I'm a Teaching Professor at the University of Denver Daniels College of Business and a career mentor. I can help you create the career success you deserve.
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Articles by Bud Bilanich
30 Promotion Killers: Why You're Not Getting Promoted At Work
Have you ever felt like you're stuck on the same rung of the corporate ladder while everyone else is zooming past you? You're not alone. It's not easy to get promoted at work. In fact, there are 30 common pitfalls that might be holding you back from that promotion. If you're wondering why you're not getting promoted at work, here are some possible reasons why you haven't moved up the corporate ladder yet. No matter how nice or easy-going you are, you will inevitably find yourself in conflict.
Make 2024 the Year Your Career Takes Off
Reaching your career goals involves careful planning, dedication, and effort. Here are some steps to help you achieve your career aspirations. Identify your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and values. Understanding yourself is crucial for setting meaningful career goals. Create clear, specific, and achievable career goals. Consider both short-term and long-term objectives. Identify the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in your chosen field.
What Really Matters
One of the students I mentor just graduated and will be starting a job with a Big Four consulting firm. In our last conversation, she asked what advice I had for her as she begins her career. I thought about it for a second and told her what one of my early mentors told me: “Pay attention to what matters.” She asked, “What matters?” I was glad she asked as I shared this advice with her, and now I’m sharing it with you. Friends Matter: True friends—not colleagues, workers, or buddies—are important.
When Misinformation Comes for You
Some say we are living in a post-truth world. Kellyanne Conway’s famous “alternative facts” gaffe way back in 2017 is one example. Kari Lake, who narrowly missed becoming the Arizona Governor, is convinced the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Several years ago, a guy from Virginia showed up armed with a gun to free the children being held as sex slaves in the basement of a pizza shop in Washington, D.C. That building has no basement.
Find a Mentor, Be a Mentor
The business school at the University of Denver where I teach has a robust mentoring program. I mentor several students every year. But mentors are not just important for college students; they can be helpful to you no matter where you are in your career journey. The term “mentor” comes from The Odyssey. Odysseus entrusted the care of his son, Telemachus, to Mentor when he set out to fight the Trojan War. If you remember your Greek mythology, you know that was a very long mentoring relationship.
Sharing Is Caring—And Better for Your Career | PM360
The academic year has come to an end. While I enjoy being in the classroom, I’m looking forward to summer. It’s always nice to take a few months off to rest and recharge. In one of my final MBA classes, we were discussing managerial ethics. One of the mini cases focused on whether it’s okay to take credit for someone else’s work. The students were united in their opinion that it’s not okay. One of the students shared an article she found while preparing for the case discussion.
You Are the Person You’ve Been Waiting For
I listen to the radio as I drive to the university every day. Recently, I heard a new song called “We Are the People,” a collaboration between Bono and The Edge from U2 and Martin Garrix, a Dutch DJ. The chorus goes like this: “We are the people we’ve been waiting for. We’ll build it better than we did before. We are the people we’ve been waiting for.” As with any U2 song, it rocks. The song is about global social issues, but it applies to life and career success as well.
Turn Your Organization into a Mycorrhizal Network
Late last year, I read an interesting piece in the New York Times Magazine discussing mycorrhizal networks—underground networks of fungi that connect the trees in a forest. Carbon, water, and other important nutrients pass from tree to tree through these underground networks. These resources tend to flow from the oldest and largest trees to the youngest and smallest—ultimately perpetuating healthy forests.
It’s a New Year, Be Optimistic
Happy new year. We made it. 2020 is behind us.
My Other Life with Carmine Attanasio
PM360 recently spoke to Carmine Attanasio, Associate Director, U.S. Marketing, Hematology/Multiple Myeloma at Bristol Myers Squibb, about learning to cook Italian style. Carmine Attanasio, Associate Director, U.S. Marketing, Hematology/Multiple Myeloma at Bristol Myers Squibb PM360: How did you first get started cooking? Carmine Attanasio: My mom, Paula, is Sicilian and the kitchen is basically like a playroom for her.
