Networking is crucial to business careers and is one of the main benefits of LTEN membership: The chance to meet, connect and learn from your life sciences peers. In this Bonus Focus feature, we’re happy to introduce you to LTEN member Christi Clements.
Clements is the director, commercial sales development, for Suneva Medical, and a member of the LTEN Editorial Advisory Board. Her main responsibilities are field and inside sales training, field sales training program management and leadership development. This Q&A article will tell you more about Clements and her life sciences career.
Bonus Focus (BF): How long have you been an LTEN member and what led you to join?
Christi Clements (CC): Since 2012. I joined LTEN when I moved from the field to a training management role in the corporate office by recommendation from a colleague.
BF: What value has LTEN brought to your career?
CC: LTEN has allowed me to gain exposure and access to a network of folks that are highly active in the training and development community — both vendors and like-minded colleagues. This network has led to partnerships, mentorships and wonderful advice along the way.
BF: What is the best career advice you’ve received?
CC: “Not everyone is like you.” Seems so simple, right? I was given this feedback in response to my comment, “I just don’t know why he’s not getting it.” This advice forced me to realize that someone else’s inability to grasp a concept may be due to my inability to train to their needs and style. I had to step out of my “training comfort zone,” and be more open-minded in the development and delivery of training. In doing so, I have been able to train and coach various types of learners more much effectively.
BF: What advice would you offer someone seeking a career in training?
CC: Go for it! Joining a training department is an amazing way to learn about almost every function of an organization, to work cross-functionally to achieve goals and to better your ability in influencing behaviors and shaping culture.
BF: When you think of great leader you worked with, what made them great?
CC: The qualities I have most admired in a great leader are trustworthiness, a strong focus on corporate culture, the ability to communicate and motivate and the ability to strategize for both short- and long-term success.
Share Your Story
Interested in sharing your story through this Bonus Focus feature? Email LTEN Editorial Director Tim Sosbe at tsosbe@L-TEN.org.
