#028: The Results Are In

The Brutal Questions Pharma Leaders Are ACTUALLY Asking

Last week's Purpose-People-Process diagnostic hit harder than expected. My inbox exploded with scores, confessions, and some uncomfortable truths from pharma leaders across the industry. The results? Fascinating. The questions? Even better. Here are the conversations happening behind closed doors.

Your Triangle Diagnostic Feedback: The Raw Truth

The response to last week's 5-minute diagnostic was extraordinary. Over 340 of you completed it, and the patterns are striking. Purpose scored lowest 67% of the time, People came second at 23%, and Process trailed at just 10%.

But more revealing than the scores were your questions. Here are the most provocative ones, with my unfiltered answers.

The Questions You're Actually Asking

Q: "We have someone everyone knows isn't contributing, but they're well-connected politically. How do we handle this without causing organisational drama?"

A: Stop calling it "political" and start calling it what it is: poor leadership. Every day you avoid this conversation, you're telling your high performers that mediocrity is acceptable. The "drama" you're avoiding is actually happening anyway; it's just silent and corrosive. Your best people are already planning their exits.

Q: "My team scored terribly on Purpose but they're hitting all their KPIs. Are we really broken if the numbers look good?"

A: You're a ticking time bomb. KPIs measure yesterday's work, not tomorrow's capability. Teams with purpose gaps burn out spectacularly when pressure increases. Your people are executing because they're professionals, not because they're inspired. The moment you need them to go beyond their job descriptions, you'll discover the difference.

Q: "Our processes work fine when everything goes according to plan. Isn't that enough?"

A: Pharma doesn't work "according to plan." Regulatory changes, competitive threats, and patient needs don't follow your process manual. If your systems only work in perfect conditions, you don't have systems; you have elaborate hopes. The question isn't whether your processes work when things go right, but whether they help you win when things go sideways.

Q: "My triangle diagnostic showed all three areas need work. Where do I start when everything is broken?"

A: Purpose. Always purpose. You can't fix people issues when they don't understand why their work matters. You can't improve processes when teams aren't aligned on what success looks like. Purpose is the foundation; everything else is scaffolding. Start there, or you'll be rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

Q: "This feels like 'soft skills' training dressed up in business language. How does this actually impact patient outcomes?"