My Other Life with Mark Weihmann
PM360 recently spoke to Mark Weihmann, Director, Managed Markets Marketing at Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, about traveling the world and being in China right before the pandemic. Mark with two traditional water sellers in Marrakesh, Morocco. PM360: When did you get started with traveling? Mark Weihmann: Even though I have always liked to travel it was not until I first saw Crocodile Dundee in the movies that the travel bug bit me.
Creating, Managing, and Retaining Great Team Leaders
Every company wants the best people to work for them and that makes the competition for top talent incredibly fierce. And that’s why it is in every company’s best interest to be able to turn its current employees into the company’s next great leaders. And then once they have done just that—to keep those leaders from jumping ship for an opportunity elsewhere. So, what do companies have to do to ensure their organizations are capable of producing and retaining great leaders?
My Other Life with Ilnaz Shirkhorshidian
PM360 recently spoke to Ilnaz Shirkhorshidian, Senior Director, Medical Outcomes Specialist Lead, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders at Pfizer Inc., about opening up a whole new world through Pilates. Ilnaz at the studio in a mermaid position. PM360: How did you get started with Pilates? Ilnaz Shirkhorshidian: Well, I’m not an athlete by any means, but I enjoy being active. My workouts typically consist of boxing, high-intensity interval training, weights, and hiking.
My Other Life with Amy Lundquist
PM360 recently spoke to Amy Lundquist, Senior Product Manager, Spinraza Marketing at Biogen, about her passion for do-it-yourself home improvement. PM360: Why do you love DIY and how did you get started? Amy Lundquist: I love DIY and home improvement projects because I like the idea of leaving a place better than I found it. Home design and decor can change how a person feels when they enter a space, and I like the challenge of balancing extremely functional spaces with a fun and inviting element.
2013 PM360 Pharma Choice Winners
Here they are: The most unforgettable, innovative, imaginative and jealousy-inducing healthcare campaigns of the past year as determined by you. Once again we asked the industry to go online and vote on the year’s best ads in 10 categories: Professional Campaign, Consumer and Professional Websites, Unbranded, Sales Aid, App, Print and Digital Self-Promotion, Video and DTC/DTP. More than 5,000 votes were cast to select our 30 winners with a Gold, Silver and Bronze winner in each category.
My Other Life with Lori Hancock
PM360 recently spoke to Lori Hancock, Director Oncology Multichannel Integration Team, Merck, about maintaining a sisterhood formed in college over the course of 30 years. Lori, third from the right, and her friends enjoyed the beaches at Riviera Maya in Mexico in 2017. PM360: You have maintained a friendship with a group of friends from college over the course of 30 years by taking trips to celebrate the anniversary of your meeting. How did this start?
Are You “All In”?
You hear a lot about employee engagement these days. Many companies have jumped on the Gallup bandwagon, and are administering the Gallup Q12 survey—a, you guessed it, 12-item survey that provides an overview of how engaged a company’s employees are. There are many other engagement surveys out there, both commercially available, and home grown.
Hottest Marketing Trends Likely to Still Matter in 5 Years
Trends, by their very nature, represent the moment. They come and go and perhaps even come back again, but they are often fleeting leaving no real impact other than a faint memory. And yet, in the moment that they are active, trends are burning hot. They are all the rage—the thing everyone is talking about. The shiny new toy that everyone wants to try. That’s just as true when it comes to marketing trends. But there is a reason that trends capture so much attention in the moment.
Biggest Challenges for Marketers in 2020 and How to Surmount Them
With the rapid pace of change in the pharmaceutical industry, pharma and medical device marketers are likely to face many challenges in 2020, from digital technology innovations to patient and HCP communications, working with PBMs, and creating content that grabs attention quickly and effectively. PM360 asked a number of experts in pharma and medical device marketing what they see coming down the pike in 2020. We asked: What do you think will drive change and innovation in marketing in 2020?
