Medical Affairs teams are not operating in a vacuum to create better patient outcomes. It is critical to build strong partnerships with internal stakeholders. I teamed up with Medical Affairs communication and relationship-building expert, Kirk Shepard. Here are his top hacks for building strong partnerships.

Kirk’s Top Hacks

1. Communicate as a partner

2. Define what Medical Affairs can do

3. Don’t try to own everything 

Why is Internal Relationship-Building Important for Medical Affairs?

Internal relationship-building is essential for Medical Affairs to ensure that initiatives that benefit the patient are completed. If not, initiatives stall, and nothing gets done to the detriment of patients. Part of strategic thinking is having superb communication and relationship-building skills. Sometimes Medical Affairs teams focus their relationship-building energy on external relationships. Yes, this is the bread and butter of Medical Affairs but equally important are internal relationships.

Embrace a Partnership Mindset: Don’t Try to Own Everything

Kirk highlights that internal stakeholders should be approached like partners. Go in with the mindset that we are in this together and working towards a common goal. Be aware of your language and if it reflects a partnership mindset. Kirk and I discuss a number of ways that he has found to make you a better partner.

Kirk is spot on with his advice to not try to own everything. Approaching an internal stakeholder with the mindset that you are doing something with or without them doesn’t make people want to collaborate. Watch the full video to get more of Kirk’s hacks.

Here are some other great hacks to up your relationship-building game:

Conclusion: Have a Larger Impact By Building Relationships

Don’t miss out on opportunities for patients, your career, and yourself by not improving your relationship-building skills. Leverage all of Kirk’s wisdom to embrace a partnership mindset and watch your impact shoot through the roof.

Have any pro relationship-building tips? Please share!