Checkmate! Learning how to play your best offensive strategy

Welcome to the New Year!

With the new year come new possibilities and new opportunities.

Today, I would like to take a moment to share with you an important strategy for building momentum for whatever goals and objectives you have made up your mind to achieve this year.

When I was in elementary school, my father was one of the teachers at the school. So, I rode to school with him each day, and I rode home with him each day. After school, on occasion, he began to teach me how to play chess. He taught me how the different pieces move and some simple strategies and counters to consider when playing the game. Whenever he would move one of his pieces, he'd say, “The best offence is a good defence.” I'd move. He'd move another piece and say, “The best offence is a good defence.” This would happen over and over again.

Years later, I would learn that when you move a piece on the chessboard, it has a specific name. It is called the attack. Every time you move a piece you are attacking. When you attack every time, the best offence becomes a good defence.

This is important for us to remember as leaders. There are times when things come at us fast and furious. It's possible to become lulled into the thought of simply playing defence and trying to survive. 

Now I will allow you to make whatever sports analogy sits best with you, and I ask you this question: how many games will your team win if all they ever do is play defence? The answer: very few. 

You are a leader! It may have been a while since I last reminded you of this, but that does not change the fact that you are a leader. You lead yourself, your team and the people you serve to a better place. It is a place that is not easy to get to. It requires the leader to attack the path. If defence is the only strategy, do not expect to achieve the goal anytime soon. In fact, don’t expect to achieve the goal until the strategy becomes more offensive.

I had about 1,200 pharmacies focused on giving flu shots. Would you be surprised if I told you that the ones that gave the most shots asked the most people? These stores were constantly on the attack. 

Do not forget when pieces are moved on the chess board, it is called the attack. When you have the right attack for the right time, you end up in the situation of checkmate!  The goal has been achieved.

Until next time -

Jesse McCullough, PharmD

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