What transformative and mission-critical activities might Corporate Relations engage in to create the greatest value for Genentech through 2019? 

On December 14–15, 2015, the Genentech Corporate Relations Leadership Team gathered in San Francisco for the CRLT Three-Year Planning Blitz. The Blitz was an intensive, immersive effort to Think Wrong about the future of Corporate Relations at Genentech.

Our focus

• Defining and delivering on our top priorities
• Working well as a leadership team
• Working well as a multidisciplinary team

Our goals

• Build trust among leaders and team
• Create clarity for what we are doing, who is responsible for doing it, and our roles in getting it done
• Define goals and priorities that directly support Genentech and Roche goals and priorities
• Explore how we might engage each other and CR teams in definition, design, and execution of programs that support priorities and goals
• Gain leadership commitment to goals, priorities, transformative changes, ways of working, team engagement strategy, and each other
• Make sure that what we come up with relates to everyone in Corporate Relations
• Be clear about the fit between new work and existing work

Desired outcomes

• Agreement on three to six strategic imperatives (mix of external client priorities and internal priorities) and corresponding initiatives
• Vision for Corporate Relations team of the future
• Understanding of implications of Relations team of the future
• Definition of leadership responsibilities, commitments, and assignments
• Definition of timeline for defining and planning initiatives and projects across Corporate Relations

We thought wrong about the next three years, exploring what our priorities might be, how we might become an even stronger Leadership Team, and where we might create even greater value by working as a single team with many skills and talents.

Framer-in-Chief
One Word
As Art
Deflection Point
Bold Imperatives
5x5 Whys
 

Silent Walk

Verboten!

Draw It

$100 VC Fund

It's About Time
Past/Present/Future
True Up
The One Thing
Impact Is...
Stack It
Waypoints
Notes Day

The Genentech Corporate Leadership Three-Year Planning Blitz improved communication and increased empathy among the Leadership Team. We created a clear set of strategic imperatives, supporting initiatives, an organizing framework, and a new focus on Corporate Relations’ people and processes.

We focused on what we hoped to get out of the Corporate Relations Three-Year Planning Blitz.

We selected one operative word to embody our leadership styles.

Defining ourselves in this manner promoted a deeper understanding and value in our team.

Empowerment

Ed empowers his team members to be in a position to succeed and advance through skills and resources.

Nurturing 

Amy nurtures her team and has a desire to bring those around her along.

Purposeful

Amy also works and speaks with purpose. She’s not the loudest in the room, but she speaks up when it matters most.

Aspirational

Kristin helps see things far outside the realm of possibility. She sees and believes in the possible.

Trust(ing)

David invests trust in others on the team, and often gives others the benefit of the doubt.

Democratic

Geoff places focus on creativity, engagement, satisfaction, and productivity.

We shared artwork that evoked what we find most compelling about Genentech Corporate Relations.

Art provided a way to share what we really value about Corporate Relations at Genentech—helping each of us gain deeper understanding of what inspires and drives the leadership team.

Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire

Two worlds meeting each other in a sea of possibility; a huge inflection point.

“First Ascent” photograph

Self-agency allows us to do so many things that we never thought possible, along with opportunities to communicate our pioneering, adventuresome spirit. 

Cole’s The Course of Empire

Be expansive and build what you want. Take care of it. Avoid a place of desolation. Provides both a rhythm and a cautionary tale to protect what you build so that it might flourish.

Brancusi’s Bird in Space

Not literal. Conveys motion. Tells the story in a simple and unperceived way.

We gained new insight into how each of us defines “short term” and “long term”; the importance we each place on past, present, and future; and how the differences in those expectations affect us as a team.

A better understanding of how each of us understands and relates to time allows us to better align our plans and efforts—and to avoid tensions that might come from our different expectations.

Seven strategic imperatives emerged over two days. 

By pushing hard, embracing tension, and being willing to pivot when our process was not producing what we needed, we were able to design a framework that communicates seven strategic imperatives and their relationship to one another.

