Innovation: From Scientific Expert to Business Leader
12:20 pm - Tuesday 6th October 2026
- The leadership shift: Moving from scientific expert to business leader means shifting from solving technical problems and being “right” to shaping priorities, influencing stakeholders, and moving an organization across functions
- HR must focus on selection as well as development: Not every strong scientist will thrive as an organizational leader – key predictors include social astuteness/political skill, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and adaptable communication
- Four capabilities are critical: Emerging leaders need to build influence without authority, executive-level communication, the ability to “get on the balcony” and see the broader organizational system, and the ability to deploy people and resources against changing priorities
- The HR implication: Succession planning should assess who has the underlying potential before promotion, then deliberately develop these four capabilities during the leader’s first 12 months in a broader role
