December 3, 2024 • 15 mins
Struggling to secure team buy-in for Smartsheet adoption in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment? In this episode of Lean by Design, we explore the strategies that drive effective implementation in the intricate world of biopharma, where workflows are complex and evolving. Discover actionable insights to streamline processes, boost data transparency, and reduce administrative burdens, allowing teams to focus on what truly matters.
This episode delves into the steps needed to build a Smartsheet setup that scales and continues delivering value. With experience across more than 10,000 tailored workflows, the discussion highlights practical strategies that extend beyond Smartsheet and can be applied to other software and hardware solutions in any organization. The focus is on fostering a culture of accountability and efficiency, ensuring that projects remain aligned with organizational growth. Tune in to uncover the transformative potential of Smartsheet and how it can drive meaningful improvements in daily operations within biopharma.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for joining us for another episode of Lean by
Design podcast.
I'm your host, oscar Gonzalez,and, in line with our short form
content, I wanted to talk aboutsomething that I've noticed and
I want to provide some value into those out there in the
biopharma and biotech workspaces.
As you understand from myhistory some of you may or may
(00:24):
not know I at first had beenworking through laboratories and
academia, moving into thepharma space to where I then
transitioned into projectprogram management, and then we
continued to spin out our ownconsulting firm that really
looked at creating lean andefficient workflows within
(00:46):
organizations, especially in thebiopharma space.
I have been working with thesoftware Smartsheet in the
biopharma space since about 2017.
In that time, I have developedover 10,000 workflows.
That time, I have developedover 10,000 workflows,
(01:09):
dashboards, reports andsolutions tailored specifically
to the unique demands of R&D andclinical operations.
You can say that I knowfirsthand that adopting these
new tools like Smartsheet in acomplex, regulated environment
like biopharma is not easy.
In fact, it is difficult.
Beyond those technical hurdles,there are challenges Securing
(01:30):
team buy-in, balancingcompliance needs, integrating
Smartsheet with establishedworkflows.
In the next three-part series,we're going to focus on the
change management side ofimplementing Smartsheet and
biopharma.
We're going to focus on thechange management side of
implementing Smartsheet andBiopharma.
We're going to cover essentialtips for getting team adoption,
(01:51):
building a culture ofaccountability and setting up
your Smartsheet for long-termscalability, because that's what
we're here for, right, we'reassuming that the work is going
to continue to grow and we wantto be able to have a system that
allows us to continuouslymonitor the progress of our
projects, which really is theasset of early R&D organizations
(02:16):
and pre-commercial clinicaloperations.
There's no revenue coming infrom other products.
You are trying to create itcoming in from other products.
You are trying to create it.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about how to secure that
team buy-in, with essentialfirst steps to ensure that your
Smartsheet setup can scale anddeliver value across your
organization.
(02:36):
So stay tuned and check it out.
So what we're talking abouttoday is getting your team on
board, strategies for Smartsheetadoption in biopharma and,
quite frankly, this can probablybe also reviewed as a way of
(03:01):
looking at adoption of othersoftware and hardware within
your organization.
Secure and buy-in is one of thebiggest hurdles in software
adoption.
You have folks with differentexperiences.
(03:21):
You have folks with differentlevels of comfort from software
to software, and Smartsheet isno exception.
So today we're going to explorepractical strategies for
getting your team on board withSmartsheet.
We're going to focus on theunique context of biopharma,
where the stakes are high,workflows are intricate and,
(03:41):
quite frankly, your workflow isprobably going to change next
week because there is a newinitiative from leadership or a
decision to restructure howyou're managing projects.
But by showing your team thevalue of Smartsheet and what it
can bring to their daily worktheir daily work you can lay the
foundation for successful andsustainable adoption.
(04:09):
So point number one communicatethe why of Smartsheet adoption.
Adoption of any software reallystarts with an understanding
why the tool is valuable.
And this understanding shouldnot necessarily come from folks
that are not inherently involvedin the process, because I'm
(04:30):
sure you've either heard it oryou've said it before they don't
know our work, we are usingthis software and they don't
understand how we work.
It's critical to ensure thatthe folks you are looking to
help adopt this new softwarethat they understand the why.
(04:51):
For Smartsheet, this meansemphasizing the capacity to
streamline those tasks, improveyour data transparency and
reduce administrative burden.
In biopharma we are sort ofstuck against this time and
(05:15):
precision, but we need to hurryup.
We need to appeal to ourstakeholders, to our board
members, and so, within thisspace, you have an opportunity
to show your team how Smartsheetcan help them focus on more
critical work and less on manualtasks.
That make for a really strongcase for adoption, and that's
(05:37):
really what it's about.
