Betty Larson’s Post

Celebrating 12 Years at Merck! This milestone comes in conjunction with a recent business trip to one of our manufacturing and research sites in The Netherlands. Reflecting on my journey from the lab – where I started as someone who dreaded chemistry – to now, it's incredible to see how far I've come. If you had told me back then about the opportunities and experiences ahead, I would have thought you were crazy! Initially, my focus was simply on doing my best each week and making it to Friday. Over the years, I've had the privilege of holding various positions within Merck. However, the most fulfilling roles have been in Learning and Development. My current goal, both personally and for my team, is to collaborate on creating the best learning solutions that benefit both the learner and the business. When others win and succeed, we all win and succeed. My recent trip to The Netherlands was all about setting our learning teams up for success and redefining excellence. True learning goes beyond compliance; it's a powerful business tool that can unlock the potential of both people and organizations. When done right, the return on investment is immense – from business performance and safety to compliance, output, employee fulfillment, and retention. My journey to this point has been indirect, but every step has prepared me for the next. There are countless people to thank for making my time at Merck special, and I'm grateful to each one of you. Here's to many more years of growth, learning, and success! 🌟 #Merck #LearningAndDevelopment #CareerJourney #TeamSuccess #UnlockPotential #BusinessGrowth

Another great NextGen session. My Key Takeaways from John’s Insights: 1. Set Clear Goals: When being asked to provide opinion, avoid saying “anything is fine.”Let your ideas be heard. 2. Embrace Variety: Don’t be afraid to try different things. Every effort you put in will eventually pay off. 3. Stay Humble: Humility is your best friend. It keeps you grounded and open to learning. My action plan: start to reflect and summarize my takeaways at workplace. #AmCham #NextGen #AmChamTaiwan

As I start my summer vacation, I am filled with gratitude for the chance to see María Soledad Sepúlveda again here in 🇨🇭(Since last year, both of us have been living in Europe) She has been a great leader and a guiding light in my career at #Pharma. One of the best things about having worked at #Pfizer was the lasting friendships I've made 🩵 When I was nearly 24, I was working in the Regulatory area; Sole noticed something in me. She believed in my potential and invited me to join her team in Marketing (in the digital marketing area) . That moment, 8 years ago, started a journey that changed my life 🫶 Today, as I look back, I am deeply thankful. Sole didn't just give me a job; she gave me the courage to dream bigger and the tools to achieve those dreams. Her mentorship has been priceless, offering me guidance, support, and the occasional push when I needed it most (Especially when I made the decision to leave Pfizer and join my current company Grünenthal Group for new and ATOMIC challenges) #Leadership is more than just leading a team; it’s about inspiring and nurturing those around you. Today, I am very thankful for Sole and all the great leaders I have met (I've been fortunate to have incredible bosses 🍀 ) . They have taught me that believing in someone can ignite a spark that changes not just careers, but lives. As I enjoy my summer vacation, I carry with me the lessons and gratitude for those who have helped shape my journey , and that have taught me to be and continue being a leader♥️ #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipSkills #LeadershipTips #LeadershipMatters #Inspiration #InspirationalLeadership #InspireOthers #InspiringLeaders #InspirationDaily #Motivation #MotivationalLeadership #InspireToLead #LeadershipJourney #LeadAndInspire #pfizer #grunenthal #career #mentorship #mentor #pharma #pharmaceutical #omnichannel #digitalMarketing

I have very mixed emotions today, as it is my last day with Takeda. I joined the company through an acquisition of Shire and have been at the combined company since 2016. There is so much to be proud of over my tenure here and so many friendships that I've made, and I will cherish it forever. My career wouldn't be where it is today if not for the support and trust put in me by special leaders like Luis F. Rojas and the opportunities afforded to me by a company with a mission that is so much bigger than myself or any single person. It's daunting to think about being part of an organization that is based thousands of miles away, has existed since 1781 (!!!), impacts countless people's lives in profound ways, and does so with an incredibly strong value system. The PTRB (Patient-Trust-Reputation-Business) way of thinking has left a permanent shift in my ideology and philosophy, teaching me so much about what it means to think bigger than one's self. I hope that I was able to contribute to that mission in a meaningful way, even if only transient like a single snare hit over the course of an album. It's wild to look back to when I started at the company in 2016, fresh out of business school, full of energy and ambition, and largely inexperienced in the dynamics of how a massive global organization really functions. It's one thing to have read about how executive level decisions are made, how to influence those decisions, how to be both a good leader and a good manager but it's another to practice them. I had the amazing fortune of learning under Luis F. Rojas, a person that I will always look up to as what a leader and a man should be. He taught me so much about leading with humility and integrity, challenging with respect, treating others equally and fairly regardless of their level or background, and how to be a great manager at the same time. More than all of that, he taught me how to be a better person, father, and partner. He afforded me the opportunity to be part of conversations at the highest level that I could have only dreamed of when reading about them in business school case studies. I was able to be a part of executive conversations and decisions on shaping how we supported employees at the onset of the pandemic, shaping our return-to-work policies, and informing how we prioritize the things that truly mattered to our incredible workforce. Success doesn't occur in a vacuum; it happens when everyone is aligned on a common purpose, and you are afforded the opportunity to make a difference. These accomplishments are not my own, they are of the team I was a part of. This is the lesson that Takeda has taught me and that I will take with me forever. My next step brings me back into the People Analytics space and I'm really excited to take everything I've learned to build another world-class team. It's equal parts scary and exciting to start over but that's what makes it fun! Thank you, Takeda, for everything you have done for my career.