Launch Epic Programs

Launch
Medicines

Amplify
Culture

Grow
Reputation

Celebrate
Science

Focus on
People

Excel at
Process

Iconic Projects

Create awareness, interest, and engagement within Genentech—
while raising our profile among employees, key partners, community members, key influencers, policy makers, and the general public—through projects such as 40th Anniversary, Futurelab, and Everyday Epic.

Launch
Medicines

Amplify Culture 

Grow Reputation 

Celebrate Science 

Mission-Critical Work

Continue to improve the world-class Corporate Relations
services that we deliver to Genentech on a daily basis.

Local Presence

Build on the success of Futurelab, focusing our corporate and
employee giving and volunteering in the communities where
our sites are located—making them better places to live, 
work, play, learn, and grow up.

Brand Story/Channels

Tell everyday epic stories that celebrate science, help launch
medicines, amplify our culture, and grow Genentech's
reputation—utilizing channels that reach the audiences who
matter most to our success.

Irresistible Culture

Tell stories, create experiences, and engage people in ways
that make Genentech irresistible to employees, top talent, 
key partners, investigators, coordinators, regulators, key
influencers, and policy makers.

We agreed to expand our focus of delivering excellent service to include investing in the people and processes that enable us to be a world-class Corporate Relations team.

The “$100 VC Fund” drill revealed a strong alignment and commitment among the Leadership Team to invest in Corporate Relations’ people and processes. 

We shifted from prescribing
initiatives and projects to our teams to engaging them in defining how we might best accomplish our strategic imperatives.

The “Waypoints” drill reinforced the importance of engaging the entire Corporate Relations team in defining the programs and projects that will help us successfully achieve our objectives.  

The Leadership Team plans on completing the “Notes Day” drill (inspired by “Notes Day” in Ed Catmull’s Creativity, Inc.) to design a productive way of engaging the team.

Each Think Wrong drill produced useful output. Documentation of our work provides a rich collection of ideas and insights to mine as we move forward. 

We defined what “high impact” means to us. Then we used that definition to prioritize actions we might take—and how we might measure our progress. 

Iconic Projects

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When we have developed and implemented a campaign around irresistible culture and reputation
When Ian & Genentech are featured/sought out as extended thought leaders on compelling topics that are promoted internally
When we exploit every opportunity available via the gene (Ken Burns)
When communication and new HR system enhances and improves the experience, and doesn’t detract from it

Prioritized Actions:

Establish Genentech LT POV nationally
Scale Future Lab regionally and nationally
The gene nails it
Beyond the bus
TBD x2

Brand Story/Channels

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When everyone in Corporate Relations understands brand and how to use it
When content integration between gene.com is completed
When functional gene.com pages are awesome and use the latest technology and storytelling apparatuses

Prioritized Actions:

Three-year brand plan connected to business and growing cadence
Gene.com overhaul
Expand/build gene.com architecture to create key business CRL hubs
Enhance gWiz with virtual reality and new technologies

Corporate Relations People Excellence 

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When we continue to attract the best Corporate Relations talent
When CRLT members trust and support one another
When HiPo's are retained and developed

Prioritized Actions:

Career pathways strategy for key talent
Leveling document
Development plans for each employee
Executive presence and influence
Build stronger metrics into performance goals
Fun, play, and connecting across departments

Mission-Critical Work

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When high awareness and third-party support yield quick uptake of our medicines
When Future Lab and PH1 are part of Genentech culture and correlated to biz metrics

Prioritized Actions:

Six drug launches
OR breakthrough campaign
Connect employees to research and medicines
Make people care
GEOS 2017 report out
Culture plan, D and F plans
Make sure tech (back ends) of gene.com function
CHRIS goes away—move to cloud

Irresistible Culture 

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When Genentech GEOs scores go up
When Ian and Genentech Executive Committee have POV on key topics important to employees and speak regularly through multiple channels

Prioritized Actions:

Sustain culture and retain our employees
gRED service and plan
Build trust in our leaders
Executive presence, POV determined and shared
Involvement; listen to employees and take action
Internal and external executive editorial strategy
Communicate culture strategy in a way that doesn’t negatively impact culture
Engage all departments with Future Lab

