Latest news with #ToynaChin
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
How To Manage Managing Workplace Conflict Across Cultures
Toyna Chin is the Global Director of Marketing at Novotech, a global biotech CRO. There's an uncomfortable truth most professionals experience but rarely say out loud: Sometimes, the most challenging relationships are with the very colleagues we work alongside every day. I've built my career leading global teams, navigating complex business environments and driving growth through collaboration across continents. I pride myself on being fair, level-headed and focused on solutions, not drama. But that doesn't mean I haven't encountered personalities that pushed every button I have. I've worked with colleagues who seemed, from my perspective, determined to undermine me, challenging decisions under the guise of 'playing devil's advocate,' withholding important details until the last moment, delaying deliverables or reshaping narratives to claim credit. I've had peers who made it known they believed my role should have been theirs. When you're managing across multiple countries, the challenge multiplies. Behaviors that are considered direct and acceptable in one culture can be perceived as aggressive in another, in my experience. Hierarchical norms, communication styles and even approaches to disagreement vary widely. What felt like undermining in one context could be framed as 'healthy debate' in another, yet the impact on trust and collaboration is the same. At first, I generally brush these behaviors off as ambition, something I usually welcome. But in certain cases, the patterns have gone far beyond healthy competition. It drained my energy. I found myself over-preparing for meetings, second-guessing decisions I knew were solid and spending far too much mental space anticipating the next challenge. The Book That Shifted My Perspective During a conference in San Francisco, I wandered past a bookstore in the expo hall. One title that stopped me: Dealing with People You Can't Stand by Dr. Rick Brinkman and Dr. Rick Kirschner. I was taken aback by the bluntness of the title, initially almost put off by it, yet it resonated so strongly at the time that I purchased it on the spot. I set it aside during the conference, but once I began reading it at home, I was immediately drawn in. The book breaks down difficult behaviors into recognizable archetypes as tools for understanding behavior patterns: the Tank, the Sniper, the Know-It-All, the Whiner, the No Person and more. These aren't about labeling people as good or bad; they're tools for understanding why people behave the way they do, especially under stress or when they feel out of control. What struck me was how these archetypes transcended borders. Whether I was working with a stakeholder in Asia, a peer in Europe or a direct report in the U.S., I could spot the patterns. The behaviors might be expressed differently based on cultural norms, but the underlying motivations and the strategies to address them were remarkably consistent. The real shift for me was realizing that the goal isn't to 'fix' someone else. It's to manage my own response and protect my energy. That shift was a turning point in how I lead globally. Four Strategies That Work The book gave me the framework, but applying it across different cultural settings required nuance. In a global environment, time zones, language differences and cultural interpretations can cause misunderstandings. I began following up meetings with clear, factual summaries, what was discussed, agreed upon and the next steps. This works because it eliminates ambiguity and creates a shared source of truth, no matter where team members are located. In my experience, it's crucial to keep the tone neutral and avoid idioms that might not translate well. Expectations can vary dramatically across countries. What's considered 'urgent' in one region may be 'next week' in another. I started clearly outlining deliverables, timelines and decision-making authority in a way that respected local working styles. Boundaries provide a structure everyone can operate within, reducing scope creep and conflict. Frame boundaries as enabling collaboration, not restricting it. Directness is valued in some regions and avoided in others. I learned to adapt my language so that it was clear without being culturally tone-deaf. For example, I might use softer phrasing in Japan while still keeping the message unambiguous. Clarity reduces misinterpretation while showing cultural respect. When in doubt, pair verbal feedback with written follow-up for consistency. In a global team, leadership styles and expectations vary widely. Some people may never align with your approach, and that's okay. My focus shifted from 'winning everyone over' to ensuring the team's performance and cohesion. Letting go of this need removes emotional hooks and keeps leadership centered on outcomes. Evaluate success by collective results, not personal approval ratings. The Key Takeaway Disliking someone at work doesn't make you unprofessional; it makes you human. Leading across cultures adds complexity, but the core truth remains: You can't control someone else's behavior, only your own response. I still recommend Dealing with People You Can't Stand to colleagues navigating challenging relationships, especially in global teams. Not because it's a magic fix, but because it gives you language, strategy and perspective that translate across borders. Often, the most effective leadership response is not to change the other person, but to change how you choose to engage with them. That mind shift was transformative for me, though, like any leader, I occasionally face moments of doubt. I hope this can be equally empowering for you. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
Forbes
27-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What Nearly Blowing My Promotion Taught Me About Leadership
Toyna Chin is the Global Director of Marketing at Novotech, a global biotech CRO. A few years ago, I stepped into a new role through an internal promotion. I'd been with the company for a while, understood the people and had a strong pulse on the business. Naturally, I thought I was ready to hit the ground running. Spoiler alert: I wasn't. Almost immediately, I found myself creating tension. Not because I had bad ideas, but because I was too eager to act without fully understanding my new reality. I later picked up What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith, and the title alone felt like it was written for me. It helped me reflect on why my instincts (which had served me well until that point) were suddenly working against me. Here's what I wish I had done differently and what I eventually figured out the hard way. In my prior role, I was valued for being proactive, decisive and solution-focused. When I moved up, I leaned on those same traits—but now they were landing differently. Instead of being seen as helpful, I came off as pushy. I was unintentionally steamrolling people who