Author, leadership coach and motivational speaker, we are delighted to have Sue Coyne joining us at the EPHMRA Conference in Antwerp next year to deliver an inspirational plenary presentation.
As a former Director and Shareholder of a Market Research business, Sue understands the pressures both of the insights industry and of senior management roles. She has also experienced burnout, cancer and a near-death experience that led her to question work/life balance and whether as managers we are ‘leading’ or just ‘doing’.
We caught up with Sue to give you a little preview of what we’ll hear about at the Conference.
EPHMRA: Hi Sue, we're delighted to have you as a plenary speaker at our Annual Conference next year. Can you share an overview of what you'll be talking about?
Sue: I will be talking about the role of market researchers in helping pharmaceutical companies to find the future faster by optimising their own performance. This involves putting yourself first and managing yourself better to maximise your contribution.
Having a purpose and knowing what your values are provide you with an anchor that stabilises you in the midst of a volatile world. Learning how to manage your stress and reactive responses ensures that uncertainty and disruption do not knock you off balance. Building practices into your life such as reflection allows you to slow down in order to make better decisions and be agile so that you can act on these decisions
EPHMRA: You've spoken openly about some of the challenges in your life and the need for balance, something that many of us would like to achieve! What do you do to find balance in your life?
Sue: I have three pillars that support my well-being – meditation, physical fitness and eating healthily. I don’t actually believe that perfect balance exists but when I have been off-balance for a period I consciously take time out to re-balance and get back on track.
EPHMRA: In your book 'Stop Doing Start Leading', you talk about the need for 'sustainable leadership'. Could you tell us what you mean by that?
Sue: Sustainable leadership involves having a definition of success that is bigger than being successful at work. It involves being happy and healthy and then being a sustainable high performer in all areas of your life not just at work.
EPHMRA: In these challenging and uncertain times, the pressures of leadership can weigh heavy on our shoulders. Do you have any advice to help our members perform more effectively as leaders?
Sue: I do. The first and most important step is to become an effective leader of your own life.
Secondly, it is realising that leadership is a privilege and involves an inner journey which enables you to find out who you are as a leader and what you stand for. This means you are on solid ground as a leader and can be authentic and build trust with those you are leading. It enables you to be aware of your own inner landscape and to tune into what is going on around you so that you can adjust your leadership style according to the requirements of the situation.
Thirdly, it is to understand that leaders lead people not processes or tasks. Being able to inspire and engage your people and enable them to thrive is what leadership is really all about.
EPHMRA: We're trying to achieve some 'balance' at the EPHMRA Conference in Antwerp with an early morning run/walk through the zoo and a drinks reception in the evening. Will you be taking in any of Antwerp's sights when you join us?
Sue: I love to travel so I will take advantage of any opportunity to enjoy what Antwerp has to offer. I think I will be walking rather than running though!
Thank you for your time Sue, we’ll see you there!
Would You Like to Hear Sue’s Keynote Session?
Sue will be talking on Wednesday 24th June in the morning and the title of her session will be ‘Help to find the future faster, by being fully effective in the present’.
Join us on 23-25 June 2020 in Antwerp for the EPHMRA Conference - Registrations open in January.