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Medical Devices Industry: PM valued for Management or Technical skills

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Abel Ferrandez Director Program Management| Lonza Basel, Bl, Switzerland
Dear community.

I'd love to hear experiences from colleagues working in the Medical Device industry, and how you feel valuated within your organization. To be more specific, do you feel the organization values you more for your technological/engineering skills or for your people/team management skills?

I do understand both are important, is nevertheless my believe that the function of a project manager should lean more towards the management side of the balance.That is, while certain level of technical knowledge is required to understand the needs of team members, that knowledge per-se won't keep projects on track.

More specifically, I'm interested in learning how you position/promote/brand yourself within your organization and to the outside world when seeking career advances.

Personally, I try to promote myself more on the management side than on the technical side. Is for me very frustrating to see how this is very confusing for most, who think of me as a technical person. While I do count with a technical background, I add value to my organization through management, not through engineering. This bias represents a big burden for career advance. I was wondering if someone has faced a similar experience.

Thanks in advance for any possible insight.
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Eduard Hernandez
Community Champion
Product Operations Program Manager Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain
Jun 12, 2020 9:51 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
...
Yes, you right. In my personal case, and just my personal case but something I have the opportunity to express, show and teach in places like Universities if the context allow it, I think there are two type of "entities" (because the same for persons and organizations): reactive and proactive. I firmly believe I have to behave like a proactive "entity". It does mean go for the opportunity and create the opportunity. Obviously I have to be prepare for taking it or for creating it. That´s my case in everything I do.
Sergio, thanks for your input. Creating and pursuing the opportunity brings along an increase of visibility and exposure to colleagues and individuals higher up in the organizational structure. which could facilitate a promotion, a lateral move, or both.

I am happy to learn that the MBA had a positive effect on your career. As a matter of fact, I am starting an MBA focused on the Pharmaceutical industry, where I intend to develop the remaining of my professional career. I am planning to carry out the field work included in the MBA at my current employer, thereby aiming for a win-win situation.

Finally, I'd like to share the following view on professional growth and age group according to some business schools.

25-35: Establishment stage. Forming a dream.
35-55: Maintenance stage.Frustration when realization that reality does not measure up to dreams. Mid life crises is a myth, but this is the last chance to be oneself.

"To get promoted is not enough just to check the boxes and meet expectations. You need to make a contribution that moves the needle for the company. Something that is visible and meaningfully core to what drives the value". Quote from top executive.
...
1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Jun 15, 2020 8:48 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
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I fully disagree what those business schools stated mainly about the maintenance state. In fact, is one of the rules of physic: which is not on movement, died. I have lot of examples which demonstrate exactly the opposite, including myself. Time and space does not exists (other law of physic), each of us create them.
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Abel Ferrandez Director Program Management| Lonza Basel, Bl, Switzerland
Eduard, simply brilliant!
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Sergio Luis Conte Helping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based Organizations Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jun 15, 2020 3:46 AM
Replying to Eduard Hernandez
...
Sergio, thanks for your input. Creating and pursuing the opportunity brings along an increase of visibility and exposure to colleagues and individuals higher up in the organizational structure. which could facilitate a promotion, a lateral move, or both.

I am happy to learn that the MBA had a positive effect on your career. As a matter of fact, I am starting an MBA focused on the Pharmaceutical industry, where I intend to develop the remaining of my professional career. I am planning to carry out the field work included in the MBA at my current employer, thereby aiming for a win-win situation.

Finally, I'd like to share the following view on professional growth and age group according to some business schools.

25-35: Establishment stage. Forming a dream.
35-55: Maintenance stage.Frustration when realization that reality does not measure up to dreams. Mid life crises is a myth, but this is the last chance to be oneself.

"To get promoted is not enough just to check the boxes and meet expectations. You need to make a contribution that moves the needle for the company. Something that is visible and meaningfully core to what drives the value". Quote from top executive.
I fully disagree what those business schools stated mainly about the maintenance state. In fact, is one of the rules of physic: which is not on movement, died. I have lot of examples which demonstrate exactly the opposite, including myself. Time and space does not exists (other law of physic), each of us create them.
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