Three milestones at work this week: 1. Celebrated my three year anniversary with CSL Behring with my team at our North America Business Meeting in Tampa, Florida. 2. Was honored, alongside two of my close friends and peers with the "Leadership" award for our contributions to our team and company in delivering the highest level of patient focus. 3. I was advanced within our career ladder to Senior MSL. at CSL, (this is achieved by accomplishing KPI milestones, not just by years of tenure within the company or industry) Regarding the Leadership Award: It does not sound as flashy from a "Pharma Brag Book" nor is it as lucritive from a compensation perspective compared to a President's Club or Circle of Excellence...(not that I am complaining about winning COE last year). As I reflect on what this recognition means to me, I can't help but to return to the thought process that recognitions such as this Leadership Award, and The Collaboration Award I received at a prior company just hits differently. I feel that when we recognize values that lead to long term success within a team, as well as the more prestigious personal accolades mentioned earlier, you create a culture of support and a "team first" mentality while still motivating everyone to continue to grow and lean into challenges. And I acknowledge that by working in pharma, we should always strive to grab that "brass ring" that is proof of being a consistant top performer to assure job security as well as long term company goal obtainment. I also recognize that covid, the lockdown and work from home changed many team dynamics and in some cases, appears to have reduced the trust and cross functional understanding between various teams in a company. Perhaps more thought and resources could be allocated to recognize those on teams that achieve these interpersonal and collaborative recognitions as a way to reset the team dynamic within the current reality, in which we operate. I've heard the old saying, "Happy Wife Equals a Happy Life" and perhaps similarly, commercial success can be linked to the quality of the interpersonal relationships of our cross-functional teams in pharma. (Please excuse the gender/role specific language if your personal identification differs) I apologise for the "Deep Thoughts" from 35000 ft as I fly back to New Orleans. Maybe I should take a nap.

Such an inspiring story from Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany 👇 on several levels: * "Business Growth cannot be separated from People Growth" * how an enterprise-wide Skill initiative unearthed disparate initiatives going on across the org * how upskilling encouraged an employee to Stand Up and Step Forward! 💕

As someone who deeply values both professional fulfillment and societal impact, I find Sanofi's approach to career development particularly inspiring. The idea of making your passion your purpose resonates strongly with me, and Sanofi's new careers site seems like a powerful gateway to realizing that potential. Sanofi's emphasis on aligning one's passion with their professional endeavors is not just a motivational tagline—it's a call to action. The opportunity to work in a field where your efforts directly contribute to improving people's lives, supporting families, and uplifting communities is profoundly rewarding. It's about finding meaning in your work and knowing that each day you’re making a tangible difference. The phrase "chasing the miracles of science" captures the essence of what drives innovation at Sanofi. It's about being part of groundbreaking research and development that pushes the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. This kind of environment is incredibly stimulating for anyone passionate about science and medicine. It's a place where curiosity meets purpose, and where professional growth goes hand-in-hand with making a positive impact. #SanofiStories #SanofiRecHub

At MSD, we strongly support our employees in achieving their personal aspirations because we believe that "what’s important to you, is important to us". This year we worked with some of our incredible employees to share their passions, personal beliefs, and explain why these aspects are vital to them. We asked one simple question: “What’s important to you?”. You can dive into the remarkable stories and see the impact of finding a company that values both personal and professional growth via this link - https://bit.ly/3PyX9Nq    Learn more about our job opportunities - https://bit.ly/3NsMgMU    #ImportantToMe #MSDCareers

Strolling down memory lane some 15 years past. Celebrating career milestones not only provides a sense of accomplishment but also boosts confidence and motivation. Each milestone reached serves as a stepping stone towards reaching higher levels of success and fulfillment in your career. Thank you, Marketing Executives of the Pharmaceutical-Healthcare Industry (MEPI) for sharing my story. #marketer #careerdevelopment #excellence #MEPI

What a way to wrap up three weeks of business travel throughout Europe! I met with many amazing internal and external partners, visited five countries, four of which were first-time visits, and I celebrated my one-year anniversary with MilliporeSigma (Merck Group). I even got to have a reunion with a special former partner, Dagmar Schubert over dinner as it was a very short detour. I've learned so much, I don't even know where to begin. It has been quite a year. Last year, when I made the decision to embark on a new adventure, I didn't know what to expect and the unknown frightened me but excited me at the same time. I wasn't sure if I could do as well at a larger organization (imposter syndrome) and I remained consistent in the following ways to prepare myself for my new endeavor: - Communication: I communicated the responsibilities and assignments I was looking for to utilize and develop my skill set, as well as to keep me on my career road map. Thankfully, my leadership listened and took action. - Curiosity: I was open to live feedback, new experiences, new learnings, and the challenges (known and unknown). Thankfully, my curiosity didn't kill me. - Conscious development: I came into my role and new company with a 30/60/90 day plan and a road map. Thankfully, it wasn't deemed "too soon" for me to have a plan. - Networking: To be successful, I knew I had to know who my people resources were. Thankfully, everyone was willing to share their time and expertise! - Impact: I sought to make an impact wherever I was. Thankfully, the impact was measurable and visible. - Leadership: I sought to lead from where I was. Thankfully, it didn't come off as "bossy." To top off my Euro tour and one-year anniversary, I was nominated and accepted into Merck's High Potential Employee 2024 Cohort. I'm excited to explore the learning and networking opportunities this program brings in the year ahead. Now, I look forward to going home and spending quality time with my husband, daughter, and four-legged babies.