This guy nailed it, our leader does not appear to have been prepared to lead if you ask me.
Perceptions can be wrong. RTBKPL
I have always tried to be measured with my words and comments on CP. Honesty (truth) is the first casualty of war and pharmaceutical sales, and I don't wish to create any casualties.
Our "perceptions" of one another are a developmental kind of thing. Our words, actions and inactions and the comments from others about us all combine to create an image of ourselves in the minds of those with whom we interact. In short, your perception of me is based not only on what I have written, but includes the comments of others, good, bad or indifferent. Your "perception" is also largely a result of you "interpretation" of what I have said.
With that in mind, I would like to make a few comments about Dan Vasella. Our work life and futures depends at least in part on those who make the decisions for our companies. Remember that these words are my interpretation of what was said and written by others about Dan in reportedly direct and indirect interviews. The internet is an interesting world to explore.
It would appear that Dan Vasella had a difficult childhood to say the least. In the HBR, Thursday June 14, 2007, "Daniel Vasella's inspiring story," Dan relates the trials and tribulations of his childhood which were quite compelling. To make a long story short, Dan apparently suffered from food poisoning, asthma, tuberculosis followed by meningitis and a stay in a sanatorium for a year.
Dan's was 10 when his 18 year old sister died of cancer and three years later his father died in surgery. His mother went to work in a distant town and came home only once every three weeks. Left on his own It appears that Dan and his friends held beer parties and got into frequent fights. (all right Dan, now something to which I can relate)
At 20 Dan entered medical school, later graduating with honors. During medical school, he sought out psychotherapy so he could come to terms with his early experiences and not feel like a victim. Good choice Dan, we all need help at times. Nothing wrong with reaching out for help. When I was 20 I too needed psychotherapy. So I bought myself a bottle of psychotherapy, drank it and quickly learned that psychotherapy can make you puke up everything but the little hairs around your butt. My commander at the time told me that psychotherapy should be taken in short bursts, not big gulps. I decided that psychotherapy was not for me and haven't touched psychotherapy since. So much for psychotherapy.
In an article by Jorn Madslien, BBC business report in Basel, Switzerland entitled "Profile" Novartis chief Daniel Vasella, Madslien reports the following about Dan. An interesting time line to say the least:
"Dr Vasella was a late entrant to the world of private enterprise.
While still in his early thirties, he was a physician, having risen to become head of a hospital. But his world crumbled: the young doctor suffered a breakdown that would force him to reconsider everything. Psychotherapy proved to be the answer. He now describes it as a life-saving experience that freed him from his past. "It is not a crisis, it is a recognition of who you are, what you like, how you want to live your life," he says.
So he made a decision, which at the time must have seemed more foolhardy than gutsy. In 1988, he quit his job at the hospital and moved to New Jersey to become a travelling salesman for the Swiss drugs firm Sandoz, pitching medicines to general practitioners.
Dr Vasella soon rose within the ranks at Sandoz, working in brand and product management before returning to Switzerland in 1992 to take charge of world marketing. Two years later he was crowned as Sandoz's chief executive."
Very interesting time line. Four years from "traveling salesman" to COO of world marketing and two more years to CEO of Sandoz. All this after an admitted breakdown requiring psychotherapy. I am sure by now we are all aware that Dan's wife is the niece of the former Chairman of the Board of Sandoz. Accusations of nepotism have been made along his career path with Sandoz and later Novartis. You decide for yourself. In another interview Vasella was questioned about his meteoric rise at Sandoz. He answered by saying that he was a fact based person and he wasn't afraid to work hard. Oh? What about Uncle Hans? Just funning with you Dan, just funning with you.
My perception of Dan Vasella at the merger was that of a man with an MD and an alum of the Harvard Business School. What better qualifications could one have than a medical degree and an advanced business degree from an institution such as Haaaavahd? He appears on the list of Notable Alumni from the Haaavvvahd MBA and executive programs right in there with likes of William Anders (astronaut), George W. Bush (?????), Michael Bloomberg, Stephen Covey, Robert McNamara, Mitt Romney and a plethora of other well known individuals. Some pretty impressive company if you ask me.
