The Basics of Gratitude

Maybe you’ve noticed… these are uncertain, stressful, anxious times. I won’t delineate the reasons (you probably don’t need my help), but suffice it to say there is a lot going on.

As to how best to manage all this, many experts recommend we reflect on what and whom we are grateful for and that we express that gratitude openly and frequently to those in our lives. These practices have been shown to put challenges into perspective and to have an evidence-based positive effect on mood, outlook, and ability to handle adversity.

More specific recommendations include keeping a gratitude journal and/or scheduling time to reflect and share with others what they do to make our lives better. Those are just two examples; there are many more and it is worth a try if you haven’t yet considered this approach.

I am genuinely grateful for the people around me, both professionally and personally.?I can’t believe how fortunate I have been to learn and grow in an industry such as ours, making an impact for patients by helping biopharma companies navigate the complex commercialization path and bring their novel therapies to market.

I do my best to express gratitude to others (feel free to check me on this). And when the pressures at work and life begin to take precious mind-space, I also try to shift my internal self-talk to remind myself what I am grateful for.

All of this has become even more critical as my leadership responsibilities have increased at Corval and The NemetzGroup. Like you, we operate in a challenging market (no kidding, right?) as we try to apply human and technology innovation support to biopharma leaders as they build their companies and the commercialization plans essential to delivering on their organizational visions and goals.?

As CEO of two companies and all that comes with it – crazy, busy schedule; unending “asks” of my time; challenges traversing the strategic vs. operational vs. financial vs. people decisions 24-7; associated incredible pressures – I have lately come to realize that the thing I am most often grateful for in my day-to-day professional life is pretty basic: I am grateful for those around me who are just plain reliable.

It’s the one thing that lets me keep moving. In practice, that means:

• I can count on them to see a need and fill it
• If they say they are going to do something, they do it – and they let me know it is handled so I don’t have to keep it in my brain
• They prepare information in a way that is right-sized, so I can apply it to the next thing we need to do together
• They understand the distinctions between urgent, important, and nice to have, and adjust without needing to ask
• They handle most things within their job, but know when to escalate if they run into trouble so we can solve it together
• They deliver the “ask” on time or let me know if they can’t because of something else I no doubt also asked that is competing for their attention
• They consistently deliver for others on the team, so work flows seamlessly, and everyone feels their priorities are understood
• While not necessarily “online” all the time, they also don’t vanish
• They are high passion but low drama
• They teach me the importance of being reliable to others
• They build trust that lasts

Don’t get me wrong. I am also grateful for big strategic thinking, new ideas, solutions to complex problems, funny jokes, streaming recommendations, and adorable family photos. All of these are among the things that make companies work and bring joy.

But those little “joy snacks” of reliability, well, that’s at the top of my gratitude list. That’s what allows me, all day long, to do what I need to do to drive results and build two sustainable companies. And it’s what enables me to appreciate the little things that make a team (or family) achieve together. That feeling of shared accomplishment is a gift that never gets old.

During these times of uncertainty, pressure, and ambiguity at work and in life overall, if you don’t know what to do to solve the big problems, just try to be reliable. It matters. And I assure you, I will always be grateful. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

About Us

We provide strategic support to help biopharma companies move forward confidently in their mission to serve patients. The experienced consultants at The NemetzGroup act as a seamless extension of biopharma teams, turning strategies into actionable plans and enabling execution through hands-on support. Our cross-functional counsel helps biopharma leaders anticipate, avoid, and overcome obstacles along the path to commercialization.

To learn more or to view previous editions of our monthly newsletters, visit our website,?nemetzgroup.com.