Leading Medical Affairs Teams

Can You Help Me?

I have something big planned for the 12/29/2023 edition of Medical Affairs Weekly.

I hope it will be the catalyst that will take your career to the next level in 2024.

I want as many people to benefit as possible. So, I’m asking that you share this Newsletter with colleagues and friends who might enjoy this type of content.

The link below is unique to you. Feel free to share it! And, THANK YOU!

Becoming a Medical Affairs Leader

If you aspire to be a people leader within Medical Affairs, there are several things you can do to position yourself for the next opportunity.

I covered most of them in a previous Newsletter, How to Get Promoted.

I don't want to rehash all of those points, but here’s the list:

1. Establish the Goalposts. Perform Accordingly

2. Get on the Right Radars

3. Identify a Sponsor

4. Develop a Plan. Then Execute.

5. Become the Harshest Critic

6. Change Functions

7. Change Companies

That list was intended to be broadly applicable to any promotion. So, it’s relevant if you’re trying to move into a people leadership role.

Now is probably a good time to make sure you’ve got a clear understanding of your motives. Do you want to be a people leader, or do you wish for the financial incentive and title that typically accompanies such a move?

I’m not trying to discourage anyone from leadership. But, if you’re going to be successful, your ambition must be backed up with the necessary skills and desire to do the job. At a minimum, take some time to understand the role.

Most companies have a succession planning process. Ask around and understand what that looks like for your employer. Who makes the decisions, and what can you do to get on their radar?

In the meantime, position yourself as an obvious choice. Performing well in your role as an individual contributor is necessary but not sufficient. You need to demonstrate an aptitude for leadership - likely without direct authority. Going above and beyond your normal responsibilities should be an assumed requirement.

Being an Effective Medical Affairs Leader

There are some awful managers out there. Unfortunately, they’re everywhere. And often, it may not be their fault.

There is an assumption that high-performing individual contributors make for successful people leaders. That’s not always the case. To be clear, many great managers were outstanding individual contributors. But it’s not a guarantee.

Why is that? Simply put, being a manager is a unique role that requires a specific set of skills. Those skills aren’t always needed to be successful as an individual contributor - this is the key.

The good news is most of those skills can be learned. And they’re transferable. Meaning if you’re a good leader of Oncology MSLs, you’d probably be a good leader of Immunology MSLs or any other function.

That is, while technical expertise can be helpful, especially when making strategic decisions, the other skills (the ones that make you good at the role) do not depend on that technical knowledge.

To that end, there are probably some skills or characteristics that should be considered essential when it comes to people leadership:

1. Empathy

2. Communication Skills

3. Accountability

4. Adaptability

5. Integrity

Sure, I could add many more to that list, but if any of the above are missing, it’s hard to be successful.

There are thousands of books on leadership and people management. I’ve read plenty, and I’m guessing you have too. My goal isn’t to write a book on the topic, but I want to share my main observation.

Using the Inverting Framework from the now-deceased Charlie Munger*, I think it’s easier to identify why someone might be a bad leader (easier than describing what it takes to be an effective leader). In my experience, bad leaders result from one of the following:

1. They don’t view the leadership role as a different job - “I was an MSL, now I’m just an MSL with direct reports and some authority.”

2. They don’t have the infrastructure or training required to make the transition.

As you can see, some of this falls on the individual and some on the organization. If both of these are present, oh boy…

Tim Tebow had skills that allowed him to be a legendary college quarterback. Those skills fit the situation at Florida well but didn’t translate into NFL success. He went from College Quarterback to Professional Quarterback. While there are similarities, it’s a completely different job. Presumably, in the perfect situation, he could have been successful as a pro. Nevertheless, I think you get the point I’m trying to make.

If you possess the five characteristics above, acknowledge that management is a fundamentally different job, and have solid training and support, you can be an effective Medical Affairs Leader.

*Charlie Munger passed away last week. I considered doing an entire newsletter about him, but plenty are circulating online. Still, he was a brilliant thinker who had a way with words. His combination of intellect and wit is unmatched, in my opinion. If you’re unfamiliar with some of his speeches and quotes, spend a few minutes googling, and you’ll surely learn some valuable lessons.