I have come to learn that Dan actually attended the Program for Management Development (PMD) a "two to three MONTH" executive education program for high-potential middle managers. It is described as a full-time, intensive learning experience that covered all aspects of management-from accounting, finance, technology and operations...to competition, strategy, and marketing...to the international economy and organizational change.
Is it possible in 8 to 12 weeks to adequately cover the above mentioned information? The average MBA course requires 10 to 12 core course in the first two terms followed by another year of elective course, endless papers, exams and presentations. Graduates of the PMD are granted Alumni status of the Harvard School of Business with all the other perks involved. Is the PMD equal to an MBA, or is this a marriage of convenience between Haaaaavvvhaard and high potential middle managers? I ask the question, you provide the answer for yourself.
Dan is the CEO and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Novartis. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of PepsiCo, Inc., the Board of Dean's Advisors at the Haaavvvaaaahd Business School, and the Board of INSEAD. Dan is also a member of the International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai. Well, Everybody WANG CHUNG TONIGHT. Dan, methinks you might be extended a bit too much, just my constitutionally protected opinion.
So let us examine things for a moment, we are in deep doo doo it would appear. Had we not lost Lotrel, had Galvus and Prexiege been approved, had Zelnorm not experienced problems we would be sailing along quite nicely. Had I been born rich instead of just good lookin I would be on a golf course right now instead of a WiFi cafe with a cup of joe and some fat guy staring at my pastry. I will admit it's a bit difficult to maintain focus right now with things the way they are. Unlike the guys at the top, most of us don't have millions in the bank, stock options up the wazzoo or any kind of parachute in the event of a fall. While mistakes at all levels of management are ubiquitous, some mistakes are more lethal than others. Too bad that our mistakes can hurt others and not just ourselves. Perhaps if this were the case we would all be more careful.
Never let the bastards get you down.
RTBKPL
Perceptions can be wrong. RTBKPL
I have always tried to be measured with my words and comments on CP. Honesty (truth) is the first casualty of war and pharmaceutical sales, and I don't wish to create any casualties.
Our "perceptions" of one another are a developmental kind of thing. Our words, actions and inactions and the comments from others about us all combine to create an image of ourselves in the minds of those with whom we interact. In short, your perception of me is based not only on what I have written, but includes the comments of others, good, bad or indifferent. Your "perception" is also largely a result of you "interpretation" of what I have said.
With that in mind, I would like to make a few comments about Dan Vasella. Our work life and futures depends at least in part on those who make the decisions for our companies. Remember that these words are my interpretation of what was said and written by others about Dan in reportedly direct and indirect interviews. The internet is an interesting world to explore.
It would appear that Dan Vasella had a difficult childhood to say the least. In the HBR, Thursday June 14, 2007, "Daniel Vasella's inspiring story," Dan relates the trials and tribulations of his childhood which were quite compelling. To make a long story short, Dan apparently suffered from food poisoning, asthma, tuberculosis followed by meningitis and a stay in a sanatorium for a year.
Dan's was 10 when his 18 year old sister died of cancer and three years later his father died in surgery. His mother went to work in a distant town and came home only once every three weeks. Left on his own It appears that Dan and his friends held beer parties and got into frequent fights. (all right Dan, now something to which I can relate)
At 20 Dan entered medical school, later graduating with honors. During medical school, he sought out psychotherapy so he could come to terms with his early experiences and not feel like a victim. Good choice Dan, we all need help at times. Nothing wrong with reaching out for help. When I was 20 I too needed psychotherapy. So I bought myself a bottle of psychotherapy, drank it and quickly learned that psychotherapy can make you puke up everything but the little hairs around your butt. My commander at the time told me that psychotherapy should be taken in short bursts, not big gulps. I decided that psychotherapy was not for me and haven't touched psychotherapy since. So much for psychotherapy.