had more context than I did. I remember diving into a team meeting and immediately suggesting changes to a process I thought was outdated. What I didn't realize was that this 'outdated' process had been carefully developed to meet very real constraints I hadn't yet uncovered. That was my first big leadership lesson: Leading from the middle is very different from leading from above. Execution and influence are not the same thing. My job was no longer to drive every solution but to enable the team to solve the right problems. One trap I fell into was assuming that my tenure gave me all the insight I needed. I'd been involved in cross-functional projects, sat in on leadership meetings and even contributed to some strategic planning. But I didn't realize how much nuance I was missing until I started asking more questions. Eventually, I slowed down and started meeting with key stakeholders—not to tell them my vision, but to ask for theirs. I asked questions like: • 'What's working well that you'd want to protect?' • 'Where do you think I can be most helpful?' • 'What do you want me to understand before I try to change anything?' Those conversations gave me insight that no dashboard or report ever could. I realized I had a few puzzle pieces—but not the whole picture. I came into the role with good intentions, but my early attempts to make improvements were met with hesitation. It wasn't until I stepped back and focused on building trust that things began to shift. I started by owning what I didn't know. I became more transparent about my learning curve and started showing more appreciation for the team's existing efforts. I stopped assuming and started listening with patience. And something powerful happened: the resistance faded. People became more open, more engaged and, ironically, more receptive to change. They felt respected and included in the process. There was a process I was certain we needed to sunset. In my mind, it was inefficient and outdated. But when I spoke to the team that created it, I heard the backstory. That process wasn't built in a vacuum; it was born from constraints, limited resources and a lot of trial and error. Instead of scrapping it immediately, I invited the team to revisit it with me. We explored what still served us and what we'd outgrown. Together, we built something better. That collaboration turned what could've been seen as a teardown into a shared success. It taught me something critical: Honoring past work isn't about clinging to the old. It's about showing people that their efforts matter—and that progress is something we create together. I had a new title, new responsibilities and formal decision-making power. But the moment I tried to rely on that power alone, I hit walls. Influence, I realized, comes from alignment, not hierarchy. So I brought people into the conversation early. I started socializing ideas instead of announcing them. I gave space for feedback, even when it was hard to hear. Over time, something shifted: the team stopped seeing change as my agenda and started treating it as our direction. Looking Back: Growth Requires A Gear Shift That promotion was a turning point for me not just professionally, but personally. It challenged my assumptions, exposed some blind spots and ultimately reshaped how I lead today. Goldsmith's premise still rings true: The skills that get you promoted won't necessarily make you successful in your new role. Transitioning into leadership requires letting go of old habits, embracing new ones and remembering that people don't follow titles—they follow trust. If you've recently stepped into a new role or have one on the horizon, here's my advice: don't rush to prove yourself. Start by listening, aligning and showing people that you respect the journey they've been on. Because when people trust that you see them, they'll walk with you even when the path changes. Forbes Communications Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Questex's Fierce Biotech Announces 2025 Fierce CRO Award Finalists
NEW YORK, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Questex's Fierce Biotech today announces the finalists of the second annual Fierce CRO Awards. The Fierce CRO Awards celebrate exceptional achievements and innovations by Contract Research Organizations (CROs). These awards honor CROs that have demonstrated outstanding performance, innovation, and leadership in delivering high-quality research and development services. By recognizing the excellence of CROs, the awards aim to highlight the critical role they play in advancing life sciences research and improving patient outcomes. Fierce CRO Award finalists include: CRO Champion Award Dr. Uma Sharma, Founder and CEO, MMS GenScript Biotech Corp Toyna Chin, Global Director of Marketing, Novotech Excellence in Client Service and Partnership CMIC Group MMS Navitas Life Sciences Excellence in Clinical Trial Management Phastar Clinical Intelligence by Phastar PSI CRO: The Leading CRO in Radiopharmaceutical Trial Management and Beyond by PSI CRO AG Trial Management Collaboration and Support for an Emerging Oncology Biotech by Catalyst Clinical Research Excellence in Global Operations CTI Clinical Trial & Consulting Excellence in Global Operations by Crown Bioscience TFS HealthScience Innovative Approaches to Patient-Centric Research CTI Clinical Trial & Consulting Empowering Patient-Centric Trials by IQVIA Patient-Centered Endpoints by Fortrea Innovative Solutions in Drug Development BioPALS Hit Identification by Concept Life Sciences Centralized Monitoring for Best-In-Class Data Management by Precision for Medicine CertisOI Assistant: The Digital Assistant for Oncology Research by Certis Oncology Solutions Outstanding Patient Recruitment and Retention Reinventing Patient Recruitment Approaches: Lindus Health's Novel Application of the Patient Identification Center (PIC) Technique by Lindus Health Patient recruitment and retention by Centre for Human Drug Research TrialWire 'Our awards program honors the outstanding performance, innovation and leadership of Contract Research Organizations in the life sciences industry. We applaud the award finalists on their work to advance research as well as the industry. We look forward to seeing who comes up on top in June,' said Rebecca Willumson, SVP and Publisher of Fierce Biotech and Fierce Pharma. The Fierce CRO Awards finalists were judged on: Innovation and Impact, Measurable Outcomes, Sustainability and Scalability and Ethical and Regulatory Adherence. Winners will be announced on June 18. About Fierce Biotech is the biotech industry's daily monitor, providing the latest news, articles, and resources related to clinical trials, drug discovery, FDA approval, FDA regulation, patent news, pharma news, biotech company news and more. More than 300,000 top biotech professionals rely on Fierce Biotech for an insider briefing on the day's top stories. Signup is free here. About QuestexQuestex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here. Media ContactKathleen DeanFierce CRO Awardskdean@