A Real World Example

Suppose you’ve spent the last five years as an MSL in a large pharmaceutical company. You’re a decorated MSL, having won numerous awards and impacting patients across the country. Others have invested in you, and consistent with your development plan, you were just announced as the leader of a new MSL team that will be forming. The team has been hired, and you’re seeing some early traction. Then you encounter the following:

1. Compliance Concern: One of your MSLs discusses a situation involving a commercial colleague. You gather the facts and realize there’s a potential issue, and it involves a cross-functional colleague that is much higher in the company. Reporting the concern and supporting your MSL demonstrates courage but, more importantly, Integrity and Accountability. Anything else, and you’ll have lost credibility with that MSL.

2. Performance Issue: There is a change in performance with one of your top MSLs. You’ve noticed. And so have others. Their field engagements are lacking, documentation in the CRM is incomplete, and their last expense report is several weeks late. It’s time for a direct conversation with the MSL. During the conversation, you uncover that one of their parents was diagnosed with a terminal condition. Beyond the emotional toll, it has impacted their childcare plans. New to their role, they were hesitant to share because they didn’t know how you’d respond. Life is messy, for everyone, at times. This situation represents an opportunity to display compassion and Empathy. How you handle situations like this will determine how your team views you. With the MSL’s permission, you share the news with your team. Then, you ask who can fill in where needed. You connect the MSL to all of the internal resources. Your handling of this situation means the world to the MSL but the positive impact extends to the entire team.

3. Reorganization: A year into your leadership journey, the company’s strategic vision changes. A new VP of Medical Affairs is hired. Shortly after her arrival, a reorganization is announced. You have a new boss, but your team is intact. It’s still too early to know if there’s any significant change to the remit and expectations of your team. Change is inevitable in this industry. Drug development is risky, resulting in some volatility for Medical Affairs professionals. One of your primary responsibilities as a manager is to lead through change. You must demonstrate Adaptability. Personally and through your team. The best way to do this (in my opinion) is through transparency and creating an environment where your team can voice any concerns they might have. This is primetime for your Communication Skills. How and what you communicate to your team will significantly impact their success and yours. Equally important, you now have a new leader. You must quickly assess their preferences and figure out a way to effectively communicate the value and needs of your team. If you or your team fails to adapt to changes, you will fail and/or be miserable. And a big part of leading through change is bidirectional communication. This is another situation that you will encounter where your actions will determine your success as a leader.

4. Downsizing: Your team was established to support a pipeline product. Unfortunately, one of the pivotal trials was negative. Your team will be impacted. Your team of 10 MSLs will be reduced to six. This means territory changes for those still on the team and job loss for nearly half your team. Tough break. And it’s no fault of you or your team, but again, it comes with the job. You need to be empathetic in this situation - to both camps. You must recognize that the needs of those staying and those displaced differ. Your duty as a leader to his help everyone move forward but you must realize that people will process changes like this very differently. In truth, this situation likely calls upon all of the needed skills. Once you approach the initial fallout with empathy, you must adapt to the new plan, communicate it effectively, and focus on accountability going forward. While those displaced are sure to take the worst of it, do not underestimate the mental and financial toll this situation has on a leader.

In a previous edition, I wrote that culture is not a slogan; it’s the track record of decisions made by an organization or leader. All of the situations above are commonplace in this industry. How you navigate them will determine your reputation as a leader.

Imagine for a second that you were an MSL on the team instead of being the leader. All of the situations described will have a direct or indirect impact on you. That said, it should be obvious that what is required of the manager is different than what is expected of you as an MSL.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss professional development. To attract the best talent, you must invest in your team. Help them succeed in their current role. Identify opportunities where they are stretched so they can grow. And help them move into their desired next role, if applicable. Leaders with the skills we’ve discussed and who do this typically have people willing to follow them wherever they go - a sure sign of a quality leader.