Court Horncastle usually reads nonfiction, but when his 27-year-old daughter recommended the novel “Babel,” the senior vice president, head of U.S. specialty for GSK decided to give it a try.
“I wanted to share the experience of reading it with her so I departed from my steady nonfiction [preference] (mostly for history, geopolitics and biographies) and jumped into a fictional fantasy epic that takes on complex issues like student activism, colonialism and language, and translation as a tool of an empire,” Horncastle said. “This is an atypical read for me and it provoked a different thinking … and assumptions than my norm.”
Biopharma leaders can find inspiration in a variety of places. And at the bookstore, it’s sometimes hiding far from the self help or business aisles.
Which books can teach leaders valuable lessons or open their eyes to new ideas? We reached out to six pharma executives to learn about the reads that made lasting impressions on them as leaders and learned why they’d recommend these books to peers.
Book: “Babel”
Author: R.F. Kuang
Recommended by: Court Horncastle, senior vice president, head of U.S. specialty, GSK
What it’s about: This award-winning, epic fantasy novel plunges readers into an alternate-reality 1830s England where magical silver working helps perpetuate colonial dominance and power. It follows the story of Robin, a young Chinese orphan who’s training to join the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, or Babel, which is the source of the country’s power.
Why it’s a must-read: “Many times, what you think is likely based on the assumptions you make, grounded in how you feel. This means there is ‘a right way’ rather than ‘the right way’ to frame a challenge, create options and move forward. This reflective pause challenged me to slow down and inquire rather than immediately advocate. Shifting my perspective like this is something that I try to pull through daily to help support my team in being thoughtful and strategic in our decision making to ensure we continue being ambitious for patients.”
Book: “The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living”
Authors: Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
Recommended by: Katsuyoshi Sugita, executive vice president, chief people officer, chief ethics and compliance officer, Astellas Pharma
What it’s about: Meant to be read in inspirational daily bites over the course of a year, this bestseller is packed with a quote a day from stoic philosophers Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus, along with insights from other philosophers and historical stories that put it all into context.
Why it’s a must-read: “‘The Daily Stoic’ offers daily insights into wisdom, perseverance and living a balanced life. Each morning, I read one to two pages, which helps me start my day with valuable reflections and practical advice. This book has been instrumental in enhancing my self-awareness and self-control, especially during stressful times.
As chief people officer and chief ethics and compliance officer, managing stress and maintaining self-control are crucial. ‘The Daily Stoic’ provides daily meditations that help me stay focused and make meaningful contributions to our organization and society. The practical and straightforward approach of this book has significantly improved my ability to lead and inspire others.”
Book: “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer”
Author: Siddhartha Mukherjee
Recommended by: Dr. Faye Feller, executive vice president, chief medical officer, Geron
What it’s about: This Pulitzer Prize winner is one of the most well-known medical nonfiction books of the past 15 years. It’s also that rare work that’s both enlightening and a true page-turner, written as a “biography” of cancer by an Ivy League-educated hematologist/oncologist.
Why it’s a must-read: “For those with or without familiarity of the field of hematology, it provides unique perspectives into cancer research and the journeys researchers, physicians and patients have been on throughout the decades. I think it helps anyone interested in oncology drug development understand the history that led to the system and processes we have today, but also provides perspective and overall context to the environment in which we work.
As a leader of a biotech company, I live the very intense day-to-day focus and grind required to keep my organization and myself executing with excellence, following the data and science to innovate, keeping patients first, leading with integrity, interacting with authenticity… while facing the challenges, setbacks and timelines intrinsic to drug development. Reading about lives impacted by successful drug development journeys that have come before ours helps me keep the perspective that it’s a privilege to come to work every day with the opportunity to improve care for patients and advance science. The impact of beautiful words … like beautiful science … can take us in directions we didn’t expect.”
Book: “Tough Choices: A Memoir”
Author: Carly Fiorina
Recommended by: Heather Dean, senior vice president, neuroscience business unit head, Takeda Pharmaceuticals
What it’s about: In this bestseller, Carly Fiorina tells the story of leading — and getting fired from — Hewlett-Packard in a candid memoir of leadership and being a female CEO in the glare of the national spotlight.
Why it’s a must-read: “The business management insights and observations in [this] memoir left a lasting impression on me, particularly as it relates to transitioning into new leadership roles. Fiorina’s experience at HP underscores the invaluable practice of ‘walking the floor’ and engaging directly with team members who are closest to the work. An organization’s employees provide a clear perspective into ways operations can be elevated further, pointing out opportunities for cost savings, innovation and enhanced efficiency. This approach has taught me the importance of stepping out of the executive bubble to truly understand and effectively lead change. It’s a practice that not only fosters more transparency, but one that can also help drive strategic and meaningful transformation across an organization.”
Book title: “Atomic Habits”
Author: James Clear
Recommended by: Ian Thompson, senior vice president, general manager, U.S. business operations, Amgen
What it’s about: This smash-hit bestseller takes an encouraging approach to forming good habits and breaking bad ones by teaching readers how to make incremental changes that draw on disciplines like biology, psychology and neuroscience.
Why it’s a must read: “‘Atomic Habits’ is a powerful take on how small changes can lead to a big impact in business. Author James Clear advises readers to focus on just a ‘1% improvement each day’ and that this small, reasonable approach to building habits eventually stacks into something much greater. This concept was inspired by Sir Dave Brailsford, the former head of the British Cycling Team who led his team to victory using marginal gains. As an organization, we focus on getting 1% better each day, and we are driven by the appreciation that the patients who Amgen serves can’t wait for access to innovative medicines. This book provides practical understanding and tools to work faster and better as we transform the promise of science and biotechnology into therapies that have the power to restore health or save lives.”
Book: “Ganbatte!: The Japanese Art of Always Moving Forward”
Author: Albert Liebermann
Recommended by: David Dodd, CEO, GeoVax
What it’s about: This compact book contains 50, bite-sized chapters that use Japanese philosophy to teach everything from meditation to how to use failure to move forward. It wraps up with a list of 10 "Ganbatte Rules” for making change.
Why it’s a must-read: “This phrase [Ganbatte] represents a Japanese concept that means “Do your best! Keep going and never give up!’ I recently provided the GeoVax team a one-page list of the 10 rules outlined in this book. This concept fits well with what I’ve shared with our entire team and board [about] my business philosophy: ‘Only our best is good enough!’”
