeting someone who has been introduced to you, and meeting a person of influence (such as a potential employer, supervisor, business owner, etc.)..

[Audio] Introduce Yourself. When meeting people for the first time, always state your name and use an appropriate greeting. Wait for others to give their name, or if necessary, politely ask for their name so that you can engage in a discussion. For example, you might say, "Hello, I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Sarah Martinez; it's very nice to meet you." If they forget to state their name, you can follow with, "I'm sorry, I did not catch your name." The key is to then swiftly switch your brain over to "listening mode" so that you can pay attention to the other person's name. Many people don't remember it even after hearing it because of the stress of meeting someone new. Reply right away, using the person's name. Saying the name aloud will help you remember it. Introduce Yourself to Leaders. When you are meeting a leader (e.g., pharmacist, manager, company owner, CEO, or direct supervisor) for the first time in person, you might say, "Hello, Mr. Jackson. My name is Sarah. We spoke on the phone last week to set up the interview. It's nice to meet you in person." Lastly, if meeting your supervising pharmacist for the first time, you might say, "Hello, Ms. Andrews. I'm Sarah. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am really looking forward to working for you.".

[Audio] In most introductions, it is appropriate and important to shake the hand of the person you are meeting. A weak handshake gives a poor impression; one that is too strong projects domination or a challenge—a clear lack of understanding of basic etiquette. As you extend your hand, follow these important principles: • Smile and make eye contact. • Always shake hands using your right hand. (If you are holding something with your right hand, set the item down.) • Make sure your handshake is firm but not crushing. • Shake hands using an up-and-down motion. • Be aware that a handshake should be between three and five seconds in duration. • Shake the entire hand and not just the other person's fingers. • Do not pat or place your left hand on top of the other person's hand unless it is a particularly friendly and personal situation. • If your palms are sweaty, subtly wipe your palm on the side of your hip before shaking hands..

[Audio] Workplace Wisdom: Don't Be Patient Zero. If you are feeling as though you might be coming down with a cold or the flu, wash your hands thoroughly before being introduced to others, and do not touch your face. You don't want to be patient zero and cause an outbreak. If you are obviously sick, politely decline the person's handshake and say, "I'm sorry. I'd rather not shake your hand; I've been under the weather and don't want to risk making you sick." Then express what a pleasure it is to meet the person..

[Audio] The first and foremost key to professional courtesy is to always say "please" and "thank you." Other common courtesies to use in your professional life include turning off your phone at work; listening carefully to others; paying for your portion for any shared expenses, such as group lunches; and respecting people's time off by not contacting them about work issues after work hours (unless it is an emergency). Other important ways to display good manners include the following: • Do not use profanity. • Do not discuss personal issues at work, especially in front of patients. • Ask about how others are doing, but do not brag or talk only about yourself. • Avoid talking loudly on your cell phone or using the speakerphone function. • Do not check your phone or text while talking to someone..

[Audio] Workplace Wisdom: Remember Breakroom Etiquette. You must continue to act professionally even while on a break. Observe these basic manners and courtesies regarding the lunch/break room and while dining with others: • Eat only food that you have brought. • Do not use too much space in the refrigerator or leave food in there for multiple days. • If you take the last of the coffee, start a new pot. • Do not cook food with strong odors. • If there are shared foods or treats, take only one. • Clean up after yourself by wiping off counters and throwing away your garbage. • Do not leave dishes in the sink or food in the drain..

[Audio] The Module 4 Section 4.4: Interpersonal Workplace Behaviors presentation for the Career Readiness & Externships: Soft Skills for Pharmacy Technicians program covers the basic concepts of interpersonal workplace behaviors and managing conflict..

[Audio] Employers desire certain interpersonal behaviors in their employees. Interpersonal relates to relationships and communication between people. Having relationships that function well in a workplace helps productivity, job satisfaction, and overall goals. Any time there are many people of different backgrounds and different personalities all working together on a team, there are likely to be some conflicts. However, cultivating certain desired interpersonal behaviors among all teammates will allow for good working relationships and teamwork. By knowing that Miguel is not agreeable until he has his morning coffee or that Susan loves talking about her rescue animals volunteer work, you are able to socially interact with them to allow for a smoother workday. This ties to emotional intelligence discussed earlier and a general awareness of the dynamics between different personalities..

