May 28, 2024
“I’ve seen that small shifts in individuals’ approaches, behaviors, and actions can have a wide impact,” says Dr. Rachel Kindt, a scientific leadership coach with a background in biotech. With a PhD from MIT and a postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF, Dr. Kindt transitioned from a biotech executive to a leadership coach, focusing on helping scientists excel in leadership roles beyond the laboratory.
In this episode, Dr. Kindt discusses the unique challenges technical experts face when stepping into leadership roles in the biotech industry. She reflects on her journey from Vice President at Myocardia, a company acquired for $13 billion, to mentoring emerging science-based leaders, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence alongside technical expertise.
Dr. Kindt offers practical advice on how subtle behavioral changes can enhance leadership effectiveness and impact organizational performance. She details her work in equipping R&D leaders with essential soft skills to manage diverse teams and communicate the broader significance of their projects effectively.
Quotes
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“Being right is not everything. Being smart is not everything. Being the smartest person in the room—which sometimes I can be—is not always necessary or attractive.” (29:56 | Dr. Rachel Kindt)
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“Being in an organization that prioritized leadership development, my journey as a leader within the company was also a personal journey of growth. The things that I learned by leadership have helped me be a better spouse and a more patient parent. So I also feel that work is a great venue for not only doing amazing things in the world, but also for personal growth.” (35:25 | Dr. Rachel Kindt)
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“It’s a reductionist attitude in a way that in the end, an organization is a collection of the individual people and their behaviors. And the behavior of one—especially, but not exclusively if they’re in a leadership position—influences all of the people around them. So to me, I believe and I've seen that small shifts in individuals’ approaches and behaviors and actions can have a wide impact. (36:25 | Dr. Rachel Kindt)
Links
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Schedule a Discovery Call with Mike:
https://calendly.com/mikehorne/15-minute-discovery-call-with-mike
Learn more about Rachel Kindt, Ph.D.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkindt/
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