How to Build Teams That Win

The Rockstar Brief is a newsletter for growth-minded leaders who want to hire smarter, retain top talent, and build teams that win.

Winning teams aren’t built on ideas alone and if scaling your business feels harder than it should, you may be missing the very strategies that set high-performing companies apart.

In this edition of The Rockstar Brief, we explore the strategies that helped Morphic Therapeutic become irresistible to one of the biggest players in Big Pharma— Eli Lilly and Company. Founder and former CEO Praveen Tipirneni led the company from its earliest stages to a $3.2 billion acquisition.

This isn’t just a story about business growth, it’s about the kind of success that becomes possible when growth-minded leadership, rockstar talent, a high-performance culture, and the speed to act decisively all come together in alignment.

The Secret Sauce?

What makes a company worth acquiring? It's more than just groundbreaking products. As a strategic recruiter and career success coach, I’ve seen firsthand how the tone at the top sets the pace for everything else. 

The most successful companies I work with don’t just hire strong performers, they create environments that attract them in the first place. That starts with leadership.

What stood out to me about Praveen wasn’t just the $3.2 billion acquisition, it was the mindset he led with from day one. He built a team grounded in culture, excellence, and collaboration. That leadership style is what sets high-growth companies apart from those that get stuck.

Morphic didn’t win because of science alone. They won because of many factors—one of the most important being the leadership mindset driving it all.

Why Rockstar Talent is the Foundation of Success

As Praveen reflected on his time at Morphic, he pointed to talent as the differentiator. Hiring the best people wasn’t just a strategic move, it was the foundation of the company’s success. And when you hire top talent, you’re not just creating a company that can deliver results today; you’re creating a culture that attracts even more high performers.

In your organization, you must be intentional about building a team of exceptional talent that propels the company forward. It’s not about simply filling roles—it’s about bringing in individuals who are up to the challenge and push the business to the next level.

Culture: The Silent Driver of Growth

At Morphic, they focused on creating a high-performance culture from the very beginning. Praveen Tipirneni knew that the right culture could attract the right people and more importantly, keep them. He wrote extensively about culture in the early days and set the tone for the kind of work environment they wanted to build. That culture didn’t just support growth; it became a magnet for rockstar talent.

Over time, it started to feed on itself. Once they brought in the right people aligned with the culture, those people attracted others like them, creating a ripple effect that led to a high-quality organization everyone wanted to be part of.

When a company’s culture is aligned with its goals, it becomes a powerful force that drives innovation and growth. And if your culture isn’t attracting the best people, then it might be time to reassess what you’re offering and how you’re positioning your company as a place where exceptional professionals can thrive.

Speed: The Competitive Edge

One of the standout elements of Morphic’s success was their ability to make decisions quickly. While large pharmaceutical companies are weighed down by complex structures and slow-moving processes, Morphic was able to streamline decision-making. This allowed them to move faster, adapt quicker, and take calculated risks that paid off in big ways.

You don’t need to be in Big Pharma to understand the importance of speed in decision-making. As a growth-minded leader, you must empower your team to make strategic decisions timely, without unnecessary delays or obstacles. Removing barriers that slow down execution is essential to unlocking speed, innovation, and momentum.

Actionable Insights for Growth-Minded Leaders

Building a high-performing team demands more than a formula; it calls for an environment where growth, agility, and rockstar talent flourish.

I kindly ask you to reflect on these questions:

• What’s your current advantage: talent, culture, or speed? 

• What’s slowing your team down: people, process, or mindset?

• Where do you see the biggest gap: hiring, culture, or execution?

Building a winning team demands a consistent focus on talent, culture, and speed as your strategic differentiators.

Ready to Build a Billion-Dollar Team?

Watch the full video breakdown where I speak with Praveen Tipirneni about his journey:

How to Build a Billion Dollar Company

Click here to watch on YouTube →

Let’s Connect 

Want more insights on how to ensure your company is structured to win, scale, and attract top talent?

Subscribe to The Rockstar Brief for bi-weekly insights on rockstar hiring, candidate engagement, and what the most competitive companies are doing right now. It’s your go-to source for strategies that help you build a winning team!

You can also reach me directly on LinkedIn or at rbaroody@selectiveinsight.com

About the Author:

Rita Baroody is the Founder and Managing Partner of Selective Insight, a national recruiting firm specializing in Finance, Accounting, and Business Development. A CPA, Talent Strategist, and Executive Recruiter with 15+ years of experience, she has helped drive hundreds of millions in added valuation. Rita partners with growth-minded leaders to align talent with vision and build high-performing teams that outperform.