Derek Lowe, an Arkansan by birth, got his BA from Hendrix College and his PhD in organic chemistry from Duke before spending time in Germany on a Humboldt Fellowship on his post-doc. He's worked for several major pharmaceutical companies since 1989 on drug discovery projects against schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, diabetes, osteoporosis and other diseases.
To contact Derek email him directly: derekb.lowe@gmail.com
Twitter: Dereklowe
"I Will Cherish the Personally Autographed Book Forever. . ."
Posted by Derek
The research scientists in a drug company often don't mesh well with the marketing people (two cultures, and and all that). For an entertaining look at why this might be the case, try this from BNET Pharma, and just shake your head in amazement. . .
Someone who writes a book about his childhood being a lesson for others in leadership, and then gets all these blatant, brown-nosing comments from underlings, has to raise alarm bells.
This is from his website:
“Steve doesn’t just write about leadership–he lives it each and every day. His career has forged new paths–for one of the biggest companies in the world. His take on leadership has been proven in the second toughest arena of all, the market. One day, let’s see him run for office.”
Didn't someone during his childhood say that you should be judged based on the things you say and do and not based on untrue statements found on your personal websites? Oh right, there was no internet back then.
Does he realize this reads like an Onion article? Self-parody at best is "sincerity with a motive" (as someone else put it quoted in DFW's essay on TV), and that's if you intended it. At worst, it's...well, kind of like this incident.
If there's a management seminar on this, will it be pro or con?
This is pretty much true of the marketing people vs. the rest at ANY company (speaking as someone working in publishing...). Those who can, do, and those who can merely be randomly enthusiastic, market.
19. RB Woodweird on January 30, 2009 7:32 AM writes...
As of this morning, Amazon still has only 4 reviews for this book, all from toadying sycophants. Come on, people, get busy! Where is the creativity of the old Pipeline crowd? It's not over until WE say it's over! Did we give up when the Germans invaded Pearl Harbor?
20. sychophant on January 30, 2009 10:46 AM writes...
And this kind of brown nosing doesn't go on in science? Big pharma isn't full of kiss ass scientists, laying such accolades on their group leaders etc. to climb the corporate scumbag ladder.
I guessing that they don't feel the need to write books in the creative writing section discussing their managment styles, so there isn't the need to make your psychological trials into public knowledge. (That may be because no one thinks that a researcher's life is interesting - oh well.) Also, there's the pesky problem of reality to deal with - marketing depends on what people think (which is a subjective thing in the best of times and is inherently hard to measure), while the research end is almost exclusively dependent on easily measurable outcomes (so that sucking up to your boss won't help you as much if you have nothing to provide).
1. RB Woodweird on January 29, 2009 11:20 AM writes...
The smell on my nose will linger forever!!!!
Permalink to Comment2. startup on January 29, 2009 12:05 PM writes...
Yeah, well, the thing is - it pays off. If I were a smarter man I would have licked my CEO's ass from day one.
Permalink to Comment3. HelicalZz on January 29, 2009 12:11 PM writes...
I especially enjoyed the chapter on silicon NMR.
Zz
Permalink to Comment4. Hap on January 29, 2009 12:23 PM writes...
I wonder if his core values have anything to do with how he actually manages. If this is representative, I wonder if reality does, as well.
Do you think this might have something to do with the problems businesses are having?
Permalink to Comment5. arc on January 29, 2009 12:39 PM writes...
Why can I hear the voice of Michael Scott when I read Mr. Stefano's comments?
Permalink to Comment6. eugene on January 29, 2009 12:52 PM writes...
Someone who writes a book about his childhood being a lesson for others in leadership, and then gets all these blatant, brown-nosing comments from underlings, has to raise alarm bells.
This is from his website:
“Steve doesn’t just write about leadership–he lives it each and every day. His career has forged new paths–for one of the biggest companies in the world. His take on leadership has been proven in the second toughest arena of all, the market. One day, let’s see him run for office.”
