Technical knowledge and communication skills - 'The Enablers', Issue VI, Vol. 1 12 December 2010

Dear Friends,

A few days back I was discussing with my friend Mr. Satish Dandekar, Vice President, Ipca Laboratories about the importance of communication and product knowledge for effective in-clinic performance. He made a very interesting and relevant observation.

He said that product knowledge is as important as excellent communication skills for top-class in-clinic performance.  Where else will the medical representatives get confidence to communicate effectively?

I fully subscribe to his views and dedicate this Issue VI, Volume I of ‘The Enablers’ to Mr. Satish Dandekar for bringing out this very important point.

Issue VI, Volume I of ‘The Enablers’ dwells on the subject of the importance of developing product knowledge to enhance communication skills. 

While a medical representative should have sound product knowledge, the depth of knowledge of a first-line manager should be at least three times more. He should easily articulate product knowledge, especially with new products. Off-the cuff remarks and objections made by physicians may be struck down with factual information on the product. Or else, we and our team may fall into the trap of ‘One-Doctor Syndrome’.

Please do let me have your feed-back on this issue of ‘The Enablers’.

With warm regards,

Vivek Hattangadi

079-26601479 / 9376100041

vivekhattangadi@yahoo.co.in / theenablers@gmail.com

Technical knowledge and communication skills

Very recently I was watching a clip on communication skills on YouTube. Darryl Cross, who was making the presentation, was saying that for business and career success 87.5% weightage should be given to communication skills and 12.5% to technical knowledge. I reflected on the   observations of my friend Mr. Satish Dandekar.  Is this weightage appropriate in the context of the Indian Pharmaceutical Market? 

Technical skills or product knowledge gives the medical representative the muscle to communicate with confidence. His body language changes and exudes self-belief and enthusiasm.  It makes objection handling smoother and raises his image and of his organization. Poor product knowledge can negatively affect both- the medical representatives and the company’s image. 

Because of the sheer size of the medical representatives in pharmaceutical companies in India today - with some companies having as many as 7500 medical representatives - the measurement of effectiveness of the field-force personnel is a sound business challenge. A few pharmaceutical companies have realized that training medical representatives on selling skills alone is not enough. Training medical representatives on medical science and product knowledge, in addition to developing their soft-skills can make a difference in the in-clinic effectiveness. 

So the cycle is now complete. In the good old days physicians depended a lot on the medical representatives of companies like Carter-Wallace, Pfizer, Parke Davis, Ciba-Geigy, Hoechst and Roche and a few more (M&As have changed many of these names) for product information. Specialist physicians once again today are relying more and more on specialty medical representatives for product information, because they are knowledgeable.

Knowledge is power. For medical representatives and first-line managers, sound product knowledge can mean a different level of communication which translates into more prescriptions. It is difficult to effectively communicate with a physician if we cannot transmute the product features into benefits.  

Product Knowledge Strengthens Communication Skills

Having a thorough awareness and insight of the products allows a medical representative to use diverse techniques and methods of putting forward the product to physicians. Total communication skills will allow a medical representative to recognize and adapt a sales presentation for the various types of doctors. Strong product knowledge builds intrinsic motivation.   

Total communication 

Communication is total or complete when we smoothly blend our actual words with our non-verbal messages. Sound product knowledge will complement this effect. Communication is truly complete when we display aggressive listening techniques. This will make the physician realize that we are truly enthusiastic and interested in his prescriptions. 

  

Seeing someone completely enthusiastic about his product is one of the best selling tools. As we generate excitement for the product, we remove any uncertainty the physician may have about the product. The easiest way to become enthusiastic is to truly believe in the product. And for this, top-class product knowledge is mandatory. 

What is kind of knowledge should a medical representative have?

1. All the indications for the product including off-label indications i.e. indications not yet approved by DCI.
2. The correct dosage for each indication and for every strength of the product. 
3. The mechanism of action of a drug and of the principal ingredients in a drug, when in a fixed dose combination.
4. The adverse drug reactions and its contraindications
5. Knowing drug-drug interaction is vital, as today the prescription trend is towards fixed drug combinations and poly-therapy.
6. How does the molecule differ from other molecules for the same indications? For instance, what is the difference between fluoxetine and escitalopram in depression or how ramipril is different from enalapril or lisinopril?
7. The pricing structure of the product.    

A first-line manager should be at least three times more knowledgeable that the medical representatives. For instance he should have conclusions / results of landmark trials, more so, if it is a new product. To quote an example, a first-line manager who works for a company marketing ramipril should know about the HOPE Trial like the back of his palm.  He should also equally conversant with such clinical trials for competing molecules. He should know about the ATLAS Trial for lisinopril. 

There is no limit to this. Someone has rightly said, I think it is John Kennedy,: “The greater our knowledge increases the more our ignorance unfolds.”

Reflections

·         Darryl Cross gives 87.5% weightage to communication skills and 12.5% to technical skills. How much weightage would you give to product knowledge and total communication skills and why?

·         Why should a first-line manager have at least three times better knowledge than the medical representative?

