2020 has been a challenging year for all industries. For pharma and its HCP customers even more so. All eyes are on the companies developing vaccines and drugs for treatment of COVID-19, while doctors have closed their doors for pharma reps. Long established processes have been disrupted and complex market strategies have been rendered useless. Each pharma no matter big or small, innovative, or generic, had to improvise and come up with contingency plans to save the year. Some have been slower waiting for the old ways to come back, others have been more agile experimenting with digital and expanding boundaries, most are in the middle digitally curious but not risking too much.

Will Omicron Wave be a Repeat Rx for Indian Pharma?

How had Indian Pharma responded to the challenges brought on by the Covid19 crisis and the inability to connect with doctors and other Rx influencers? Is it back to business-as-usual or have some companies learned from their mistakes and become digital savvy? How will Indian Pharma cope with the possibility of another lockdown and meeting restrictions looming in view of the rising Omicron wave?

Are Managers Really Necessary?

In the organisational context, LEADERSHIP appears more glamorous than the word MANAGEMENT. When it comes to a team whether small or large, we need to realise that the first requirement is to be an effective manager and then a leader. Why so? First and foremost, Managers are responsible for making sure that things are done properly. And while leaders may bring us vision, inspiration and challenge, these things count for nothing without the efficient implementation brought about by good management. To be a great manager, you must have an extensive set of skills, both hard and soft – from planning and delegation to communication and motivation. The skill set is so wide, and hence, for your long-term success, it's wise to analyse your skills in all areas of management – and then to challenge yourself to improve in all of these areas. So, a fundamental question that is unasked, but lingers in the mind often is, Are managers really necessary?