SKILLS FOR SUCCESS
May/June 2006
Tips for Success from HBA's 2006 Star Volunteer
Rosemary Azzaro
Creative Contributor, HBA Bulletin
Sharon Callahan, the 2006 HBA Star Volunteer, is the quintessential “self-starter” whose career is marked by an entrepreneurial spirit, on-the-job learning, and a knack for hearing when opportunity knocks. The daughter of a nurse and “detail man,” Sharon may have been genetically pre-disposed to working in the healthcare industry. Her first job was as a pharmaceutical sales rep. Through networking, Sharon later settled in as an editorial assistant at a small, entrepreneurial medical publishing company—SCP Communications – where she was able to wear many hats: editorial, production, publishing, and project management. The story takes many twists and turns from there.
Why did you leave SCP and eventually boomerang back?
At SCP I realized I loved working on publishing projects, but I wanted to broaden my experience in meetings, symposia and event management, so I left and joined a traditional medical education company. I spoke with a potential pharmaceutical client about allowing me to combine my project management experience with the content resources of my former employer—SCP—and they agreed. This matchmaking launched a whole new career for me, and helped springboard new services for SCP. Ultimately, the business grew organically—as did other ventures at SCP—and I became General Manager of SCP’s largest division, Medical Education.
How did you acquire your formal business skills?
I learned on the job. A lot of it was trial and error. I was fortunate to work with people willing to teach me along the way – a benefit of working in a growing company with an entrepreneurial environment. I would recommend that type of situation to anyone who wants to develop a broad range of business skills quickly. Starting and selling a business was also a big learning experience for me.
Tell us about starting and selling a business.
When I left SCP, I went to Medsite.com. When the dot.com bubble burst, a former SCP colleague and I formed The Summit Group, a healthcare marketing consultancy. Although we worked on a broad range of projects, it was Summit Group’s proprietary technology products designed to extend the value of traditional pharmaceutical marketing programs that brought us to the attention of Grey Healthcare Group, which decided to purchase Summit Group.
How has mentoring played a role in your career?
My view is that you are the CEO of your career; and mentors are your Board of Directors. I have been fortunate to be able to call upon several mentors for advice in different areas of my career or for help with specific challenges. I am also fortunate in having worked directly for people who became mentors to me. The HBA has been a terrific resource for me—in making contacts and in identifying sources of information and trends. Because mentoring has been so important for me, I try, as a manager, to honor “mentoring opportunities.” I have mentored people both informally and more formally. Whether formal or informal, I recognize the value of these mentoring relationships.
How does mentoring factor in with volunteer work?
Managing volunteers is different from managing in a corporate environment. You have to manage accountability in a different way. A “coaching” style of management is a great way to foster teamwork among volunteers, and “mentoring moments” happen quite naturally in volunteer situations. For example, in a volunteer situation, people may be more comfortable giving you feedback on your communication style, because you’re talking as friends and colleagues, rather than as part of a formal business relationship.
Who or what has influenced your career most?
Peter Frishauf, the founder of SCP Communications, because he always took the time to answer my questions and share his insights and tremendous knowledge with me. He is someone who has a rare ability to share both good and bad news with equal grace. His vision and belief that if you can imagine it, you can do it—and the fact that he’s made amazing things happen over and over in his career and in his life—inspires me every day.
Please share the best advice you ever got.
“In your career, you will be judged more on how you handle bad news than on how you handle good news.” And, “If you don’t get something [the job, the business, what you want], step back, try to figure it out, fix it, and move on.”
Please share your thoughts on work/life balance.
It’s something you have to work on every day. Lynn O’Connor Vos, CEO of Grey Healthcare Group, and 2005 WOTY, helped me learn that balance is not just about work and family. It’s also about honoring who you are. You need to take time for yourself—to keep up with your friends and develop your own interests. HBA has also been good for me in this regard, because I have met women who share my passion for our work and our industry, who have faced similar challenges in balancing their lives, and whose friendships I value.
You’ve been an HBA member since 1989 and since then, have served as President, Chapter President, Advisory Board Member, and steward of the “Woman of the Year” luncheon. Of which of these accomplishments are you most proud?
When I chaired the WOTY Committee in 1997, it was the first time we used video presentations to augment the program, included all the honorees on the dais, and sought active corporate sponsorship and “in kind” support. It was also the first year that we had “Rising Stars,” which has been a great addition to the program and to the HBA. I am very proud of the tremendous growth of our organization, and the fact that we are seeing the beginning of a whole new life cycle of leaders.