Smartsheet is all about doingwork efficiently.
Now, just as any tool, you cancreate and build things that are
just overly complex.
We're going to talk about thata little bit.
Point number two get quick winsfor early buy-in.
(06:01):
The best way to get buy-in intothis software is to demonstrate
immediate benefits is todemonstrate immediate benefits.
Before you even want to jumpinto a new software like
Smartsheet or Monday or Trelloor Jira or Notion all of these
(06:21):
other project managementsoftwares.
It is critical for you tounderstand the challenges that
are happening with your team oryour organization To ensure that
you are applying a softwarethat makes sense for the work
(06:42):
that's being done, especiallyfor those who are going to be
the intended primary user.
Now, it's an even better winwhen you can find that there's a
software that fulfills the needof the primary user.
Now, it's an even better winwhen you can find that there's a
software that fulfills the needof the primary user while also
supplementing other activitiesacross the stakeholders within
that given project.
(07:02):
And believe me when I say, whenpeople start to see the
improvements, the efficiency,what you all are doing with your
software and how you're makingyour work easier, people are
going to want to jump in.
Because the work we do inbiopharma is difficult.
(07:23):
It is challenging.
There are so many unknowns, butgetting that work done.
But getting that work doneshould not be our hurdle.
It should not be trying to findversions of documents that are
stored in some arbitrarystructure within a private
(07:46):
server.
We all know that no onestructures any of those folders
within your internal primaryfolder, your internal primary
server, your SharePoint, forexample.
No one is looking into whatthat structure looks like, so it
(08:09):
turns into chaos.
So when you're looking for quickwins, you want to start looking
at these quick win featureslike automated reminders for key
tasks or simple dashboards thatsummarize critical points.
And I want to emphasize theword simple here, because in
many cases we are asked bymanagement or by leadership to
(08:33):
create dashboards that have allthe bells and whistles, but the
fact of the matter is we don'tcare about all the bells and
whistles.
We care about those few thingsthat will prompt action.
Updates are available in somany different updates are
available in so many differentmanners.
(08:53):
There's so many meetings thatare happening all the time.
How many projects are in thisstage versus that stage?
Budgeting, updates on budgetingbut what are those key metrics?
What are those KPIs that reallydetermine the health of your
project and your organization atlarge?
(09:13):
These features don't take toomuch time to implement, but they
can drastically reduce manualfollow-up and reporting, which
are often pain points for teams.
And you do this in a way toconnect all of the things that
are happening at theorganization to the organization
across the teams.
(09:39):
Now point number three, and thisis an important one Ongoing
support and training ismandatory If you want this
software to excel at yourorganization.
This is not a one-time event.
It is a continuous process.
(10:01):
You will find yourself withthree groups of folks that will
be involved in this process.
The first group are going to befolks that are aligned and are
ready to rock and roll.
They say, hey, I've seen thissoftware before.
I love it, I love what it cando, I'm all for it.
You let me know what you needfrom me, and those are people
(10:23):
that are going to serve as yourambassadors.
They intimately understand theenvironment because of their
experience in otherorganizations and at the same
time, they can also find otheravenues to utilize that software
so that you can generate quickwins across the gamut of
functions or team members.
(10:45):
Offering ongoing support throughshort training sessions or
quick start guides is going toallow the members to feel more
comfortable with the softwareover time the members to feel
more comfortable with thesoftware over time.
Now there's a differencebetween what organizations I'm
sorry, what the softwarecompanies provide and what you
(11:06):
will need to set up and provide.
Oftentimes, softwareorganizations are going to look
at how the tool is being usedit's going to go through.
These are the features.
This is how you would use it.
This is when you would use it.
Now what's missing is thecontext.
That context comes from you, soit is up to you to use your
(11:29):
critical thinking skills to lookat this system, see the
opportunity and translate thatopportunity into big wins in
your bioform organization.
When you apply these shorttraining sessions and I'm
talking 30 minutes every twoweeks let's sit down, let's talk
about a few things.
(11:50):
See if we have a few questionsand keep moving on from there.
This is going to give thatlevel of comfort over time.
In this software, you can alsoencourage a feedback loop where
users can voice their needs orconcerns, allowing you to
address them proactively andmake the tool more user friendly
as your team grows with it.
So the point here is not to dothis in a bubble.
(12:13):
Give your team the opportunityto give feedback into spaces
(12:37):
where additional training isneeded, into gaps that may start
to manifest, into where thistool could really provide value,
not just in your team but instakeholders.
So we talked aboutcommunicating the why in your
adoption, quick wins for earlybuy-in and creating that ongoing
support and training.
