Interview with Andrew Bast: CSO of Greater Than One

What do you love about what you do????

To be honest, I did not know much about pharmaceutical marketing when I started it. However, once I jumped in, science sparked my curiosity about how our bodies work. It was so intriguing to learn about systems, pathways, and mechanisms of action that I never heard of before. Working on marquee brands like Enbrel and Nexium certainly exposed me to amazing teams, clients, and opportunities. That said, it was working on Seroquel that locked me into a career in pharma. The incredible people sharing their stories about living with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder affected me. I knew from that moment on that I could do good for others. My work mattered because it made people better, and what could be more satisfying than that???

Who inspires you and why do you find them inspiring????

Margaret Thatcher. Through sheer power of conviction and steadfastness, she halted the decline of the United Kingdom, gave a backbone to the US presidency, and took down communism. Initially dismissed because she fell outside of the established orthodoxy of genteel political debate, Margaret Thatcher sharpened the conversation to be about the existential need for democracy and capitalism. Without her, world history might have been quite different and not in a good way.??

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What is the best piece of advice that you have ever received????

Surround yourself with those who will build upon ideas together – people who leave their ego outside the door and enter committed to making everything better. And know how to quickly recognize them from those who will not.??

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How would you describe your leadership philosophy????

Roll up your sleeves and be in the trenches with your team. If you are willing to get your hands dirty, you can inspire and demonstrate to your team that they need to, as well. Then once in there, hear your team. Do not just listen to them, hear them! Asking them for opinions and perspectives means that you value their input. Let them run with it because whether they succeed or fail, they will learn from the experience, and that boosts their confidence to new heights.???

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What was your biggest failure and what did you learn from it????

I absolutely remember one of the biggest blunders I made in my career. I was working with the top client on making the business case for a $160MM budget when a junior client asked, “How many pages would the core vis aid have, in case the executive team asks?” I responded that if the executive team is asking questions like that, we have lost the argument for this budget request. While the answer is correct, I failed to recognize that this was just the junior client trying to help. She felt dismissed and harbored resentment from then on, impairing the relationship. I have learned to better recognize ways in which contributions and ideas could be acknowledged and incorporated.??

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What business book would you recommend and why? ???

Behave by Robert Sapolsky. 100% the most important book you need to read to understand the biology and psychology of how we consider, decide, and act as people. A must-read!?