[Audio] Some of the interpersonal behaviors that employers hope their employees exhibit are respect, kindness, and trust. To lead a successful team, they also hope that their employees work together effectively on a team as well as manage conflict. Show Respect and Kindness. There are many common courtesies that help build strong teams and pleasant interpersonal relationships. Many of these courtesies do not directly relate to the work being done in the pharmacy but still help to build a strong workplace. Some ways to show respect and kindness include: • using appropriate greetings • showing interest in others' lives • expressing empathy Greeting colleagues appropriately when you come into work in the morning, for example, shows a level of kindness and respect. Another way to build strong relationships is to show interest in your colleague's lives. If you frequently forget their children's names or don't take an interest when they talk about their hobbies, you are demonstrating that you do not really care about your colleagues as people. But if you remember details and get to know people's interests outside of work, you are more likely to build and sustain a warm and respectful relationship. Another way to show respect and kindness is to understand when others need a helping hand. Even if you are busy, if you offer to help coworkers put up inventory, they will consider you to be a team player. When a coworker is dealing with a frustrating customer, you can express empathy and offer solutions based on your own similar experiences..

[Audio] Workplace Wisdom: Following the Chain of Command. It is important to understand and respect the concept of chain of command in the pharmacy environment. It affects interpersonal dynamics adversely if not followed. For example, a tech at an externship would not go to a district manager to complain about the training schedule. The response will invariably be, "Did you talk to your managing pharmacist?" Always follow the chain of command when making requests or grievances. Typically, in a retail setting, the chain of command would be senior or lead tech, staff pharmacist, managing pharmacist, store manager, and district manager. In a hospital setting, it would be a more senior tech or tech supervisor, staff pharmacist, assistant director of pharmacy, and director of pharmacy..

[Audio] Develop Trusting Relationships. Trust is something that is built on consistent dependability. To develop a trusting relationship with your colleagues, you must follow through on your actions again and again. This consistency will help them see that you are someone of your word who will follow through with objectives. Having a strong commitment to the team is also important. If you are unwilling to go above and beyond, your relationships with your coworkers can suffer. For example, if your supervisor asks you to work extra shifts due to a staffing shortage, you are well within your rights to decline. But if you refuse, you will be letting down the rest of the team and causing others to have to take on more work. Be an Effective Team Member. As a student, you can probably point to some of the qualities you would like in a team member on a group project. You would want to work with someone who completes assigned tasks and is committed to getting the project done. The same can be said for a someone in the workplace. To be an effective team member, everyone needs to agree upon the roles and then carry out the tasks assigned to those roles. The team should aim for effective communication. Any conflicts should be addressed promptly, and everyone on the team should be accountable. In a pharmacy that has delivery services, the entire team relies on each other to get the daily order out. The entry technician must generate the labels for delivery, and the filling tech needs to prepare the prescriptions in time for the delivery drivers to start their runs. The pharmacist must verify and make any counseling calls. If the team starts work at 6:00 a.m., and the pharmacy opens at 9:00 a.m., that's three hours to potentially prepare more than 100 orders for delivery. If one person on the team isn't contributing, everyone suffers..

[Audio] How you manage conflict is a direct reflection of your professionalism. Employers want technicians who do their best to avoid conflict with others and who take proactive approaches to solving conflicts if they arise. Some basic strategies include the following: • Communicate with the other person directly. • Focus on behaviors, not personalities. • Practice active listening skills (active listening is the act of fully listening to, concentrating on, and understanding what others say). • Develop a plan to resolve the conflict with compromise. For example, if another technician consistently does not mark opened stock bottles to indicate they are in use and have less than the full amount in them, it can cause problems with ordering. Instead of complaining about the technician to other coworkers (which is common), the strategies above can be used to manage the situation. Directly communicate with the technician, and ask about the unmarked bottles. Focus on the reason it is important instead of suggesting that the tech is lazy or forgetful. Listen to the reason for not completing the task. Ask if there is a way you can help resolve the situation. These strategies will allow for the problem to be addressed in a professional manner with less conflict than a passive-aggressive or other type of approach..

