Cheryl Hue

What is a trend going on in the pharmaceutical industry that doesn’t get enough attention?

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Now, more than ever, patients and consumers are wanting to play an active role in their healthcare solutions. This creates both an opportunity and a challenge for the pharmaceutical industry. We now have an increased opportunity to support the patient pathway through education and advocacy, however the increasing demand for faster access to pharmaceuticals is creating pressure on the supply chain.

What would you like future generations of women to know about their voice/leadership/gender equality?

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It is okay to speak up; the knowledge and skills that you have developed throughout your journey thus far are both wanted and needed!

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Very early on in my career, a manager whom I admired immensely, told me that it is in my best interests to stop asking questions and to just listen to others in meetings. It took me until this year, over 10 years, to realize that this still has an impact on me, and I shy away from asking questions or providing my opinion in fear that it will appear unintelligent. A WLP mentor of mine recently gave me some great advice and now when I have a question or something valuable to say, I give myself 5 minutes maximum to raise my hand and contribute.

In observance of Remembrance Day, is there someone special in your life that you honor on November 11th? If so, how have their sacrifices inspired or touched your life?

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Remembrance Day holds a very special place in my heart. I am forever thankful for the freedoms I and my family have been awarded in our lives at the expense of the brave women and men who fought tirelessly for our human rights.

Remembrance Day has become even more important in recent years. My Father-in-Law passed away on Remembrance Day in 2013 after a difficult battle with cancer. Every year, our family gets together to celebrate his life and talk about the impact he had on all of us. In the short time I knew him, he taught me about perseverance and humility, as well as how to use all the leftovers in the fridge.

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What is the leadership or business framework you use most often to help you lead effectively?

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There are two frameworks that help me every day, both in a personal and professional capacity!

No. 1: Always look forward. Or to put it frankly, live and learn. Every day we learn something new about a product, a process, a person, or about ourselves that allows us the opportunity to reflect and grow. The key is to take these learnings, consciously decide the value of them, and then apply them to the future. In my professional life, I have the opportunity to collaborate across many business units that each have very diverse ways of strategic thinking. It is invaluable to others when I take these lessons learned and apply them cross-functionally.

No. 2: Transparency is key. The world is shifting into a much more fast-paced, highly innovative and strategic environment. With that brings the requirement to be more dynamic and bolder in both ways of working and problem solving. To do this, requires us to be more transparent in our judgements and decision making so that we can move forward faster with balanced risk and reward.

What are the most important decisions you make as a leader?

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How am I going to show up today? Self-awareness is so important in recognizing how I present myself to others. Reflecting on what I and my team needs to accomplish and how to accomplish it, ensures that I am projecting myself as a leader and supporting my team to put their best food forward each and every day.

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On another note, I am a firm believer that ‘it is okay to not be okay’. Over the last two years, our mental health has been tested over and over. The more aware we are of self and of others, the more we can create space to rest and recover. We are only at the inception of removing the mental health stigma and have a long way to go but am confident we are showing signs that we can get there!

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What advice would you give to someone looking to follow in your career path within the Pharmaceutical Industry?

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Always look for opportunities to learn outside of your remit. Having both a breadth and a depth in knowledge and experience has allowed others to have the trust and confidence that I am a valued partner who always has a seat at the table.

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If you’re not happy with where you’re at, speak up! A great manager wants to support you and can’t do this without knowing where you’re at in terms of your career progression. There is no joy in trying to problem solve this one alone and it can be a rocky path forward.