On the Move at Motion 5: Three lessons learned so far

100 days and beyond…

How it all started

Throughout my life, I have always been fascinated by health and life sciences. So, the decision to pursue an education in biomedical sciences was an easy one. After graduating, I worked as a technical consultant in the healthcare industry. In this role, I advised healthcare facilities all over the world on how to optimize the procurement processes of their medical equipment. After a few years, my eagerness to grow and develop, prompted me to take a next step in my career. I started looking for a work environment that would allow me to build on my prior experience and passion, whilst being able to develop new skills.

And then Motion5 came along.

A company with a small and dedicated team partnering with large (inter)national companies in the healthcare and life science industry to strengthen their commercial thinking. They bridge the gaps in the healthcare sector by working in the “Triangle” (hospitals, medical industry and health insurers), to build new collaborations that add value for organizations and customers/ patients. Our mutual enthusiasm for healthcare, Motion5’s expertise in commercial excellence and my background in procurement of medical equipment, turned out to a perfect match.

Lessons learned so far working at Motion5

Being newly orientated into a job means a lot of introductions, many new names, concepts, abbreviations, and a bunch of questions. The first two weeks were definitely dominant for me as an avid note-taker, writing-up the processes and information that you absorb in your first introductions. Besides learning about Opportunity management, Sales, Key Account Management, here are three important lessons I learned so far:

Lesson nr. 1: The value of asking questions

In the last few months I have been involved in projects aimed at implementing new strategies and processes to maximize customer value and the strategic position of (healthcare) companies. We establish the connection between strategy and process, skills and culture, working together with the medical industry, pharma and health insurance companies, as well as with hospitals. Throughout these projects, asking the right questions at the right time is of great importance. Not only to collect new information, but also to build (stronger) relationships and increase mutual learning. With the continuous developments and increased complexity within the healthcare sector, building these strong relationships is crucial. You need in depth market knowledge, insights in the needs and challenges of the different stakeholders involved, in order to pose impactful questions. By asking impactful questions, you position yourself as a partner who is willing to listen, learn and challenge.

Lesson nr. 2: Highlight your ability, not your experience

In just a couple of weeks working at Motion5, I discovered more about myself and my professional capabilities, than I have in the last years. Right from the start my new colleagues and customers challenged me to open up to new perspectives, new beliefs and maximize my creative and critical ability. But foremost, they brought insight in human potential. Years of studying DNA replications and the physiological functioning of the immune system did little to prepare me for a career in consultancy. But during my experiences so far at Motion5, I became aware that it is important to highlight your ability, not your experience. You can quickly learn a lot about topics like strategic account management, as long as you have the willingness to do so. And this mindset aspect is also very relevant in change management processes. Motion5 supports organizations in transitions to optimize productivity, agility and foster a more competitive and customer-centric organization. Besides the knowledge on how to change, organizations in transition also have to attract and retain people with the right mindset. Nowadays, the only constant is change. Therefore, new hires should not be selected purely on their experience, or credentials but on their ability and motivation.

Lesson nr. 3: Energy is contagious

My initial feeling that I had regarding the cultural fit with Motion5, was soon confirmed when I spoke with one of our key customers. During a training, they expressed that the sessions with Motion5 were energetic, and that even strong headed colleagues were motivated and inspired by the practices, methods and facilitators of Motion5. The commercial excellence project stimulated people to collaborate and contributed to a sustainable and effective (sales) organization. And this is where the team at Motion5 is attuned to: it is an organization that stimulates you and knows how to make you “tick”.

I am thrilled that my experience has been so positive thus far. Going to work is a pleasure, and I am excited about growing my career within Motion5 and the healthcare consultancy. I look forward to working together on all the exciting opportunities that are coming our way.

Mante Sliepen

Mante is a Consultant at Motion5. She specializes in healthcare and supports medical device, pharmaceutical companies and non-profit institutions in sustainable change processes.