Your S-curve journey

Would you agree that you’re a little slower as you learn something new? That can be frustrating for a highly functioning person. Imagine getting permission and space to be a little slower as you grow a new area of expertise. Would that relieve the stress associated with learning, especially when working in a high-pressure environment in which that new skill will provide long-term value?

Welcome to the concept of the “S-curve”! Charles Handy first introduced this concept as the “sigmoid” curve in the 90’s as an organizational and individual growth module for life cycle thinking. Whitney Johnson described the application of the S-curve in her 2012 Harvard Business Review article “Throw Your Life a Curve” in the learning and development space as a powerful tool used to support the development of new competencies.

From the slow beginnings of learning, we gradually accelerate our learning trajectory and then plateau as we are comfortable with this new skill and execute it with confidence. See the “S” shape forming?

When you’ve identified a new skill that you need to develop, talk with leadership about the space and time you need to journey from the tail of the S-curve, through the middle, to the plateau where you have achieved mastery (and need to start a new S-curve).

Personal connections

Watch this video to explore the importance of personal connection and how it can make all the difference.

Having a growth mindset

A growth mindset allows you to add the word “yet” after acknowledging that you don’t know how to do something or if you are still developing skills in an area.

In her book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” Carol Dweck, PhD outlines the concept of growth and fixed mindsets. If you have a fixed mindset about something, you may avoid new challenges, focus on failures, and believe that you cannot broaden your talent. Doesn’t that feel stifling Having a growth mindset allows you to look at challenges as opportunities, failures as a learning experience from which you can grow, and understand you can develop new skills.

Perhaps you want to play the piano but have not done so as you feel it is daunting and that you had tried in the past without success. Approaching this now, you might say “I can’t play the piano yet,” acknowledging that you can and will develop that skill.

She provides examples of celebrities that demonstrate these mindsets (Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, John McEnroe to name a few) and I’ll let you guess which category these individuals personify. She describes herself as a person who evolved from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset!

It’s such a liberating feeling to know that you don’t need to be great at everything and that it’s OK to be in the development phase of a new skill. What is it that want to develop and can’t do YET?

“What do you most remember about them"

My eldest sister passed away peacefully Jan 1st after a short and welcomed hospice stay. She was ready. I received the usual heartfelt condolences, a welcomed hug, an “I’m so sorry” and a few “How old was she?” as well as a few stories of a death related to them. A seat mate on the plane said, “Wow that’s old!” Later he sought me out in baggage claim and wished me an “successful funeral!” We both chucked over that one. Everyone did their best.

I’m Irish and so death is not as much a fear for us as a celebration of the life lived …we have a long tradition of Irish wakes…my father often prayed for a ‘Happy Death’…he got one with minstrels playing at his bedside.

After a few responses that I received I thought more about how to handle these sudden and sometimes awkward moments. What do I say? On social media of course a short condolence is a welcomed connection. But what about those times when you are in person or at the wake? What is a useful way to respond to your clients and friends, even to yourself, when the ultimate that we all have in common happens our way.

One response I use and being on the receiving end now I find comforting when time permits is “What do you most remember about her?” or words to that effect. This takes the nervousness out of things for us and begins a memory-making sharing for the one who is hurting. Through our question they get to bring alive the memory and share it. No need then for any awkward or cliche comments…just a moment of intimacy. And perhaps even a “successful funeral”!

Your favorite book on networking

We all recognize that networking is important, and it may be daunting, especially if you are out of practice. The pandemic has an impact on our networking skills and has offered us an opportunity to develop our skills in diverse ways. How did you develop your skills? What ideas can you offer individuals who are less comfortable networking?

What networking book do you recommend and is there a tip in that book you found to be of particular value? How does networking differ depending on where you’re at in your career? How may it be different if you change direction in your career?

Let’s use our experience to develop a list of books to expand our skills and foster our growth in this key area.

Your secret sauce is...

A final idea for the year, and it's a quick one...so yes you do have time to do it! Send an email to each of your KOLs telling them their ‘secret sauce' - their unique talent that you noticed this year. It might be their engaging ways, their devotion to their patients, what they have taught you, their courage, their amazing human relations skills, etc. Put it in the subject line so it won’t be passed over as a typical holiday greeting. Perhaps in the Subject Line: “Dr. Canady your ‘secret sauce’ is….” And then tell them what you have noticed in the body of the email. Do not fear doing this! Everyone, even your most reticent, inward KOL will be most pleased with this friendly feedback. (Trust us on this…we are trained professionals!)

Coaching your boss

Sometimes you need to coach your boss (or your partner!), especially when feedback is involved! Watch this video to learn more...