Getting your team on board withsoftware like Smartsheet is all
(12:57):
about showing the practicalbenefits and providing support
as they get comfortable with thetool.
Next time we're going to talkabout creating accountability
structures that encourageexecution without micromanaging.
Thanks for listening to ourpodcast and if you found today's
podcast episode helpful, pleasesubscribe and share with anyone
(13:17):
else looking to make Smartsheetadoption journey a success, or
any software for that matter.
Until next time, take care.
Thanks for joining us for another episode of Lean by
Design podcast.
I'm your host, oscar Gonzalez,and, in line with our short form
content, I wanted to talk aboutsomething that I've noticed and
I want to provide some value into those out there in the
biopharma and biotech workspaces.
As you understand from myhistory some of you may or may
(00:24):
not know I at first had beenworking through laboratories and
academia, moving into thepharma space to where I then
transitioned into projectprogram management, and then we
continued to spin out our ownconsulting firm that really
looked at creating lean andefficient workflows within
(00:46):
organizations, especially in thebiopharma space.
I have been working with thesoftware Smartsheet in the
biopharma space since about 2017.
In that time, I have developedover 10,000 workflows.
That time, I have developedover 10,000 workflows,
(01:09):
dashboards, reports andsolutions tailored specifically
to the unique demands of R&D andclinical operations.
You can say that I knowfirsthand that adopting these
new tools like Smartsheet in acomplex, regulated environment
like biopharma is not easy.
In fact, it is difficult.
Beyond those technical hurdles,there are challenges Securing
(01:30):
team buy-in, balancingcompliance needs, integrating
Smartsheet with establishedworkflows.
In the next three-part series,we're going to focus on the
change management side ofimplementing Smartsheet and
biopharma.
We're going to focus on thechange management side of
implementing Smartsheet andBiopharma.
We're going to cover essentialtips for getting team adoption,
(01:51):
building a culture ofaccountability and setting up
your Smartsheet for long-termscalability, because that's what
we're here for, right, we'reassuming that the work is going
to continue to grow and we wantto be able to have a system that
allows us to continuouslymonitor the progress of our
projects, which really is theasset of early R&D organizations
(02:16):
and pre-commercial clinicaloperations.
There's no revenue coming infrom other products.
You are trying to create itcoming in from other products.
You are trying to create it.
In today's episode, we're goingto talk about how to secure that
team buy-in, with essentialfirst steps to ensure that your
Smartsheet setup can scale anddeliver value across your
organization.
(02:36):
So stay tuned and check it out.
So what we're talking abouttoday is getting your team on
board, strategies for Smartsheetadoption in biopharma and,
quite frankly, this can probablybe also reviewed as a way of
(03:01):
looking at adoption of othersoftware and hardware within
your organization.
Secure and buy-in is one of thebiggest hurdles in software
adoption.
You have folks with differentexperiences.
(03:21):
You have folks with differentlevels of comfort from software
to software, and Smartsheet isno exception.
So today we're going to explorepractical strategies for
getting your team on board withSmartsheet.
We're going to focus on theunique context of biopharma,
where the stakes are high,workflows are intricate and,
(03:41):
quite frankly, your workflow isprobably going to change next
week because there is a newinitiative from leadership or a
decision to restructure howyou're managing projects.
But by showing your team thevalue of Smartsheet and what it
can bring to their daily worktheir daily work you can lay the
foundation for successful andsustainable adoption.
(04:09):
So point number one communicatethe why of Smartsheet adoption.
Adoption of any software reallystarts with an understanding
why the tool is valuable.
And this understanding shouldnot necessarily come from folks
that are not inherently involvedin the process, because I'm
(04:30):
sure you've either heard it oryou've said it before they don't
know our work, we are usingthis software and they don't
understand how we work.
It's critical to ensure thatthe folks you are looking to
help adopt this new softwarethat they understand the why.
(04:51):
For Smartsheet, this meansemphasizing the capacity to
streamline those tasks, improveyour data transparency and
reduce administrative burden.
In biopharma we are sort ofstuck against this time and
(05:15):
precision, but we need to hurryup.
We need to appeal to ourstakeholders, to our board
members, and so, within thisspace, you have an opportunity
to show your team how Smartsheetcan help them focus on more
critical work and less on manualtasks.
That make for a really strongcase for adoption, and that's
(05:37):
really what it's about.
Smartsheet is all about doingwork efficiently.
Now, just as any tool, you cancreate and build things that are
just overly complex.
We're going to talk about thata little bit.
Point number two get quick winsfor early buy-in.
(06:01):
The best way to get buy-in intothis software is to demonstrate
immediate benefits is todemonstrate immediate benefits.