[Audio] The Module 4 Section 4.5: Company Standards of Behavior presentation for the Career Readiness & Externships: Soft Skills for Pharmacy Technicians program covers the basic concepts of adhering to a company's code of conduct and identifying a company's culture. Behavior is important to the success of your own career and also the company's. The way you and your coworkers behave on the job can affect the company's health. Unprofessional behavior can cost the company money—if you work slowly and procrastinate, certain goals will not be met. If you are terminated, the company must spend money on recruitment of and training for a replacement. To protect their businesses, most companies provide an employee handbook that helps identify appropriate behaviors, also known as a code of conduct. Companies also tend to have a more informal company culture, which helps guide appropriate staff behavior..

[Audio] A well-written code of conduct should leave no questions about how to operate in your place of business. An example would be CVS Pharmacy's code of conduct. It has guidelines on almost every potential interaction and behavior that you would encounter while working at the company. Items include accountability, how to talk to reporters or public officials, interpersonal relationships, leadership responsibilities, and more. These guidelines are effective in any retail setting and can give insight into what to expect for new technicians. The link to CVS's code of conduct can be found at https://SSPharm.ParadigmEducation.com/CVSCode..

[Audio] Every facility has a code of conduct that outlines the professional standards of behavior expected of its employees. If your behavior does not align with these standards, you risk losing your position at the company. While every company is different, typical codes of conduct offer guidelines with regard to personal boundaries, romantic relationships, harassment, privacy, and safety (such as impairment and violence in the workplace). Respect Personal and Professional Workplace Boundaries. Having workplace boundaries is often expected in a company's code of conduct. While it is fine to be friendly with colleagues and to discuss your lives outside of the workplace, it can also be unprofessional if you do not know where the professional line is. For example, talking about how you tried a new restaurant over the weekend would be a good way to bond with coworkers, but talking about a night out drinking with friends would be unprofessional. Spending time together outside of the workplace can be a difficult situation to navigate as well. Many coworkers like to spend time together, going to lunch or organizing a happy hour. Sometimes coworkers become good friends or even develop romantic interests. However, many companies have guidelines regarding romantic relationships..

[Audio] Romantic Relationships. It is not uncommon for coworkers to develop romantic feelings for one another. The key to professionally managing a romantic relationship in the workplace is to be very transparent. It might be tempting to keep it a secret, and it is good to practice discretion, but the best thing to do is to consult your company's code of conduct to see what the policies are for romantic relationships. Sometimes the rules indicate that relationships are acceptable, if they are disclosed and not between people of different power differentials (for example, a relationship between a supervisor and direct report). Your company's human resources department can provide more information on how a romantic relationship is to be handled in your workplace..

[Audio] Discrimination is when an employer is providing preferential treatment or mistreatment for reasons of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or other factors. Discrimination is illegal. Harassment is aggressive mistreatment, pressure, or intimidation that can be sexual or otherwise. These activities, particularly if they are of an ongoing or persistent nature, are not only unethical but also illegal. If you find yourself the object of discrimination or harassment, first try to resolve the issue with the person or persons involved. Do your best to maintain your composure and to express your discomfort calmly and rationally. If possible, have a witness present to verify your communication. If discrimination or harassment persists, discuss the matter with a supervisor. The law requires all businesses, pharmacies included, to post information related to workplace discrimination and harassment..

[Audio] Think It Through: The Climate of Harassment. With the rise of the #MeToo movement, there has been an increased spotlight on harassment and its effects in the workplace in many industries. Has there ever been a situation in which you or someone you knew experienced what would be considered harassment or discrimination? How did you or they handle it? If you haven't, how would you handle something like that if it occurred?.

[Audio] The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines sexual harassment as "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature [that] constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.".

