Building Agility into Your Commercial Organization to Respond to Market Shifts

In this enlightening round table discussion, Dr. Wendy Heckelman, President of WLH Consulting and Learning Solutions, leads a conversation with Matt Portch, former Sr. Vice-President, Sales and Market Access at Sunovion, and Rich Baron, former Executive Director, Human Pharma Training & Development at Boehringer-Ingelheim. The focus: how pharmaceutical companies can build agility into their commercial organizations to effectively respond to market shifts.

Wendy: Thank you both for joining me today. Let's start by discussing why agility is so crucial in today's pharmaceutical commercial landscape.

Matt: Thanks, Wendy. The pace of change in our industry has accelerated dramatically. We're seeing rapid shifts in the healthcare delivery model, payer dynamics, and regulatory environment. Organizations that can't adapt quickly are at a significant competitive disadvantage.

Rich: Absolutely. And it's not just about reacting to changes – it's about anticipating them and positioning ourselves to capitalize on new opportunities quickly.

Wendy: Those are excellent points. What are some of the key areas where you see the need for increased agility?

Rich: I would say one critical area is in our go-to-market models. The days of a one-size-fits-all sales approach are long gone. We need to be able to rapidly adjust our deployment and engagement strategies based on local market conditions.

Matt: I agree, and I'd add that our ability to claw back information and learn from that means we need agility in our value proposition development as well. As payer and provider needs evolve, we need to be able to quickly refine and adapt how we communicate the value of our products.

Wendy: Those align well with what we're seeing at WLH. We're also finding that cross-functional collaboration is key to building organizational agility. How do you see the role of breaking down silos?

Matt: In the past, we might have had separate strategies for payers, providers, and patients. Now, we need an integrated approach that can be quickly adjusted as market conditions change. That requires seamless collaboration across functions.

Rich: I couldn't agree more. And it's not just about internal collaboration. We need to be agile in how we partner with external stakeholders as well – whether that's payers, providers, or even other key customers or stakeholders.

Wendy: Great points. Now, let's talk about the people side of this equation. What skills and capabilities do you think are most important for building an agile commercial organization?

Rich: Adaptability is key. We need people who are comfortable with ambiguity and can thrive in a constantly changing environment. But it's not just about individual skills – we need to create a culture that embraces change and innovation.

Matt: Absolutely. I'd add that data literacy is increasingly important. In an agile organization, decisions need to be made quickly, and they need to be data driven. Everyone in the commercial organization should be comfortable analyzing data and deriving insights.

Wendy: Those are crucial skills. At WLH, we've been focusing a lot on change leadership capabilities. How important do you think leadership is in building agility?

Matt: It's paramount. Leaders set the tone for the entire organization. They need to model agility in their own behavior and decision-making and create an environment where calculated risk-taking is encouraged.

Rich: Wendy, leaders also play a crucial role in breaking down those silos we talked about earlier. They need to set the right expectations for their people about working cross-functionally and then be a champion for cross-functional collaboration.. As a leader, it’s a critical imperative that they ensure the organizational structure supports agility rather than hinders it.

Wendy: Excellent insights. As we wrap up, what final advice would you give to commercial leaders trying to build more agility into their organizations?

Rich: I'd say start with a clear assessment of where you are now. Understand your current capabilities and where the gaps are. Then, develop a roadmap for building agility that touches on people, processes, and technology.

Matt: Great point, Rich. I would add that it's important to celebrate agility when you see it. Recognize and reward teams and individuals who demonstrate the ability to adapt quickly and effectively to change. This helps reinforce the behaviors you want to see throughout the organization.

Wendy: Thank you both for these valuable insights.

Conclusion:

Building agility into pharmaceutical commercial organizations is no longer optional – it's a necessity for survival and success in today's rapidly changing healthcare landscape. This requires a multi-faceted approach that encompasses go-to-market models, value proposition development, cross-functional collaboration, and leadership. Key to this transformation is developing a workforce that is adaptable, data-literate, and comfortable with change and Leadership is the key to accomplishing this.? Those very leaders need to foster cultures and structures that support and reward agility.

Call to Action:

To build agility into your commercial organization:

1. Conduct an honest assessment of your organization's current agility. Identify strengths and areas for improvement across people, processes, and technology.

2. Invest in developing the skills crucial for agility, including adaptability, data literacy, and change leadership. As a starting point, ensure you are training your leaders with Change Leadership Skills so that they can develop these skills in their people.? Consider partnering with external experts to accelerate this capability building.

3. Review and refine your organizational structure to ensure it supports cross-functional collaboration and rapid decision-making.

4. Implement agile methodologies in your planning and execution processes, allowing for quick pivots based on market feedback.

5. Develop metrics to measure organizational agility and regularly review progress. Celebrate successes to reinforce agile behaviors.

6. Foster a culture of innovation and calculated risk-taking. Encourage experimentation and learn from both successes and failures.

By taking these steps, pharmaceutical companies can build the agility needed to not just respond to market shifts, but to anticipate and capitalize on them. In an industry where change is the only constant, agility isn't just a competitive advantage – it's a prerequisite for success. The time to act is now. Your organization's future success depends on the foundations of agility you lay today.