·         Try to discover more kinds of information which a first0line manager can have to distinguish himself from the medical representative.

Quotable quotes

Information is not knowledge. - Albert Einstein

The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is knowledge of our own ignorance. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. - Benjamin Franklin

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance. – Confucius

True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing. – Aristotle

The software for success for a first-line manager - 'The Enablers', Issue V, Vol. 1 12 November 2010

Dear Friends,

At the outset, I wish you a very Deepawali!

I also wish a Happy New Year to my friends from Gujarat whose new starts on 7th November!

The 5^th issue of ‘The Enablers’ issue brings you the second part of the article from Mr. Atmanathan S. who has been dedicating his time towards development of First-line managers in the Indian pharma industry. For more details, please do refer our 3^rd (i.e. September 2010 issue).  Also all past issues are available on the blog: http://theenablersnewsletter.blogspot.com.

In this issue, Mr. Atmanathan S.  writes about the development of application software for the First-line managers and how important these managerial soft skills are.

Please do go through it and feel free to express your candid comments and valuable feedback on this article. I welcome your suggestions to further enrich this e-newsletter. 

Of course, you have every right to transmit this issue to the First-line managers and other related field staff in your organization.

You can write to vivekhattangadi@yahoo.co.in or the enablers@gmail.com.

With warm regards,

Vivek Hattangadi

Ahmedabad 

079-26601479 / 9376100041  

Congratulations! Now, you are an Area Sales Manager!

The software for success (Part 2)

By: Atmanathan S.

In my previous article in the September Issue, I had stressed upon the importance of mindset. You will recall that mindset is similar to the operating system of a computer.  Operating system is an interface between hardware and software in a computer system.  Without an operating system, a computer would be useless. For effectiveness of a computer, apart from the operating system, many more application softwares are necessary.

Similarly, for the effectiveness of a First-line manager many such application softwares are a must. These are the behavioural aspects of a practising manager which is closely linked to ‘mindset’. We shall discuss a few of them here.   

Remember, all these application softwares can work smoothly only if the operating system namely our mindset is precise and appropriate. There are some commonalities too.

Application software for First-line managers

Self Awareness for self development: A manager should be aware of his own qualities – his strengths and his improvement areas (generally called weaknesses). One of the important awareness is to understand our social needs. These needs are called ‘need for power’, need for affiliation’ and ‘need for achievement’. A manager should introspect regularly and understand which need is dominant. A balance of these needs is ideal. Do a SWOT Analysis regularly.  High level of self discipline that leads to effective habits and practises. Self-discipline is the ability to get ourselves to take action regardless of our emotional state. Some components of self-discipline include hard work, willpower and persistence. Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more we train it, the stronger we become. Practising self-discipline will raise our esteem and respect before all. 3.    Principles and value centeredness:  Any manager who practises high principles and values can earn respect of others. Preaching principles is far easier than practising.   4.    Clear personal and professional goals:  If a manager has clarity in his personal and professional goals, he will be the ‘torch bearer’ to his followers.  This is one important competency that a manager needs to develop. 5.    Passion for goal achievement: If we have a passion, this positive quality will spread among our team members. 6.    High energy and enthusiasm level: Enthusiasm is extremely contagious and spreads rapidly.  High energy and enthusiasm levels in the manager can motivate everyone. 7.    Conviction & Commitment: In whatever we do, we should have 100% faith, belief and conviction. Do not indulge in any activity in which we do not believe nor should we ask others to do. 8.    Determination, resilience and tenacity:  In life success and failure are common. How strongly we follow our goals without getting disheartened is a great managerial quality. 9.    Managerial Maturity: It is the ability to control anger and settle differences without hostility towards any one. Managerial maturity means patience. It also means perseverance. A mature manager has the capacity to face unpleasantness and frustration, discomfort and defeat, without complaint or collapse. He is full of humility and is courageous enough to say, "I was wrong." And, when right, does not derive satisfaction by saying, "I told you so."  10. Interpersonal Skills: Interpersonal Skills are essential to build an achieving team. Any team is built on the platform of:                i.        Openness and Transparency              ii.        Mutual Respect and Mutual Trust             iii.        Positivity If all the 3 things are in place, then the Manager, through his interpersonal skills, can build an achieving team.  Interpersonal skills consists of (a)Effective observation & listening ability (b)Sensitivity & behavioural flexibility (c) Empathy (d) Supportiveness (f)  Broad mindedness and magnanimity (g)Responding rather then reacting

Let us consciously work on these application software’s and strive to make them flawless. We have to work on ‘Hardware’ too, which we will discuss in the next article.

Stimulators

1.   1. Have you ever done a SWOT Analysis? If not done so far, do it on a regular basis and discuss with your immediate superior.

2. 2. What is the first step to ensure self-discipline in your team?

3.3. Which application software will you develop for your career progress?

Pearls of wisdom from some great people

“Self improvement simply means improving your overall personality- physical, mental and spiritual- through your own efforts. It is a continuous process”. - Anon “Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.”  - August Wilson “Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else”. - Judy Garland