Show appreciation

How do you show appreciation? I was recently reminded of the impact of truly expressing gratitude—it goes a long way!

Watch this video to learn more about meaningful appreciation.

Setting a goal and moving it forwards, one step at a time

With New Years around the corner, you may be thinking about your goals for 2025. When you set goals, do you achieve them? Perhaps you accomplish your work goals but let your personal goals sit on the back burner. Does this sound familiar?

You are more likely to accomplish your goals if they are heartfelt and if you can visualize what success looks like. Are you passionate about your goal? If so, it is easier to put the necessary time and effort into succeeding. Eat the elephant one bite at a time… Break the goal into manageable pieces and timeframes. What can you do today to begin moving forward? What can you do tomorrow? This week? Imagine how good it will feel to take one, two, three steps toward your goal, no matter how small they are. This is how you gain momentum to reach your goal.

What personal goal do you want to accomplish? What step forward will you take today?

Technology-free zones

Technology-free zones can transform your interactions! Watch this video to learn more...

Filling our plates

As we approach the holidays, we will have the opportunity to indulge. We will see our favorite foods, new foods, foods we haven’t had since childhood, and food we swore we’d never eat again. In some situations, we will have the opportunity to fill our plates and go back for more. For me, this reflects life. We have so many opportunities in front of us, and all outcomes depend on which ones will we add to our plate.

I was speaking with a student the other day that has a full plate with all the things you’d expect: school, work, extracurricular activities, family, and a personal life. He was struggling to deliver on his responsibilities and felt bad that he hadn’t met the goals he had committed to. No one feels good about overpromising and underdelivering. Why do we over commit ourselves? Is it related to beefing up our resume? Is it a feeling that we’re the only person that can do the job? Are we shopping for new experiences to add to our collection? Are we unaware of how time consuming these commitments will be?

When you have an opportunity to fill your plate, do you leave room or fill it to the brim? Does your method work? Is so, what is your secret? My secret for this holiday season and new year is to leave room around the edges for that opportunity (or dessert) I wasn’t anticipating.

Is this slide truly necessary?

When creating your next PowerPoint slides, pause and ask yourself: Is this slide truly necessary? Sometimes, less is more when it comes to impactful presentations. Watch this video to learn more...

We're published in The MSL - Journal of the Medical Science Liaison Society!

Kimberly Cremers, PharmD and I are thrilled to share that our article, Skills to Use with Your KOLs Even When Not Networking, has been published in the latest issue of the The MSL - Journal of the Medical Science Liaison Society!

In this piece, we dive into the art of effective networking for Medical Science Liaisons and challenge the myth of the "Super MSL." Networking isn’t about being an extrovert—it’s about being intentional, genuine, and strategic.

Highlights from the article include:

✔️ Dressing to stand out and make an impression.
✔️ Active listening and crafting engaging conversational identity statements.
✔️ Building rapport by remembering personal details about your contacts.
✔️ Applying human relations skills—empathy, collaboration, and adaptability—to foster meaningful connections with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs).

We explore how these skills can enhance your professional impact and create lasting relationships in healthcare.

Take a read and let us know your thoughts: https://lnkd.in/gf6qzW4T

Plus, we’d love to invite you to join our LinkedIn community group, where we share weekly tips to help you become an impactful MSL. Join here: https://lnkd.in/gtYXWB9i

Heading to a conference?

Heading to your next conference? Resist the urge to stick with your usual crew! Step out of your comfort zone, introduce yourself to someone new, and see where the conversation takes you. You never know what opportunities might come from that first hello! Watch this video to learn more...

What do beach balls and emotions have in common?

I was reviewing training content about emotions, not only identifying them but also managing them, and the analogy to a beach ball was made. If you hold a beach ball under water, no matter the energy you devote to it, the ball will eventually pop up… And might even bop you in the face. Emotions are the same. You can ignore them, hide them, compartmentalize them, but they will eventually surface.

The training encouraged participants to identify an emotion, including the intensity, and manage how they react to the emotion. Self-awareness is the first step, which includes not only recognition of the emotion but how your reaction to that emotion will impact others. This is the foundation of emotional intelligence.

The next step is self-management, which is, well, managing how you react amid that emotion or a stressful situation. Is your heart racing? Have you lost your breath? Are your hands sweaty? Those are signs you may be experiencing an amygdala hijack. If unaddressed, this can last up to 18 minutes! That’s a long time to make a mistake in your communications. You determine the outcome by what you do next. Interested in self-management? Good! Start by pausing and taking a breath, then take a few minutes to reflect and assess the situation. Based on the situation, is there a way to relieve the pressure?

