An appreciation for practicality, independent thinking and patient care can help disrupt the bureaucracy of Big Pharma.
For many years now, I have worked for a large pharmaceutical company. At heart, though, I am still a trusted community pharmacist, seeking to ensure quality patient care and access through innovation and personal responsibility. I firmly believe that the mindset and entrepreneurial spirit of the small pharma world can be brought to the industry of Big Pharma to continue to create even greater drug advancements and patient care over the next several decades.
Throughout my career, when I wore my white coat, I joked to myself that it was my cape, imbuing superhuman multitasking powers. So, when I transitioned my work environment and joined a massive matrixed global industry—a place where you don’t need to wear a white coat every day—I was concerned I would lose my mojo. Quite the opposite. I continued to bring the same work ethic and principles of personalized patient care with me to my new role as a medical director. It wasn’t the coat giving me motivation but years of training, hard work and dedication to creating passion and purpose. At the end of the day, I remained accountable for getting everything done efficiently and accurately. In both environments, I maintained composure in the most difficult situations, enjoyed building relationships and kept a smile on my face while providing professional and prompt recommendations. And I continued to develop an independence of thought and a drive for enhanced patient care.
There are challenges in ensuring Big Pharma responds to and meets the expectations and needs of the patients that it ultimately serves. The layers of bureaucracy, internal inefficiencies and potential for stagnation can easily frustrate and make one think they need to join one of the shiny new biopharma businesses popping up in every corner of the country (and globe) to get something accomplished. I disagree.
I strongly believe that if you channel your entrepreneurial spirit and independent initiative, you can break through perceptions and some unpleasant realities to drive change and bring a small pharma mindset to a Big Pharma setting.
I don’t believe anyone needs to leave Big Pharma to innovate or to focus resources squarely on patient-oriented strategic initiatives. Quite the contrary: The resources of Big Pharma allow for innovation and access when they are marshaled by those who are willing to follow new pathways and make creative choices even in the face of bureaucracy. When you are willing to show a little bit of grit and independence of thought, you can thrive by maintaining and presenting the mindset of small pharma in a Big Pharma world. The difference is now you have greater monetary and human resources at your disposal.
Creating cross-functional mentorship programs can empower colleagues to reconnect with their core training and passion to innovate. Encouraging contribution and supporting continuous education fosters a culture that grows and maintains talent. Insisting on developing well-rounded skill sets and a focus on patient care initiatives gives rise to networking and the confidence to try new things. Understanding how to strategically view opportunities creates brave, new, ambitious paths to move science forward.
Workstream role clarity helps identify (and reduce or eliminate) team inefficiencies and encourages accountability. In a world where titles and responsibilities may overlap and organizational structure can delay decision-making, it is important to create microcultures that generate continuous feedback and transparency. Even smaller initiatives lead to best practice sharing opportunities. Before you know it, you are creating an environment where there is more direct communication and less confusion. Receiving meaningful emails and having conversations that generate thoughtful questions are what drive action.
We need this small pharma entrepreneurial mindset to challenge and evolve the preexisting systems of Big Pharma and operationalize opportunity. When you create space for role clarity, you build a capability that allows teams to communicate effectively and efficiently to amplify skill sets. Building reliance and confidence through mentorship helps Big Pharma team members gain experience and gives people a holistic view on what Big Pharma has to offer. This is culture. There is no better place to do this than Big Pharma, a Roman Empire of layers, resources, great leaders and the opportunity to change the world.