Metrics

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When we use the information to change, innovate, and make decisions
When we can benchmark ourselves against peer group
When we partner with other groups to have a shared interest and language (e.g., security, HR, Internal)
When metrics are tied to proven value

Prioritized Actions:

Contract measurement experts to create the what/then package
Measure ongoing impact of our communications and activities on retention
Adopt metrics dashboard as Corporate Relations tool

Local Presence

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When Ian and Genentech are considered local icons (like Salesforce)
When we have a unified plan across brand, giving, and external communications
When we create pride
When we allow for continued growth on our sites 

Prioritized Actions:

Integrated campaign with site services, PR, Ceg, and GA
Greater external investment for local attraction, retention, and pride
Embed strategic healthcare initiative 

Internal Influence and Authority

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When we renegotiate HR service-level plan
When we continue to get staff and resources to do cool work
When everyone at Genentech knows what Corporate Relations does and are inspired

Prioritized Actions:

Rethink BP remit/job description
New stronger partnership with government affairs
Corporate Relations road show of shock, awe, and simplicity
Continue top pull through and socialize Everyday Epic

Organizational Excellence

We’ll know we are succeeding when...

When we have a template for planning that resolves tension between mission-critical work and big lifts
When CRLT has an established reputation and known expectations
When we have systems and a process in place that saves time and supports imperatives
When junior team members can run cross-functional teams

Prioritized Actions:

Use outside experts to help with process, planning, etc.
Chief of staff
Improved Corporate Relations planning process
Plans that are specific and “smart”
Cross-functional team training
How to conduct a meeting training

2016

LAUNCH MEDICINES/AMPLIFY CULTURE/
GROW REPUTATION/CELEBRATE SCIENCE

Mission-Critical Work:
Continue to improve the world-class Corporate Relations services that we deliver to Genentech on a daily basis.
Make sure tech (back ends) of gene.com function or breakthrough campaign 

Brand Story/Channels:
Tell everyday epic stories that celebrate science, help launch medicines, amplify our culture, and grow Genentech's reputation—utilizing channels that reach the audiences who matter most to our success. 

Local Presence:
Build on the success of Future Lab, focusing our corporate and employee giving and volunteering in the communities where our sites are located—making them better places to live, work, play, learn, and grow up. 

Irresistible Culture:
Tell stories, create experiences, and engage people in ways that make Genentech irresistible to employees, top talent, key partners, investigators and coordinator, regulators, key influences, and policy makers. 

FOCUS ON PEOPLE

Internal Influence and Authority: 
Build on the accomplishments from our current strategic plan, strengthening Corporate Relations' reputation and influence across Genentech and Roche.
Use outside experts to help with process and planning. 
New stronger partnership with government affairs.
Continue top pull through and socialize Everyday Epic.
Rethink BP remit/job description.
Corporate Relations road show of show, awe, and simplicity.

Corporate Relations People Excellence:
Leveling document.
Development plans for each employee.
Build stronger metrics into performance goals.
Fun, play, and connecting across departments.
Executive presence and influence.
Career pathways strategy for staff.
We continue to attract the best Corporate Relations talent.
CRLT members trust and support one another.
Staff are retained and developed.
Leveling document.   

EXCEL AT PROCESS

Metrics:
Invest in measurements that demonstrate the contribution Corporate Relations makes to Genentech and the value we create in markets and communities that matter to Genentech's success. 

Organizational Excellence: 
Develop a stronger skill for planning that resolves tension between mission-critical work and big lifts
Improved Corporate Relations planning process
Plans that are specific and "smart"
A template for planning that resolves tension between mission-critical and big-lift projects
Use outside experts to help with process, planning, etc. 
Chief of staff/business operations lead
Cross-functional team training
How to conduct a meeting training
 

2017

2018

2019

February 

LAUNCH EPIC PROGRAMS

Iconic Projects:
National attention for CSR