Relationship Building

In just one month, life for all of us has changed dramatically. This week, we learned that the new normal would extend at least through April, probably longer.

For those of us who have been in the industry since pre-DRG days, and have the wisdom and experience across the industry, there are many opportunities to mentor and network with today’s emerging generation of biotech executives. Now and then, we get the chance to speak with those who truly are the future generation – recent college graduates.

We have all heard about it; some of us have lived it firsthand. A vibrant, new start-up comes to life with energy and purpose. Everyone knows one another; everyone works together towards a common goal. Communication happens on the fly, informally, at all hours of the day and night. It’s fast and it’s fun — we are a tight group, proud of what we are building.

Each month, as I ponder possible topics for this e-conversation, I find myself struggling with the same challenge: So many things to talk about; so hard to pick just one!

It is always risky to read one HBR article and then assume you can apply it to every other work scenario in front of you. But here we go anyway. In their article, HR Goes Agile, authors Peter Cappelli and Anna Tavis explain how the concepts of “agile development from the tech industry” have begun to reshape human resource practices as well. As the article’s summary states, “Companies’ core businesses and functions have largely replaced long-range planning models with nimbler methods that allow them to adapt and innovate more quickly.”

Our last newsletter concluded with the following question: "If you could have an unlimited supply of anything, what would it be?" It was a question asked of TEDMED speakers at their November event in Palm Springs, which I attended.