Success leaves clues – why do some succeed

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This afternoon I bumped into an old client.

We chatted for a bit, and  I noted that his industrial sector was in a far better place than groups in a similar place.

Here are some of the reasons for this.

 

  1. They planned and resourced for the long term. They realize that regulatory, policy and legislative change happens over the long term and takes a long-term commitment. This takes real resources.
  2. Their best line of defence is having state-of-the-art, high-quality, independent science.  It serves  them well. They run studies ahead of time. They proactively respond to likely scientific and regulatory challenges, so when the challenges came up,  they have  the answer.
  3. Their next best line of defence is having great data and studies available to respond to the likely regulatory and political challenges. The quality of their studies is  excellent.
  4. They step in early. No regulatory or legislative challenges are a surprise for them. Not that they wanted them. But they plan for the reasonable worst-case scenario and have the case, evidence, and solutions available.
  5. They use the finest experts and insisted they give them their independent best judgement. They had one question that they asked people”  If we don’t like the result of one of your studies, will you change something that we do like”.  Anyone who answered yes to that question didn’t work with them.
  6. They keep their customers informed throughout.  EU regulatory, policy and political challenges did not surprise customers. Their support proved invaluable.
  7. Senior commercial leaders provid the leadership. They realised the importance of proper product defence. There was no culture of only bringing good news to the leadership.
  8. They are  constructive and engaged across the EU 27 and Brussels. If a meeting needed to happen, they’d make sure it happened.
  9. They bring real solutions to the table. A regulator who many fear,  backed their cause.
  10. They realise that you deal with the process not as you want it to be, but how it is, and by doing so, they not only survive, were many others did not, but continue to prosper.
  11. Just because they did not like something being put forward did not mean they did not do 1-10.

They did not always do this. They nearly faced a ban. They changed path and did the above.