Be Somebody
You’ve probably heard the old story about the four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. It goes like this… There was an important job to be done. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Somebody would do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.
How to Research a Company’s Culture
When you’re looking for a job don’t forget to spend some time figuring out if you’ll be a good fit with the companies you are considering. A company’s culture is a god indicator of whether or not you’ll be a good fit there. My friend Hannah Morgan the Career Sherpa, has published a great guide on how to research a company’s culture. You can find it here. This is a very useful tool. I suggest you use it before you accept any job offer.
The Heart of Your Network
We’re not big TV watchers in our house, but we like a show called “Blue Bloods.” If you’re not familiar with it, Tom Selleck’s character is the New York City Chief of Police. In this season’s final episode, his three top aides were squabbling. To remedy the problem, Selleck’s character ordered the three of them to switch jobs. Predictably, all three were soon overwhelmed with their new responsibilities. This led them to a new appreciation of one another’s responsibilities.
PM360’s Investor Portfolio: Fabio Gratton
PM360 introduces you to the people who invest in and help startups succeed, in this case Fabio Gratton. Fabio Gratton, Chief Alchemist, Alchemy Factory Affliations: Chief Alchemist, Alchemy Factory Partner Portfolio: inVibe Labs, SONIC Health, DrinkBryte, CureClick, Carma Project, Bitmo, Thread Research, EmbryoLogic, iReward Health Investment Strategy: Alchemy Factory is a digital health incubator 100% owned and controlled by Fabio, which he founded in 2013.
Nature vs. Nourisher: Creating Unicorns
Everyone is looking for those rare advertising luminaries—the “unicorns,” as they’re often called in our industry, because of their near-magical qualities and rarity. They’re the talent with innate abilities, craftsmanship, and instincts that make them perfectly suited to their disciplines; whether those are in creative, account or project management, strategy, science, editorial, or any of the other roles important to the functioning of our business.
Hire Developers: 101 Questions to Ask Before Bringing Them on Board
This is another post for my readers who are interested in starting a business. I’ve posted a couple of articles recently on ecommerce. This is another one. It focuses on how to make a good decision when you’re hiring a web developer. When it comes to hiring a web developer, it’s important to take time asking the right questions to avoid stress and trouble in the long run.
Accentuate the Positive
I’ve had a rough start to 2019. On December 27, 2018, I noticed that my left foot was swollen. I went to see my primary care doc. He sent me to the ER. They admitted me. The original diagnosis was cellulitis. However, it turned out that the infection was deep in my foot. I had three surgeries to correct the problem. I was in the hospital for 14 days and went home hooked up to a wound vac. It took until mid-February for me to get unhooked from the wound vac and into a walking boot. It wasn’t fun.
Rethinking Marketing’s Traditional 4 Ps
Are we at the end of the product era? I believe we are. Let me explain. Most of our education and career were centered around producing a widget, finding the channels for the widgets, and then optimizing every piece of the linear process to maximize profitability. It’s is an oversimplification, but the point stands regardless of your current commercialized widget. This formula worked for the last 120 years.
A Calling-And a Mission-to Help Patients
PM360 asks Tim Mayleben, CEO of Esperion what motivates him in the face of challenge. What are your keys to success in meeting challenges? We work for the patient. You don’t stay in this business long or sustain success if you don’t put the patient at the center of your efforts—no matter what your role in the organization. I joined the “original” Esperion, not as a scientist or doctor, but rather on the business operations side.
Build a Strong, Supportive Network
My dad passed away a couple of years ago. He was a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Back in November, as I watched the Steelers lose to the Broncos, I was thinking of my dad. I realized that there were a few things I did for which I wish that I could apologize to him. One was the day he and I were in a mall. This was before I got my Kindle. I stopped at a book store to pick up a book by one of my favorite writers. He waited for me outside of the store.
