Creating a culture of leadership
Bayer’s Janine Pajot discusses what makes a great leader in Pharma (1,265 words, reading time: 5 min.)
NPC Healthbiz Weekly is presented to you in cooperation with Peak Pharma Solutions
“One of the most important things a good leader can do is model true leadership behaviour,” says Janine Pajot, VP Human Resources at Bayer Canada. Leaders should show vulnerability, welcome challenging conversations, provide mentorship opportunities, and tap into diverse networks, she added.
Pajot (photo below) spoke about fostering strong leadership in the workplace during an episode of the NPC Podcast hosted by Tiana DiMichele.
“The past 18 months have taught us some vital lessons with respect to leadership,” said Pajot. “With Covid, Pharma teams had to evolve. This required leaders to use different toolsets to help their team members manage that shift.”
Good leaders tap into the strength of their team members and utilize those skills to drive business –- and thus the organization -– further, explained Pajot. They also look at failure as an opportunity to learn.
“It’s imperative we create an environment where it is okay to fail and embrace it as an opportunity for the organization and the employee,” she added. “When employees know their leader is open to understanding what led to the failure, there is a sense of belonging, a safe environment where they can grow together as a team.”
When asked to advise employees who are looking to pursue a leadership role, Pajot responded: “First, establish a diverse network, inside and outside your organization.” She said that having conversations with people with differing points of view and listening and reflecting on these perspectives can help everyone in the exchange to grow.
Pajot also suggested doing self-reflection regularly: “When things don’t exactly go as planned, think back to what you could have done differently. When leading teams, reflect on your interactions with your team members. How might you draw out the best in those people, and what should you continue to do that has been successful?”
Pajot stressed that great leaders come in all different personalities. They might be extroverted or introverted, but what defines them is their ability to bring people together for a common goal. They encourage diversity of thought, and they have a shared vision and purpose for their team members.
Further reading: Find out why Bayer was selected as one of the Greater Toronto Area’s top employers and how its leadership helped employees navigate working remotely.
LISTEN NOW
Hear the whole story: In a bonus episode of the NPC Podcast, Tiana DiMichele speaks with pharma execs Ed Gudaitis and Janine Pajot about leading with authenticity, creating a culture of leadership, and the challenges that leaders in the Pharma industry must face.
15TH ANNUAL NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL CONGRESS
Registration is now open for the 15th Annual National Pharmaceutical Congress.
In celebration of the 15th year of NPC, this year’s theme is Fifteen Big Ideas Driving Pharma Forward Post-Covid. This year’s conference will be held virtually on October 20 & 27, 2021. Use our promo code “HEALTHBIZ” for 30 per cent off the registration price.
THE WEEK AHEAD: 09/21/21
Life Sciences Ontario has released a new plan for a provincial rare disease strategy based on lessons learned through the pandemic. The strategy, which is intended to be integrated with existing health initiatives, including the Canadian Rare Disease Strategy, emphasizes patient-centricity and seeks to boost economic development in Ontario biosciences.
Buffalo, N.Y.-based KSL Biomedical, a developer of diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, has announced its expansion into Canada with the acquisition of Pulse Scientific, a Toronto manufacturer and distributor of diagnostic products. The merger will extend KSL’s international base for product distribution and laboratory sales and may position the company to acquire other IP in Canada.
Nanovax has announced the publication of Phase 3 trial results for its NanoFlu influenza vaccine in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The study found that the NanoFlu vaccine demonstrated a significantly enhanced immune response in older adults compared to the standard-dose influenza vaccine.
Health Canada has approved brand names for the three available Covid-19 vaccines: Comirnaty (developed by Pfizer-BioNTech), Spikevax (developed by Moderna), and Vaxzevria (developed by AstraZeneca). The change also marks full approval of the vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, which were previously approved under an interim order.
CANADIAN HEALTHCARE MARKETING HALL OF FAME
The Canadian Healthcare Marketing Hall of Fame awards were established in 2002 to honour healthcare marketers who have contributed to our vocation and inspire others.
More than 100 honourees have been selected during the past 18 years. In the selection committee's view, they stand for a representative cross-section of the qualities that make our business unique and fulfilling. Each week, NPC Healthbiz Weekly will acknowledge one past Hall of Fame Honouree.
2016 Inductee
Patrick Cashman
Montréal
Editor’s Note: Patrick Cashman is currently VP Marketing, Neurosciences at Blinktbi Inc.
There are few challenges as engaging as starting a new enterprise from bare walls, which was the test Patrick J. Cashman, the former President and General Manager of Lundbeck Canada, took on when Lundbeck asked him to launch their new operations in Mexico in 1998. This project was another step in a successful career, with prior management roles at Monsanto, Pfizer, and SmithKline Beecham.
“The pharmaceutical industry was really somewhere I could make a difference in people’s lives,” said Cashman.
Lundbeck recruited Cashman for the Mexico project while he was working for SmithKline Beecham. “They wanted me to establish a new business in Mexico,” said Cashman. “The opportunity to build something from scratch, completely new, was a wonderful opportunity I could not pass up. It allowed me to have an opportunity to have an impact on all aspects of the business, whether that be regulatory, medical, marketing, general management, finance.”
In 2005, Cashman became President of Lundbeck USA, and in 2007 he took a position as President of Lundbeck Canada. Between 2007 and 2015, under Cashman’s watch, Lundbeck Canada’s sales nearly doubled, and the company developed a successful new oncology business unit.
Cashman attributes a great deal of his people-management skills to lessons learned from David Brinkley at SmithKline, he said. “He was fantastic at getting that balance right—making sure that you have those open, honest, robust conversations when that is needed, maintaining a strong working relationship, and achieving the results that the company is looking for.”
Bringing the patient’s perspective into the decision-making process was another lesson from Brinkley that Cashman took to heart, he said. That has been manifested in two significant ways at Lundbeck Canada during Cashman’s time as president—fighting the stigma of mental illness and striving to improve patient access to needed drugs.
“One of the biggest challenges all companies face in Canada is getting reimbursement from the public market side,” said Cashman. “This was a challenge for us with Cipralex [the SSRI escitalopram].”
The product was launched, but sales were somewhat stagnant. Cashman and Lundbeck realized that in the future, they would need public reimbursement. Reaching out to the provinces directly, they were able to get their product reimbursed in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, for which Cashman praises the efforts of Dominique Gilbert, who was in charge of market access at this vital time, and the rest of the company’s market access team.
“It allowed us to really grow our business and allowed many people who otherwise would not have had access to Cipralex to have access to the product,” said Cashman.
NEXT WEEK
In the 10/05 edition of the NPC Healthbiz Weekly, we’ll hear the perspective of Roche Canada prexy Ronnie Miller on how Covid-19 has affected Pharma’s relationship with the federal government. It’s easy to get your no-charge subscription and have the issue sent to your phone or inbox each Tuesday at 6:00 a.m. sharp.
Stay safe, stay sure, and stay on your game. See you in October.