[Audio] No one is allowed to create an unpleasant or uncomfortable work environment through sexual action, innuendo, or related means. Thus, you do not have to tolerate off-color or crude jokes if you do not wish to hear them. Nor can you contribute to creating an environment that is uncomfortable for your coworkers. One person's remark made in the spirit of fun can be the basis for another person's legal action. If someone is offended by something you say or do, don't repeat the offense. If someone is doing something that bothers you, firmly say "stop." If the problem is not resolved by making yourself clear, follow up first with pharmacy management or the human resources department and then, if necessary, with upper-level management. If you are unsuccessful, as a last resort, make inquiries regarding the discrimination and harassment laws and procedures in your state. Most community and hospital pharmacies have written policies and procedures to address such matters; follow the established protocol. If a facility's hiring or promotion practices fail to follow proper written procedures and guidelines, then the facility may be subject to a lawsuit..

[Audio] Examples of harassment include the following: • inappropriate physical contact • unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, suggestive comments, inappropriate physical contact, and any other unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature • displaying derogatory, vulgar, suggestive, or obscene pictures, cartoons, calendars, posters, or drawings • threats or acts of violence and intimidation • retaliation for reporting or threatening to report acts of misconduct or for reporting work-related injuries or illnesses • comments, jokes, insults, slurs, offensive language, and other unwelcome actions that are offensive or stereotypical based upon age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national origin, disability, military or veteran status, and any other protected category or personal characteristic.

[Audio] Recognize Workplace Safety Violations. Workplace safety is of utmost importance when working in a pharmacy. Follow the safety guidelines outlined in your company's code of conduct. These rules and regulations will contribute to patient safety as well as employee and employer safety. Some common violations that are addressed in a code of conduct are guidelines relating to impairment and reckless or violent conduct. Impairment. Coming to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs can jeopardize the safety of patients, colleagues, and yourself. It can also lead to disciplinary action and, ultimately, termination. While there are much greater restrictions and attention paid to narcotics in the pharmacy setting, the proximity to such potent chemicals is always a temptation to some. There are examples of technicians, pharmacists, nurses, and others who have become addicted to controlled substances or alcohol, which impaired their performance. In some cases, it has led to harm for a patient. All state boards of pharmacy keep minutes of their meetings that are public record. Many contain specific examples of substance abuse and its effects on pharmacy operations. If you have cause to suspect that a coworker is impaired, it is your ethical responsibility to report it for the safety of everyone in the department. Reckless or Violent Conduct. All company codes of conduct provide guidance regarding violent and reckless conduct in the workplace. Responding to a tense situation with violence shows a disregard for safety as well as demonstrates an inability to manage stress in the workplace. Reckless and violent conduct often leads to disciplinary action and/or termination..

[Audio] Every company has its own unique company culture which is made up of values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviors. These values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are generally unspoken and unwritten, but they help guide how the employees work together. A company culture is shaped by its core values, or a set of guidelines on behaviors that are needed to achieve the vision or purpose of a company. These guidelines are often written in a company's code of conduct as well as provided as the mission statement, which may be posted on the company's public website. A mission statement is a formal summary of the aims and values of a company or organization. There are many informal ways that company culture is expressed. If a company values the environment, for example, then it might stock the employee breakroom with reusable silverware and mugs and provide recycling bins. If a company values collaboration, it may wish to set up open work spaces so that employees can interact more frequently with one another. During your job search, it is important to find a workplace that aligns well with your own core values and whose company culture you think will be a good fit..

[Audio] The Module 4, Section 4.6: Module Summary presentation of the Career Readiness & Externships: Soft Skills for Pharmacy Technicians program provides a brief summary of this module..

[Audio] Your knowledge of pharmacy practice is only part of what it takes to have a successful career as a technician. Your behavior in the field is an integral component and consists of many factors. By learning from your experiences as a student and in an externship, developing healthy self-esteem, and being aware of how others view your professional reputation, your professional image will excel. Displaying leadership qualities, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and accountability will contribute to your advancement to greater positions of responsibility and higher compensation. Practice continual awareness and improvement of these traits, and your chances of success will increase..