Meet Challenges with Conviction and Perseverance
PM360 asks Garo Armen CEO, Agenus what motivates him in the face of challenge. Garo Armen, CEO, Agenus Q. You’ve grown Agenus from startup to player in cancer care with a robust immune-oncology pipeline. What challenges did you face? A: When we started 24 years ago, few believed you could leverage the immune system to fight cancer. We faced a scarcity of funding. There was a point when the board gave us only one more chance to fund the company.
My Other Life with Kim Gariepy
PM360 recently spoke to Kim Gariepy, Senior Director, Mydayis Commercial Lead, Neuroscience Division at Shire, about seeking adventure in the outdoors. PM360: So, you are an outdoor adventure seeker. What kind of activities do you enjoy? Kim Gariepy: Everything from mountain biking to running to snowboarding in the Rockies to wake boarding on crystal lakes. If it is outside and involves a little adrenaline—sign me up! What do you enjoy most about doing these activities?
PM360 2018 Product Managers’ Survey
The product manager of today is social. After years of seeing respondents to our annual Product Manager Survey demonstrate reluctance to embrace social media due to either regulation or lack of support from higher ups, the project manager of 2018 shows little hesitancy.
How to be a Great Conversationalist
We’ve just been through one of the most contentious midterm elections in history. It was brutal. I got very tired of watching the TV ads that mostly said, “Don’t vote for the other guy.” Also, I watched, and participated in, some pretty heated discussions about candidates and ballot initiatives here in Colorado. If I were a cynic, I might think that there is no hope for us, that we’ll never manage to have civil discourse and meaningful conversation.
Succeeding in the Age of Agile
Is your organization ready for a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world? Odds are it’s not. It’s not about strategy or technology, but about the way your organization works. Most organizations grew up in the industrial era. Hierarchical command and control leadership facilitated operational efficiencies and manufacturing scale.
Crafting Highly Effective Incentive Compensation Plans for Your Sales Force
A fair and rewarding incentive compensation plan is an essential component of any successful product launch. Although both emerging and established pharma commercial teams strive to engage their sales forces, emerging pharma companies must often tackle incentive compensation challenges with limited resources and reporting capabilities.
Learning a Lesson from Tech Companies
Pharma needs a fresh perspective. As tech companies are getting into healthcare, they come with a built-in advantage: A different approach to solving problems. And, perhaps more importantly, a better understanding of how to successfully create products for the end user. “Normally in pharma we only focus on the doctors, but the tech companies coming into the industry have a much better idea of what the end user really needs,” explains Kristian Hart-Hansen, CEO of the LEO Innovation Lab.
Credibility Defines Great Leaders
Take a moment to reflect on this question: What person comes to mind when you think about the best leader you’ve ever been personally associated with? Really think about this. Don’t read further and challenge yourself to come up with a name.
What New Skills Are Required of Creatives Today?
The canvas that marketers have to work on has expanded—and continues to expand—as new channels and mediums open up new possibilities for ways to reach and engage with audiences. With this expansion, does that mean that creatives working in healthcare marketing today need to be able to do more than create captivating visuals and catchy copy? To find out, PM360 asked nine experts: Things have most definitely changed, and it’s not agency consolidation that is having the most profound effect.
3 Keys to Success: Right People, Right Values, and a Shared Mission
PM360 asks John Thero, CEO, Amarin what motivates him in the face of challenge. I love a good challenge. I became President and CEO of Amarin Corporation in 2014, after working my way up through leadership roles, starting as CFO in 2009, then CFO and President. There’s nothing particularly unusual about that progression—but the timing of my journey made it unique. In 2013, the year before I was appointed CEO, the FDA withheld approval for expanded use of Vascepa®, our flagship medication.
Marketers Be Aware: We Need to Start Listening Better
Rewind to Mad Men, Season 3, Episode 9. Don Draper is confidently introducing a new campaign idea to hotelier Conrad Hilton, offering Americans the thrill of international travel along with all the comforts of home. How do you say ice water in Italian? Hilton. Fresh towels in Farsi? Hilton. Hamburger in Japanese? Hilton. Hilton—it’s the same in any language. It’s good, the hotel magnate says, but where’s the moon? “I wanted Hilton on the moon. I couldn’t have been clearer about it.
