Summary

This article contains information on how to complete a Collaborative Leadership Assessment Skills (LEADER).

What is the Collaborative LEADER LX?

The Leadership Assessment Skills (LEADER) is a Workplace Based Assessment (WBA) tool that can be used to provide formative assessment as part of an approved training and development program and/or for inclusion towards ANZCAP recognition.

It can be used to facilitate exploration of a pharmacist's management, leadership and/or teamwork skills through real-time or retrospective review of a professional situation.

The main outcome of the interaction between pharmacist and collaborator should be to promote feedback and reflection of current professional practice in a situation that utilizes a combination of management, leadership and/or teamwork skills in a chosen professional setting or topic.

Leadership Assessment Skills (LEADER) Process

When used for ANZCAP recognition a LEADER learning experience may be either collaborative or independent. A LEADER may be conducted in real-time or as a retrospective reflection.

The process for completing a collaborative LEADER is as follows:

🧩 Prepare

🗓️ Observe

💭 Reflect

The pharmacist or the collaborator highlights a suitable skill or situation to utilize the LEADER tool.
The pharmacist and collaborator should also confirm the practice recognition level and clinical setting/topic that the LEADER scenario is to focus on.

The collaborator should ensure that they have directly observed or debriefed on a significant proportion or key stages of the skill or scenario being carried out by the pharmacist.
At conclusion of the skill or situation the Pharmacist discusses the skill or scenario with the collaborator(s)
Collaborator(s) engages pharmacist in discussion to further explore knowledge and skills critical to the situation

This discussion should typically take 10-15 minutes.

Pharmacist and collaborator engage in reflection of this discussion utilizing the Pendleton/Positive critique method
Collaborator assists pharmacist to identify key development goals from the reflection utilizing the SMART goal method

The reflection and goal setting should typically take 10-15 minutes

The total time for a LEADER should take between 20-30 minutes. However, the observation period may be over an extended period of time depending on the activity the pharmacist is carrying out.

The final discussion aspect of the LEADER should be conducted in an appropriate working space that lends itself to privacy due to pharmacist comfort.

Choosing a Situation or Skill

There is a wide variety of skills or situations that may be appropriate for reflection using the LEADER tool.

Examples

Contribution to the development of a new service 
Supporting a team member(s) with a challenging situation 
Managing an incident or complaint 
Making an improvement following feedback or undertaking a project 
Conducting a performance review on others

Prior to the LEADER experience the pharmacist and collaborator should confirm the practice recognition level and clinical setting/topic that the situation will allow the pharmacist to show.

Practice Recognition Level

The LEADER Learning Experience is mapped to Domain 4 of the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia 2016.

Please refer to the ANZCAP recognition descriptors article for the further guidance on markers of performance for each ANZCAP recognition level. The pharmacist and collaborator should indicate on the learning experience tool which of the three levels of practice recognition (resident, register, consultant) they are currently practicing at or a candidate for. Please note that not all the domain 4 indicators listed in this document may be relevant to this Learning Experience.

Complexity

In some scenarios the same skill or situation may be used for pharmacists aiming for different levels of practice recognition. However, the complexity and expected knowledge and skills expected to be displayed will vary.

The pharmacist and collaborator should come to an agreement on the complexity (low, medium or high) of the case in relation to the level of recognition the pharmacist is practicing at.

Collaborator

The collaborator must be familiar with the LEADER tool.

Collaborators must be professionally competent and have sufficient experience in the situation being discussed in the LEADER to ensure that they can engage in the reflection and goal setting discussions. E.g. a direct line manager or colleague who is a topic specialist.

The collaborator should ensure that they have directly observed a significant proportion or key stages of the skill being carried out by the pharmacist. Alternatively, if it is not appropriate for the collaborator to be present, they should have been involved in debrief discussions at key stages before, after and/or during the experience.

Collaborators may come from a variety of health professional backgrounds e.g., pharmacy, medical, surgical.

Further guidance for collaborators involved in this learning experience can be found here.

Reflection, Feedback & Goal Setting

The main aim of the LEADER as a Learning Experience is to promote feedback and reflection of a pharmacist's management, leadership and/or teamwork skills through real-time or retrospective review of a professional situation.

Skill Evaluation

Within the LEADER tool there are key skills (and descriptors) that the pharmacist and collaborator should discuss during the feedback and reflection. Each skill should be evaluated with comments from the discussion and a marker of; below, mets, exceeds or n/a.

Below	Performance is below that expected for the indicated practice recognition level.
Mets	Performance meets the standard expected for the indicated practice recognition level.
Exceeds	Performance is above the standard expected for the indicated practice recognition level and is moving towards progression in recognition level.
N/A	Key skill is not present in this particular professional experience.

Feedback

The CP tool encourages use of the Pendleton feedback method to guide reflection. This method encourages self-reflection and proactive discussions for development.

Development Goals

The pharmacist and collaborator are encouraged to utilize the SMART goal technique to develop any learning or development goals that are identified from the reflection and feedback discussion.

Although some collaborators who are also supervisors or clinical educators in a formalized training program may choose to use this tool as an initiation for delivery of formal teaching, this is an extension of the LEADER tool and not a requirement.

Forms and Templates

The LEADER tool is available on the ANZCAP Digital platform. Ideally pharmacists and collaborators will enter relevant information into the digital tool in real time and confirm involvement and accomplishment of the Collaborative Learning Experience.

Alternatively, pharmacists may use LEADER tools from their own workplace and upload it to the digital platform where they can then confirm completion of a Collaborative Learning Experience.

Can’t find what you are looking for? Search the ANZCAP knowledgebase or Contact us with your questions or request further assistance.

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