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Blog and Media
Breaking down complex topics about management and leadership skills, the changing needs of the pharmaceutical industry, the workforce, employee engagement and culture, and the market.
Read Our Latest Posts
Is Pharma Sales Broken?
In a recent conversation with a former pharma CEO, we reflected on just how much the industry has shifted. He began his career in the early ’90s as a sales rep at one of the largest companies, a time when relationships drove prescriptions and product differences were minimal. Those days are long gone.
Personalized Coaching Plan: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of Middle Performers
Walk into any sales organization and you’ll see a familiar pattern. Top performers are celebrated and stretched with new opportunities, while struggling employees receive extra coaching to get them back on track.
The Sales Manager Gap: Why Hiring Externally Isn’t Fixing Performance
The assumption is that if someone has been a manager before, they don’t need training. But skills aren’t validated beyond an interview, and those hires bring gaps with them. Meanwhile, internal talent gets overlooked.
Is Trust the Real Currency of Sales Leadership?
Deadlines, pressure, and constant change are part of leadership in every industry. When the heat is on, technical expertise and training matter — but what truly holds a team together is trust. Trust is the foundation of leadership. Without it, nothing else sticks.
Blended Strategies in Pharma: Building Stronger Leadership Development
Many pharma companies had already embraced remote learning; however, leadership training has been the lone holdout. The blended learning enabled people to enter the field more quickly, eliminating the need to wait for live training.
Strengthening Partner and Internal Relationships: Five Essential Strategies to Help Master Training Management
Managing supplier partners and internal relationships is a critical skill for trainers in life sciences organizations. Trainers work with multiple stakeholders — balancing the needs of sales teams, marketing, medical, legal, and regulatory (MLR) requirements, and supplier capabilities to deliver quality learning experiences.
Bridging the Gap: How to Keep Middle Level Employees Inspired and Invested
Middle-level employees are the connective tissue of every organization. They translate executive vision into action, manage frontline teams, solve day-to-day problems, and maintain operational stability. Yet, despite this essential role, they often feel stuck in a quiet middle, neither celebrated like high-potential new hires nor empowered like senior leaders.
Leadership Lessons: You Can’t Fix a Problem That You Can’t Talk About
The most effective leadership lessons show managers how to foster a culture where problems are raised early, discussed honestly, and solved together before they can escalate. If your managers avoid difficult conversations, even the best strategies will stall.
Why AI Won’t Replace Great, But Will Make Them Better
If you’re in a manager role today, it’s easy to worry that AI might one day replace your role. That fear isn’t new—it’s been around since the Industrial Revolution. And yes, some jobs have been replaced by technology. But just as often, new roles have been created. Opportunity has always followed disruption.
7.5 Things to Check Before You Implement Training
Most problems in sales don’t come from a lack of skill. They come from mixed messages, weak coaching, bad territory setups, or tools that get in the way. When leaders take a breath and look at the real issue, they stop guessing and start solving.
Your Career, Your Move: What I Wish I Knew Sooner
Attending NSN’s Launch to Legacy event made me think not only about where I am today but about the advice I’d give myself when I left the Army. In uniform, your career path is prescribed. Officer development is structured, training is consistent, and advancement is often based on merit, credibility, and competence.
True Delegation: How Managers Boost Profitability and Grow Their Teams
In many organizations, the concept of “delegation” is often misunderstood. Some managers believe that simply assigning tasks from existing job descriptions counts as delegation. But true delegation means something fundamentally different: handing over responsibilities and decisions that the manager currently owns themselves.
The Hidden Cost of Poor Leadership
Leadership is often celebrated for its visible impact, hitting targets, inspiring teams, and driving growth. Yet, what’s frequently overlooked is the silent damage caused by poor leadership. It rarely happens overnight. It begins with missed deadlines, unspoken frustrations, and meetings filled with compliance instead of collaboration.
Emotional Intelligence: The Skill That Holds Every Role Together
The people who handle those moments best — the ones who stay composed, connect with others, and bring out the best in those around them — almost always share one thing in common: a high level of emotional intelligence.
Execution Isn’t a Checkbox. It’s a Coaching Culture
Every pharmaceutical leader understands the pressure of execution. Strategies are carefully developed, processes are refined, and performance goals are clearly defined. Yet despite this structure, results often fall short.
Why Companies Struggle with Engagement and Leadership Buy
It’s a cycle employees recognize all too well, and they see right through it. The truth is that engagement and leadership buy-in can’t be manufactured with slogans or restructurings. They’re earned or lost through everyday leadership behaviors.
Why Systems Don’t Scale Leadership—People Do
The problem isn’t the systems themselves. It’s the assumption that systems can replace what only people can provide: judgment, adaptability, and the human connection that transforms average performers into exceptional ones.
The Power of Energy Management: Helping Pharma Reps Stay Sharp and Motivated
When managers recognize the importance of energy, they shift the focus from just hitting targets to creating conditions where reps can perform at their best. That change not only protects against burnout but also helps teams sustain motivation and deliver consistent performance in the long run.
Watch Our Latest Videos
Leading from Within: Keith Willis on Building High-Performing Teams and Effective Leadership
In this episode of The Sea Captain Way podcast, Keith Willis, President and Founder of Core Management Training, shares invaluable insights on leadership, team development, and the power of recognizing individual strengths.
Networking and Proactivity: Keith Willis on Advancing in Pharma Sales
In this episode, Keith Willis explains why managers are pivotal in shaping sales careers. He shares how networking and taking proactive steps help reps create opportunities, stand out in competitive markets, and build long-term success in pharma sales.
Bringing Your A-Game: Keith Willis on Coaching, Training, and Career Growth
In part two of this conversation, Keith Willis shares why top pharmaceutical companies invest in coaching and training to build stronger sales teams, and why reps should do the same for their own careers. He explains how self-development, coaching, and skill-building help you stand out in interviews, succeed in competitive territories, and create long-term career opportunities.
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