✨ What Happens When a Leader Dares to Share?
Jill Donahue, Fueling the power of purpose in pharma teams
Helping Pharma Leaders Build Teams That Trust, Engage & Thrive. Driving Purpose, Resilience & Alignment Across Medical and Commercial Teams.
👋 Hi! I’m Jill. I help pharma leaders spark collaboration, engagement, and motivation in their teams to ignite impact.
I’m en route home from a session that I know will shift how this commercial pharma leadership team shows up—for their teams, and for themselves.
Each leader stood up and read their purpose story aloud. Stories we uncovered through our Purpose Interview process—stories that went far beyond resumes and results.
They were raw. They were real. They took courage.
And the impact?
You could hear a pin drop. There were tears. There was laughter. And more than anything—there was trust being built in real time.
For many, it was the first time they’d truly connected with why their work matters. The motivation in the room shifted. Not just to perform—but to lead with meaning.
After each story, someone would ask:
“You completely won my trust with that story. Why don’t you share that with your team?”
And almost every time, the answer was:
“I don’t know.”
Of course they don’t. We’ve been conditioned to lead with credentials, not convictions. To show confidence, not vulnerability.
But that afternoon reminded us of what behavioral science has proven:
People don’t connect to what you do; they connect to why it matters to you.
We often hesitate to be vulnerable because it feels risky. But maybe not being vulnerable is the bigger risk.
The trust, energy, and collaboration we all crave? They’re waiting on the other side of a simple act of courage: sharing why you care.
And nowhere is that more needed than in pharma—where public trust remains stubbornly low.¹
Behavioral science backs this up: Leaders who show vulnerability, foster psychological safety, and align personal purpose with organizational mission unlock better engagement, resilience, and impact.²³⁴⁵ Authenticity speaks louder than authority. And it’s not just about being open—it’s about starting with why.
The moment you share your ‘why’ is the moment people start to trust your ‘what.’
Research shows that leaders who clearly articulate their purpose inspire higher levels of trust, followership, and long-term performance.⁶ (For a deeper dive, here’s an article I wrote on why purpose isn’t soft—it’s a performance driver).
So today, I want to share one story that exemplifies what happens when a leader dares to share why he cares.
Excerpt: When Dr. Kevin Williams Dared to Share
When Dr. Kevin Williams was appointed Chief Medical Officer of Internal Medicine at Pfizer, he inherited a team of over 700 people—and millions of patients relying on their work.
His first meeting with his new team was a virtual fireside chat. Just him. A webcam. And a decision to make.
He could’ve stuck to the script: credentials, accomplishments, strategic goals. But Kevin had completed The Power of Purpose Journey. He knew that people don’t just want to know what you do—they want to know why you care.
So he began with his father—a beloved, dedicated physician - the third African American physician in Baton Rouge. Patients lined up at 4 in the morning to see him and he didn’t stop until the last in line was seen – often not until 11pm. “That’s where I learned about ‘patient centricity’” Kevin said.
He spoke about working through the AIDS crisis - helping patients navigate the most difficult time in their lives as they faced their own mortality. ‘It was heartbreaking being on the journey beside them as they made the transition from fighting to accepting the inevitable,” he added. “And then,” he said still with incredulousness, “medicine thankfully advanced”. He shared his early skepticism of pharma—and how witnessing its real-world impact changed everything. He summarized his story by sharing how much he loves his job, feels proud that he is living his purpose – putting patients first – just like his father.
He told the truth. It was raw. It was real. He couldn’t see a single face on the screen to gauge the reaction. Did it land well? He waited.
Then the chat box lit up and the email messages poured in:
“You are going to be an amazing CMO!”
“I appreciate your candor… and just being brave.”
“It’s encouraging to see that kind of transparency from a senior leader.”
Kevin didn’t just introduce himself. He built trust. Fast.
If you care about making an impact, I hope you’ll ask yourself:
“What’s stopping me from sharing my story?” And if you don’t know your story, it’s time to figure it out! Even the most skeptical pharma person I’ve worked with has a story! Everyone has a story. You do too!
Maybe this is your moment to reconnect with what matters.
✍️ Need help creating your story—or building trust, grit, and courage in your team? Message me!
📘 Want more stories like Kevin’s? Download A Dose of Inspiration: 100 Purpose Stories from Pharma Leaders: 👉 www.excellerate.ca/freebook
📚 References