Why are these steps necessary during a stressful or negative situation? Taking these steps and waiting the hijacker out will likely result in a more productive outcome when you make your next move.

What to say when you don't know what to say

Ever been at a loss for words? Perhaps you’ve been challenged or feel disrespected, or you quite simply don’t know the answer. This will happen to even the most seasoned MSL. Therefore, never take things personally, even though it may often feel that way. You could even be barraged with insensitive or embarrassing language or be read out by your manager in public. Or, most dreadfully, you could suffer a sudden firing. Don’t take it personally! Instead, consider what to do about it.

Often a simple “I don’t know but I will check it out” suffices for scientific questions from your KOL. If you are being humiliated in front of your team by Manager Evil, silence is a good strategy. Another pioneered by psychiatrist Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs is to simply say, “Excuse me Manager Evil but I have to go to the bathroom, be right back!” (Few will follow you there!) You can speak to or confront Manager Evil privately later and see what it was all about. Often, they will apologize, make excuses, etc. Don’t stop there. Ask something like, “How can I be assured this won’t happen again?” Don’t take it personally!

And like Chief Medical Officers in health care systems who have a shelf life of 7-9 years, your time may come. Personalities, expectations, third parties, politics, mistakes, and any number of issues can lead to your firing. When it happens, it will be without warning, very sudden, and without appeal. No matter how you feel, switch to negotiation mode for the best severance you can get. Sign nothing under pressure.

Don’t take it personally! But of course, it will very much feel personal and there will be time for you to mourn… Just don’t do it in the moment. Your power resides in your silence. Process your feelings later. Seek whatever explanation you can get (often this will be very unsatisfying compliments of HR). Don’t take it personally!

Setting the Agenda with your KOL

Do you have a standard opening with your KOL visits? Is it purposeful? Does it get down to business efficiently?

In our attempt to be friendly, we may wind up with the openers that our commercial colleagues use: the weather, the office, the sports, etc. This works for them because the KOL expects it. Friendly banter till the message comes out. But MSLs operate (or should operate) at a different level.

So, how do you open things up? One of our MSL friends tells us that he wants to set the agenda early and often to set the expectation that he is going to deliver value. His pattern quite quickly goes like this:

“Dr. _______, good to see you. My name is ________, a Medical Science Liaison with _______, and I’d like to talk with you about your experience with (Rx) and some of our new research. So today, I first want to hear your questions, give you our latest data, and I have a question for you. Does that agenda work for you?”

You can vary this according to your relationship of course, but setting the agenda early and often, getting to the point, asking and offering may help you sound even more like the professional you are in the mind of the KOL. This is not a commercial visit! It is also a visit with promises of answers, data, and even asking for the expertise of the KOL.

However you decide to say hello, how does it help get things going and under your control?

How we deliver our words

What's the REAL challenge for you here?
What's the real CHALLENGE for you here?
What's the real challenge for YOU here?

Did you notice how the emphasis changes the meaning entirely? How we deliver our words can shift someone’s perspective—or even our own. Sometimes, the right tone and focus are all it takes to unlock deeper insights. Watch this video to learn more...

What does my manager want?

The famous psychiatrist Alfred Adler proposed a life lived on the horizontal plane. In his time, the early 1900s, life was lived on the vertical plane, some people are ‘up’ and some are ‘down’…this was his notion of superiority and inferiority…and no one likes to be inferior for long! (The power in a vertical relationship is actually the person on the bottom…they can leave!) When it comes to managers and teams, consider acting ‘as if’ you have a horizontal relationship.

Consider your situation. You may have a great manager or one who is going to help you find your next job! Managers are “managed” by someone over them and their performance and bonus is dependent on how their managers feel about their work with their team.

Often when we receive feedback, it takes many forms, but is usually aimed at what we need to do more of, pushing us to that bottom role of the vertical relationship, even if only in our mind’s eye.

When you are on the receiving end of feedback, consider discussing with your manager how your goals fit into the manager’s goals or team’s goals… And more so how it fits into your boss’ boss’ goals.

Gaining this perspective may help you translate your work into action that makes more sense, might be easier to achieve, may lessen any conflictual feelings spoken or unspoken, and (from your manager’s point of view) may be seen as a partnership going forward.

Getting the answers to “why” will provide further clarity on your impact and how the insights you gain can move the company’s/department’s mission forward. Act ‘as if’ you are an equal and you’re your ‘feedback’ into the context of your manager’s.

Adler said, “To truly understand another person, we must see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and feel with their heart.”