Julia Zhu, BSc(Pharm)’08

Julia Zhu, BSc’08, is Specialty Pharmacy Manager for Shoppers Drug Mart Specialty Health Network. In her day to day she manages operations of the specialty pharmacy and facility. She leads her team on operational excellence to ensure high quality patient care.

How are you mindful and intentional about your goal-setting for 2020?

I feel the first step in thoughtful goal setting is really taking time to analyze where you are currently and where you want to be. Be honest, realistic, and seek feedback wherever possible. That deep reflection prevents one from just jumping on the goal setting bandwagon, and helps one to set goals that are relevant and meaningful to that individual. I would suggest to schedule time to regularly engage in such self-reflection, otherwise we tend to get very caught up in the day-to-day.

For 2020, I set a personal development goal. The goal was decided after deep reflection about my career development. I have set reminders for myself to review the goal throughout the year.

How valuable do you find goalsetting is for you in achieving your desired outcomes at work?

I find that goal setting at work is very valuable for both performance and personal development. Each year, I set five performance goals and at least one personal development goal, after discussing with my director, to ensure alignment.

What lesson have you learned from a leader you admire?

An important lesson I learned from my director is that as a leader, you will need to make tough decisions. It is not always possible to have consensus within the team, and you need to be comfortable with not always pleasing everyone.

What ways do you demonstrate leadership?

I believe in leading by example, and team building through positive culture. I try to have open two way communication with each of my team members, and also be open to feedback to improve myself.