In one session, a leader confessed that the constant ‘change of plan’ updates left her team anxious and short-tempered. Once she named the frustration aloud and gave her team permission to say, ‘this feels overwhelming’, the mood shifted and suddenly, people felt more connected and, importantly, seen. If you want to accelerate trust, it’s crucial to take the time to acknowledge the emotional toll and show patience and kindness.

One of the most common sources of stress is ambiguity. We recall a launch team where three functions all thought they owned the payer engagement plan. Unsurprisingly, nothing moved. Once responsibilities were spelled out clearly and an agile working model put in place with short cycles and empowered decisions, the energy returned. People no longer wasted time second-guessing who should act.

Simple onboarding tools can also ease the burden. Across Prescient, we have created many launch playbooks, which are essentially a clear guide to priorities, governance and must-win moments. New team members have described these as ‘a lifeline’, helping them plug in quickly without needing to wade through endless slide decks.

When things heat up, some leaders feel the need to over-communicate by sending reams of information. Ironically, that only adds to the noise. Far better results are achieved when leaders strip messaging back to the essentials and repeat them consistently. An example of this is a global team that reduced their weekly launch calls from two hours to 45 minutes by focusing on three clear messages and a readiness dashboard. The result? Less confusion, more confidence – and more time available to get work done!

Overwhelm often stems from people feeling unprepared, but immersive workshops can completely transform this. In one case, a team facing its first cell and gene therapy launch spent a day working through regulatory, access and supply scenarios. By the end, what felt terrifying at 9am felt manageable by 5pm. Their ‘a-ha moment’ was realising they didn’t need to have all the answers – just the confidence to navigate the unknown together.

It’s tempting, when the pressure mounts, for functions to retreat into their own silos. A lot of us have seen this happen on launches where medical stops talking to marketing, or regulatory feels excluded from strategy discussions. Contrast that with a rare disease team we once supported, where leaders actively involved every function in shaping launch readiness. They celebrated small milestones, even if something as simple as ‘first mock-up approved without red pen’ – and the atmosphere shifted from fatigue to momentum.

Creating a culture of psychological safety underpins all of this. Teams need to know it’s acceptable to raise a hand and say, “I’m stuck” or “I don’t understand”. It is your responsibility as a leader to ensure that this dialogue is happening, and space is made for those who need it.

Launches and change in pharma and biotech will always feel intense. But you as leaders can make the difference between teams that survive the experience and teams that thrive through it. The moments of overwhelm are inevitable. The way we respond to them is a choice. Remember to focus less on the stress of the process, and shift energy to the excitement of the outcome – bringing innovations to patients who are waiting.