Didn't someone during his childhood say that you should be judged based on the things you say and do and not based on untrue statements found on your personal websites? Oh right, there was no internet back then.
Well, just don't run for office dude.
Permalink to Comment7. alig on January 29, 2009 1:00 PM writes...
How did his miss out of the CEO race at GSK?
Permalink to Comment8. pharmagossip on January 29, 2009 1:11 PM writes...
Delicious irony
Permalink to Comment9. Hap on January 29, 2009 1:25 PM writes...
Does he realize this reads like an Onion article? Self-parody at best is "sincerity with a motive" (as someone else put it quoted in DFW's essay on TV), and that's if you intended it. At worst, it's...well, kind of like this incident.
If there's a management seminar on this, will it be pro or con?
Permalink to Comment10. SRC on January 29, 2009 1:38 PM writes...
Outstanding. I learned a lot. Better than Harvard or McKinsey. Makes me hope even more that we do have chance to work together.
Next sentence: "Attached please find a copy of my resume."
Permalink to Comment11. Jose on January 29, 2009 2:24 PM writes...
You really should not have posted that. I really didn't think my opinion of executives or marketing could possibly get any lower, but now....
Permalink to Comment12. Distantdiamond on January 29, 2009 5:08 PM writes...
You get the impression that if he was chocolate he would eat himself.
Permalink to Comment13. Rebecca on January 29, 2009 5:12 PM writes...
This is pretty much true of the marketing people vs. the rest at ANY company (speaking as someone working in publishing...). Those who can, do, and those who can merely be randomly enthusiastic, market.
Permalink to Comment14. AR on January 29, 2009 6:31 PM writes...
Good lord! Just as I believe all the potentates were gone from the world here is one in our very midst. Complete with eunuchs to watch over the harem.
Permalink to Comment15. BCP on January 29, 2009 10:24 PM writes...
Funniest thing I've read in a while.
Permalink to Comment16. Bored on January 29, 2009 11:13 PM writes...
"Every night, my kids plead with me to read them a bedtime story from your book. My son loves the table of contents! Way to go Mr. Stefano!!"
Permalink to Comment17. milkshake on January 30, 2009 12:20 AM writes...
I suppose Mr Stefano suffers a massive hard-on by standing in front of a mirror
Permalink to Comment18. DrSnowboard on January 30, 2009 5:45 AM writes...
HelicalZz,
Your comment made me laugh out loud, so funny, so true! I read it twice to believe how it was changing my life!
What's silicon MNR?
Permalink to Comment19. RB Woodweird on January 30, 2009 7:32 AM writes...
As of this morning, Amazon still has only 4 reviews for this book, all from toadying sycophants. Come on, people, get busy! Where is the creativity of the old Pipeline crowd? It's not over until WE say it's over! Did we give up when the Germans invaded Pearl Harbor?
Permalink to Comment20. sychophant on January 30, 2009 10:46 AM writes...
And this kind of brown nosing doesn't go on in science? Big pharma isn't full of kiss ass scientists, laying such accolades on their group leaders etc. to climb the corporate scumbag ladder.
Permalink to Comment21. Hap on January 30, 2009 1:04 PM writes...
I guessing that they don't feel the need to write books in the creative writing section discussing their managment styles, so there isn't the need to make your psychological trials into public knowledge. (That may be because no one thinks that a researcher's life is interesting - oh well.) Also, there's the pesky problem of reality to deal with - marketing depends on what people think (which is a subjective thing in the best of times and is inherently hard to measure), while the research end is almost exclusively dependent on easily measurable outcomes (so that sucking up to your boss won't help you as much if you have nothing to provide).
Permalink to Comment22. dearieme on February 1, 2009 3:12 PM writes...
Puke-provoking.
Permalink to Comment23. Chemgrad on February 2, 2009 3:52 AM writes...
Germans?
Forget it. He's rollin'.
Permalink to Comment