My Transition from Traditional Consulting to an Analytics Role at an Ad Agency
To the average person, both “consulting” and “analytics” tend to be perceived as floating signifiers, as catch-all terms that the corporate world uses to refer to any number of ambiguous business-related activities. As someone with professional experience in both sectors, I can attest that while “consulting” and “analytics” do mean different things to different people, they do in fact, generally speaking, require a similar skillset.
4 Reasons Informaticists Should Build Health Data Science Competencies
As healthcare becomes more data-driven, it is now more important than ever for health informaticists with particular areas of domain expertise (pharmacy, nursing, medicine, public health) to also acquire skills in the area of data science and health analytics. 1. Data Analytics Provide Actionable Insights: It is not just about what you know, but what you can actually do with that knowledge.
How Do You Innovate in Healthcare? Three Leaders Weigh In
More than 10 years ago, Harvard professor Regina E. Herzlinger published an article about why innovation in healthcare is so difficult to execute. She covers all the factors and players that contribute to the innovation challenges that plague healthcare organizations: An uncertain and heavily regulated market; a consumer base that is skittish about spending more on their care; and risk-averse stakeholders with competing agendas and little appetite, or incentive, for compromise.
My Other Life with Azita McDermott
PM360 recently spoke to Azita McDermott, Director, Marketing, U.S. Neurology & Immunology at EMD Serono, about developing her daughter’s interest in world maps. Azita McDermott: My husband and I both do quite a bit of domestic and international travel for work and want Anya to get used to the travel lifestyle as well.
Build Your Network by Treating People With Respect
I attended an industry event the other day. One of my friends was a member of the panel. As she and I walked into the event space, the moderator of the panel, who I know, saw us. He smiled broadly and came right over. I thought he was going to welcome my friend who was on the panel. Instead, he shook my hand and told me how glad he was that I showed up. He barely acknowledged my friend—who was doing him a favor by agreeing to be a panelist.
The Root of Self-Confidence
Bud Bilanich is Faculty Member at Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. Bud is The Common Sense Guy, a success coach, motivational speaker, author, and blogger. A faculty member at the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, he teaches Organizational Dynamics and Human Capital Management. Bud authored five books on career and life success—the basis of his Common Sense Success System. He can be reached at bud@budbilanich.com. Happy New Year and welcome to 2017.
Make Integrity The Cornerstone Of Your Personal Brand
I read an article in SUCCESS Magazine a while back called “5 Tips for Creating a Powerful Personal Brand.” A powerful personal brand is the first step in creating positive personal impact – a key ingredient to your career success mix. The article listed five keys to a successful brand… I agree with all five of these common sense personal branding tips. But I have one additional common sense personal branding tip to add: Brand yourself as a person of integrity.
Be Optimistic, It Builds Your Self-Confidence
Success Tweet: Choose optimism. It builds your confidence. Believe today will be better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better yet. I’m a big believer in the power of optimism. I think it is the foundation of all self-confidence. You can’t be self-confident if you’re not optimistic. And, optimism is a choice. I get up every day believing good things will happen – and then I go about making them happen. When I was a kid, I participated in the local Optimist International chapter’s oratory contest.
Expect Acceptance and You Will Gain Self Confidence
Success Tweet 53: Act as if you expect to be accepted and you will be. This will increase your confidence and help you make a strong personal impact. “Acting as if” is great career advice to help you gain self-confidence. People respond to what you do and how you behave. So if you act and look self-confident, people will treat you as someone who is self-confident.
The Key To Self Confidence: Fake It 'Til You Make It
Success Tweet: Fake it ’til you make it. Appear to be self-confident and others will treat you as if you are. In turn, this will boost your self-confidence. The old saying “fake it ’til you make it” is great career advice. If you are nervous about being accepted – in a new job or work group, by a new client or a community that you want to join – act as if you are confident of being accepted.
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