Rob Wright is a connector and thought leader in the life science space. He held the role of chief editor of Life Science Leader magazine from 2011-2021, has interviewed hundreds of life science executives, written thousands of articles focusing on a variety of life science topics, and has held numerous roles on the commercial side of life science organizations. In retirement, Rob has been able to reflect on the industry in a fresh way.
Listen in to learn more about Rob’s perspective on the evolving role of leadership in the life science industry.
Some highlights of our conversation include:
4:52 – Wiring Yourself Towards a Bigger Purpose
7:53 – Effective Communication Skills are Ever-Evolving
11:58 – Humility Around Your Weaknesses Highlights Your Strengths
16:29 – Self-Awareness and Self-Investment Makes a Great Leader
17:47 – Leadership Must Be Authentic
18:21 – Trusting Your Judgment: Hurdles to Success
19:24 – Culture Comes From the Leader
20:58 – The Correlation Between Investing in Culture and Seeing Results
27:54 – A CEO Shouldn’t Be Winging It
29:57 – Maintaining Culture with Remote Work
32:53 – Shifting Focus to the Employees
33:58 – Benefits are More than Just Healthcare
36:24 – Reciprocal Benefits of Employee Rewards
39:35 – The Power of Introverts
41:35 – Attention to Detail with People
42:56 – Good Hires Enable Flexibility
43:56 – Always Keep Learning
To learn more about Rob, follow him on Twitter: @RfwrightLSL
You can also read some of his blog articles for Life Science Leader here: lifescienceleader.com/blog/robs-blog
The books mentioned by Rob in the video: The CEO Tightrope by Joel Trammell & The Culture Blueprint by Robert Richman
Notable quotes:
“If you want to find good people to hire, you should be interviewing their spouse over dinner” – Rob Wright
“It’s about purpose, culture, and people” – Jeff Harmon
“You need to live those values.” – Rob Wright
“When you become CEO, you should be listening to your employees so much more.” – Rob Wright
“You cannot over-communicate your vision” – Rob Wright
“If you take the time to get to know people, you will have a much better journey.” – Rob Wright