Building a simple deck is anything but simple.
Back at his workshop, the writer creates an outline, draws countless diagrams, does hours of research—and might even re-do some of this because it didn’t work the first time.
None of this will see the light of day. What everyone sees a simple, singing deck.
Simplicity Is Anything But Simple Read More »
Remember that time when you came out of a medical/legal review as glazed over as a donut?
When a medical/legal review comment flies in the face of what YOU believe it should be, ask yourself: “why is he right?”
Before throwing solutions at the wall in hopes that something will stick, understand what’s really at the root of his concern. Listen for clues in his response. It may not what you had imagined AT ALL.
Empathy eats strategy for breakfast.
Empathy Eats Strategy for Breakfast Read More »
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” –Abraham Lincoln
Upskilling is highly under-rated. For most people: if it happens, it happens; billable work is what counts.
How can anyone in Market Access develop professionally without staying up to date? After all, billable work goes to the ones who are up to date.
As Francis Bacon declared roughly five hundred years ago, “He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils: for time is the greatest innovator.”
Sharpening the Axe Read More »
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” –Jim Rohn
Seek out the right people.
Who Influences Me? Read More »
Market Access professionals are doing the work that matters. But only the work that’s actually done will matter.
There’s a good chance for abandonment if I’m doing it out of convenience/paycheck/promotion.
To do something despite all odds requires a purpose that’s bigger than myself.
Market Access professionals are in the business of SERVICE. They work for manufacturers. Manufacturers are part of the health care system. The North Star of ANYONE working in the health care system should be: “What can I do in order to keep patients healthy enough so they stay OUT of the health care system?”
Imagine if people around us began thinking like this. How efficient would be meetings, projects, budgets, organizations—and even the system as a whole?
Who benefits? Don’t we all?
When something goes wrong, it must be the rookie who screwed up. Even the rookie believes it.
But how the tables turn when the truth surfaces: the rookie wasn’t at fault…it was the expert!
What can happen if experts gracefully accept their mistakes?
What can happen if experts refuse to accept their mistakes?
How would each scenario impact morale of the team and the possibility of a new beginning?
By definition, humans make mistakes (otherwise we would be God). Owning them requires courage and wisdom.
It Wasn’t the Rookie Read More »
Gather a group of people who care enough to contribute. A diverse group actually works in your favor.
Before they come into the brainstorm session, hopefully they think through the problem on their own.
Then, watch the magic happen during the meeting when a brand-new idea emerges that no one could’ve imagined on their own, because it’s actually the product of the individual ideas.
Before dispersing, ask the person who didn’t speak up during the meeting: “what are your thoughts?” This could be another magical moment waiting to happen.
Collaboration at its best!
Two Heads Are Better Than One Read More »
Crafting market access messages is a lot like riding a hoverboard.
The natural tendency is to teeter back and forth in order to avoid falling. In this balancing act, fall is inevitable when leaning in (shameless bragging) or leaning back (by-the-book bland words).
Shift the focus from leaning to gathering a core balance: figure out exactly what needs to be said and find robust references to support it.
An experienced writer (rider—punny!) is good at maintaining core balance and zipping ahead in what seems like second-nature.
Riding the Hoverboard Read More »
A sacrosanct rule of bar charts is to always start the y-axis at ZERO. Starting at any other number skews the chart and can draw trouble and mistrust.
What should be the value of the first bar in the graph below? <3.5 million?
It’s actually 6 million. And this chart actually appeared on a major news network in 2014 (!).
“It’s good to learn from your mistakes. It’s better to learn from other people’s mistakes.” –Warren Buffet
Mistrust Even For Trustful Data Read More »
Market access is about giving.
If you give customers enough of what they want, they will give you everything you want.
Those who want something for nothing, will get nothing for something.
