Applying leadership qualities of great people to your department: sir winston churchill.

As pharmacy leaders develop health-system pharmacy services, it is important for them to understand successful leadership behaviors and apply them effectively to be successful in managing the challenges of health care. Directors can learn various skills from leaders both in and outside of pharmacy. Learning from these great leaders can provide pharmacy directors with guidance on how to shape various aspects of their leadership style. Winston Churchill is considered to be one of history's greatest leaders; without his leadership, the outcome of World War II may have been completely different. Leadership qualities that made him successful include the use of clear and simple communication, decisiveness, willingness to take risks and learn from failure, commitment to self-improvement, and the ability to inspire and lead others. This article describes these leadership characteristics displayed by Winston Churchill and discusses ways these qualities can be used effectively by today's pharmacy leaders in building patient-centered services.