Last week, I was chatting with this really sharp global head of talent acquisition for a mid-size pharma company. We were in the thick of it, trying to pinpoint the best people to lead their operations in Japan. The conversation took a super interesting turn. We started talking about… get this… the “importance of failure.”
Now, it wasn’t like we were hoping to find someone with a laundry list of screw-ups! Instead, he made a compelling point about how crucial it is for a leader, especially in a market as unique as Japanese pharma, to have navigated some tough times and come out the other side wiser.
Think about it – the Japanese pharma is complex. You’ve got the intricate dance with PMDA, market access issues and the demands of KOL’s. His take was that someone who’s only ever cruised through success might be in for a serious shock when things inevitably get complicated, or they may not have the self-awareness to realize their shortcomings. They might just lack that inner resilience, that flexibility, to steer the ship when the waters get choppy.
It really got me thinking. It’s not about celebrating mistakes, but about truly valuing the insights you gain when things don’t go according to plan. This talent guru emphasized that real leadership, particularly in a market as culturally rich and business specific as Japan, often blossoms not from a spotless history, but from the grit and adaptability you develop when facing setbacks. It’s about digging into why something went wrong, owning it, and, most importantly, changing how you do things moving forward. That perfect resume might get you an interview, but it’s the stories of how you bounced back from tough times that really show what you’re made of as a leader in Japan.
