A team in crisis, a trial at risk

A phase 3 Oncology Clinical Team faced an urgent and complex challenge. A pioneering biomarker-driven study was at risk of termination—not due to scientific failure, but due to a breakdown in team dynamics. A high-pressure, reactive culture marked by fear, blame, and micromanagement  led to silos, high turnover and delays in trial execution.

Key Issues included:

• A reactive work environment with punitive responses to mistakes

• Team member turnover and lack of psychological safety

• Unclear processes and poor decision making

The result? The study stalled, and leadership questioned its viability. If the team couldn’t transform the way they worked together, patients awaiting this breakthrough treatment might never receive it.

Transforming the way we work

We led an outcomes-focused team intervention to rebuild trust, focus and execution by:

• Uncovering the real issues by facilitating open conversations to surface team tensions, fears, and pain points. 

• Building psychological safety – We helped the team establish a culture of trust, where mistakes were learning opportunities, and decision-making was shared. The team co-created and adopted  “safe zones” for open discussions with clear principles for respectful debate.

• Aligning on purpose and commitments – We re-established a shared purpose and created new operating principles grounded in trust and collaboration with mutual agreements to uphold these principles.

• Redefining new ways of working – We eliminated unnecessary reporting, implemented dashboards and launched structured team town halls for transparency.

A 700% turnaround in trial execution

The impact of these changes was profound:

• Psychological safety fueled innovation– Team members felt valued, supported, and empowered to contribute. The shift from micromanagement to co-ownership unlocked creativity and problem-solving.

• Radical increase in execution efficiency – The number of molecular eligibility screenings skyrocketed by 700%, dramatically accelerating trial progress. The team went from stagnation to high performance.

• Improved retention and engagement – Morale rebounded, turnover dropped and team members felt renewed in their mission.

• Delivering a breakthrough medicine – Most importantly, the clinical team delivered a paradigm-shifting medicine to patients who had no other options.