Before you even want to jumpinto a new software like
Smartsheet or Monday or Trelloor Jira or Notion all of these
(06:21):
other project managementsoftwares.
It is critical for you tounderstand the challenges that
are happening with your team oryour organization To ensure that
you are applying a softwarethat makes sense for the work
(06:42):
that's being done, especiallyfor those who are going to be
the intended primary user.
Now, it's an even better winwhen you can find that there's a
software that fulfills the needof the primary user.
Now, it's an even better winwhen you can find that there's a
software that fulfills the needof the primary user while also
supplementing other activitiesacross the stakeholders within
that given project.
(07:02):
And believe me when I say, whenpeople start to see the
improvements, the efficiency,what you all are doing with your
software and how you're makingyour work easier, people are
going to want to jump in.
Because the work we do inbiopharma is difficult.
(07:23):
It is challenging.
There are so many unknowns, butgetting that work done.
But getting that work doneshould not be our hurdle.
It should not be trying to findversions of documents that are
stored in some arbitrarystructure within a private
(07:46):
server.
We all know that no onestructures any of those folders
within your internal primaryfolder, your internal primary
server, your SharePoint, forexample.
No one is looking into whatthat structure looks like, so it
(08:09):
turns into chaos.
So when you're looking for quickwins, you want to start looking
at these quick win featureslike automated reminders for key
tasks or simple dashboards thatsummarize critical points.
And I want to emphasize theword simple here, because in
many cases we are asked bymanagement or by leadership to
(08:33):
create dashboards that have allthe bells and whistles, but the
fact of the matter is we don'tcare about all the bells and
whistles.
We care about those few thingsthat will prompt action.
Updates are available in somany different updates are
available in so many differentmanners.
(08:53):
There's so many meetings thatare happening all the time.
How many projects are in thisstage versus that stage?
Budgeting, updates on budgetingbut what are those key metrics?
What are those KPIs that reallydetermine the health of your
project and your organization atlarge?
(09:13):
These features don't take toomuch time to implement, but they
can drastically reduce manualfollow-up and reporting, which
are often pain points for teams.
And you do this in a way toconnect all of the things that
are happening at theorganization to the organization
across the teams.
(09:39):
Now point number three, and thisis an important one Ongoing
support and training ismandatory If you want this
software to excel at yourorganization.
This is not a one-time event.
It is a continuous process.
(10:01):
You will find yourself withthree groups of folks that will
be involved in this process.
The first group are going to befolks that are aligned and are
ready to rock and roll.
They say, hey, I've seen thissoftware before.
I love it, I love what it cando, I'm all for it.
You let me know what you needfrom me, and those are people
(10:23):
that are going to serve as yourambassadors.
They intimately understand theenvironment because of their
experience in otherorganizations and at the same
time, they can also find otheravenues to utilize that software
so that you can generate quickwins across the gamut of
functions or team members.
(10:45):
Offering ongoing support throughshort training sessions or
quick start guides is going toallow the members to feel more
comfortable with the softwareover time the members to feel
more comfortable with thesoftware over time.
Now there's a differencebetween what organizations I'm
sorry, what the softwarecompanies provide and what you
(11:06):
will need to set up and provide.
Oftentimes, softwareorganizations are going to look
at how the tool is being usedit's going to go through.
These are the features.
This is how you would use it.
This is when you would use it.
Now what's missing is thecontext.
That context comes from you, soit is up to you to use your
(11:29):
critical thinking skills to lookat this system, see the
opportunity and translate thatopportunity into big wins in
your bioform organization.
When you apply these shorttraining sessions and I'm
talking 30 minutes every twoweeks let's sit down, let's talk
about a few things.
(11:50):
See if we have a few questionsand keep moving on from there.
This is going to give thatlevel of comfort over time.
In this software, you can alsoencourage a feedback loop where
users can voice their needs orconcerns, allowing you to
address them proactively andmake the tool more user friendly
as your team grows with it.
So the point here is not to dothis in a bubble.
(12:13):
Give your team the opportunityto give feedback into spaces
(12:37):
where additional training isneeded, into gaps that may start
to manifest, into where thistool could really provide value,
not just in your team but instakeholders.
So we talked aboutcommunicating the why in your
adoption, quick wins for earlybuy-in and creating that ongoing
support and training.
Getting your team on board withsoftware like Smartsheet is all
(12:57):
about showing the practicalbenefits and providing support
as they get comfortable with thetool.
Next time we're going to talkabout creating accountability
structures that encourageexecution without micromanaging.
Thanks for listening to ourpodcast and if you found today's
podcast episode helpful, pleasesubscribe and share with anyone
(13:17):
else looking to make Smartsheetadoption journey a success, or
any software for that matter.
Until next time, take care.
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