In an article by Jorn Madslien, BBC business report in Basel, Switzerland entitled "Profile" Novartis chief Daniel Vasella, Madslien reports the following about Dan. An interesting time line to say the least:
"Dr Vasella was a late entrant to the world of private enterprise.
While still in his early thirties, he was a physician, having risen to become head of a hospital. But his world crumbled: the young doctor suffered a breakdown that would force him to reconsider everything. Psychotherapy proved to be the answer. He now describes it as a life-saving experience that freed him from his past. "It is not a crisis, it is a recognition of who you are, what you like, how you want to live your life," he says.
So he made a decision, which at the time must have seemed more foolhardy than gutsy. In 1988, he quit his job at the hospital and moved to New Jersey to become a travelling salesman for the Swiss drugs firm Sandoz, pitching medicines to general practitioners.
Dr Vasella soon rose within the ranks at Sandoz, working in brand and product management before returning to Switzerland in 1992 to take charge of world marketing. Two years later he was crowned as Sandoz's chief executive."
Very interesting time line. Four years from "traveling salesman" to COO of world marketing and two more years to CEO of Sandoz. All this after an admitted breakdown requiring psychotherapy. I am sure by now we are all aware that Dan's wife is the niece of the former Chairman of the Board of Sandoz. Accusations of nepotism have been made along his career path with Sandoz and later Novartis. You decide for yourself. In another interview Vasella was questioned about his meteoric rise at Sandoz. He answered by saying that he was a fact based person and he wasn't afraid to work hard. Oh? What about Uncle Hans? Just funning with you Dan, just funning with you.
My perception of Dan Vasella at the merger was that of a man with an MD and an alum of the Harvard Business School. What better qualifications could one have than a medical degree and an advanced business degree from an institution such as Haaaavahd? He appears on the list of Notable Alumni from the Haaavvvahd MBA and executive programs right in there with likes of William Anders (astronaut), George W. Bush (?????), Michael Bloomberg, Stephen Covey, Robert McNamara, Mitt Romney and a plethora of other well known individuals. Some pretty impressive company if you ask me.
I have come to learn that Dan actually attended the Program for Management Development (PMD) a "two to three MONTH" executive education program for high-potential middle managers. It is described as a full-time, intensive learning experience that covered all aspects of management-from accounting, finance, technology and operations...to competition, strategy, and marketing...to the international economy and organizational change.
Is it possible in 8 to 12 weeks to adequately cover the above mentioned information? The average MBA course requires 10 to 12 core course in the first two terms followed by another year of elective course, endless papers, exams and presentations. Graduates of the PMD are granted Alumni status of the Harvard School of Business with all the other perks involved. Is the PMD equal to an MBA, or is this a marriage of convenience between Haaaaavvvhaard and high potential middle managers? I ask the question, you provide the answer for yourself.
Dan is the CEO and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Novartis. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of PepsiCo, Inc., the Board of Dean's Advisors at the Haaavvvaaaahd Business School, and the Board of INSEAD. Dan is also a member of the International Business Leaders Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai. Well, Everybody WANG CHUNG TONIGHT. Dan, methinks you might be extended a bit too much, just my constitutionally protected opinion.
So let us examine things for a moment, we are in deep doo doo it would appear. Had we not lost Lotrel, had Galvus and Prexiege been approved, had Zelnorm not experienced problems we would be sailing along quite nicely. Had I been born rich instead of just good lookin I would be on a golf course right now instead of a WiFi cafe with a cup of joe and some fat guy staring at my pastry. I will admit it's a bit difficult to maintain focus right now with things the way they are. Unlike the guys at the top, most of us don't have millions in the bank, stock options up the wazzoo or any kind of parachute in the event of a fall. While mistakes at all levels of management are ubiquitous, some mistakes are more lethal than others. Too bad that our mistakes can hurt others and not just ourselves. Perhaps if this were the case we would all be more careful.
Never let the bastards get you down.
RTBKPL