Coaching Case Studies
Coaching a Research Leader to Manage and Publish More Effectively
Still Point was called in to work with a young laboratory leader who had a backlog of papers to publish. In working with the scientist, it was determined that papers weren’t being written, in part, because lab members weren’t being managed and mentored properly and morale was very low. A program was put in place to provide management coaching, train lab members to successfully write and submit journal articles, and facilitate the setting of priorities and long-term research plans for the laboratory. The laboratory’s morale and productivity improved remarkably, 6-10 papers have been published per year in the very highest research journals, and the researcher is now the undisputed leader in the field.
Helping a Client to Exit Company and Build Startup
A client referred a colleague to Still Point who was very unhappy in his work as a researcher in a biotechnology company. Weekly coaching sessions enabled this new client to make a graceful departure, negotiate the rights to certain intellectual property he helped establish with the company, and start a commercial laboratory of his own. With continued coaching, the client built his business so quickly that his company was profitable by the end of the first year.
Coaching a Professor to Gain Tenure
A professor who was approaching tenure contacted Still Point to ensure that tenure was approved while she quietly searched for a better position at another university. Still Point helped her set and meet all goals on time, provided editorial support and consulting to help her publish her papers more quickly and easily, and coached her through the process of contacting and visiting other universities. As a result, the professor gained tenure, was offered a job at another university and published prominently.
Guiding a Research Director’s Adjustment to New Position
The head of a new research program was referred to Still Point in order to help him develop essential management skills. Rapidly promoted into a prominent position on the basis of his excellent research, he now had to manage more aggressively and raise philanthropic funding to build a new institute. Coaching with Still Point enabled the client to discover and then address the fact that he didn’t really want the position as it had been offered to him. Still Point helped him to arrange for a position that offered his institution the benefits of his fame while freeing him from the extra management burdens and enabling him to devote more time to the research that he loved.
Communications Case Studies
Developing Corporate Publishing Program, Writing Stock Offerings and Reports
A major biotechnology company wanted to improve its peer-reviewed publications record prior to making its second public stock offering. Still Point set up a mechanism in-house to develop a pipeline for efficiently writing, reviewing, approving and submitting articles to peer-reviewed journals. We also worked with the Vice President of Research to complete and publish a review article in a prominent journal before the public offering. Based on Still Point’s prior performance, it was selected to write two annual reports and was commissioned to work with the Chairman and CEO to write and otherwise prepare a public stock offering, which netted about $270 million for the company.
Writing Strategic Plan and Major Funding Documents for Medical School
The Dean of a prominent medical school hired Still Point to articulate his ten-year strategic plan, which was to be used in recruiting faculty and raising $1 billion for the school. Based on interviews with the Dean, the Chairman of the Board and about 40 leading faculty members and administrators, Still Point drafted a substantial document to make the school’s case. Following the success of this document, the Dean recommended that Still Point work with faculty members to draft a separate multimillion dollar grant for a series of translational research institutes.