Leadership Disconnect

June 12, 2025

“Without a shared framework to connect the dots, every communication becomes an exercise in mixed messaging.”

Same Company, Different Stories

This is where the problem gets really interesting. In my experience, the stakeholder confusion is often a symptom of a deeper issue: leadership alignment.

I've been in countless meetings and asked healthcare company executives to tell me their company's story. Here's what typically happens:

The CEO focuses on the bold vision: "We're transforming how patients access life-changing therapies."

The Chief Medical Officer emphasizes clinical innovation: "Our platform addresses a fundamental gap in current treatment paradigms."

The Chief Commercial Officer talks market opportunity: "We're positioned to capture significant share in a $10 billion addressable market."

The Head of People zeroes in on culture: “We’re creating an environment that attracts top talent and helps our team do their best work.”

The Head of Business Development highlights partnerships: "We're building an ecosystem that leverages complementary capabilities."

Same company. Same mission. Five different stories.

None of these leaders is wrong. Each perspective is valid and critical to telling their story. But without a shared framework that connects these dots, every communication opportunity becomes an exercise in mixed messaging.