Connect the dots is “a form of puzzle containing a sequence of numbered dots. When a line is drawn connecting the dots the outline of an object is revealed,” as Wikipedia puts it. This term refers to more than just a kids’ game, however. Wikipedia states that connecting the dots can also “be used as a metaphor to illustrate an ability to associate one idea with another, to find the ‘big picture,’ or salient feature, in a mass of data.” Steve Jobs, one of America’s most celebrated icons, who passed away on October 5th, credited his ability to connect the dots as a major reason for his success.

Steven Levy, a technology reporter, summed up the importance of Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and Pixar Animation Studios, very nicely, stating, “He was the most adored and admired business executive on the planet, maybe in history . . . People who can claim credit for game-changing products are few and far between. But Jobs has had not one, not two, but six of these breakthroughs, any one of which would have made for a magnificent career.”

Mr. Jobs’ personal path towards success holds a few life lessons within it. Referring to some of the most pivotal points in his life, Mr. Jobs urged Stanford graduates to pursue something they love, and to see the opportunities in life’s setbacks — even the face of death — at the university’s 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005. He notably used the term, connect the dots, and concluded that it is one of the most important things that one needs to do to be successful in life. He personally connected the dots from his experiences as a youth.

After dropping out of college, Mr. Jobs developed an interest in calligraphy, where he learned different typefaces. Although this acquired knowledge did not appear to have any practical application for him at the time, he ended up connecting the dots 10 years later. While building the first Macintosh, Mr. Jobs utilized his experience in calligraphy to create the “first computer with beautiful typography.” By connecting the right dots, he could bring innovation to the public! Former Pfizer Global R&D president, John LaMattina, remarked, “Of all the things that I have read, one comment particularly resonated with me: Steve Jobs had little use for market research. He felt that the public didn’t often realize what they wanted, that it was hard for people to envision that they would want something that didn’t exist. I believe a similar phenomenon exists in the pharmaceutical world.” Again, if one can connect the dots, the past history of ‘Market Research’ is of little value going forward.

I still put into practice some of the teachings I received from my Guru (well known as Dr. R.P.P.) about connecting dots. Also, my father, even now at age 87, says that his connecting of dots allowed him to achieve what he wanted to achieve. I look to connect the dots in numerous situations, whether it is with M&A opportunities, or connecting with the right contract research or manufacturing company, or even when looking to create a Sponsor-Vendor relationship. Nowadays, with the social media, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, it seems that everybody is trying to connect the dots of ‘networking’ in a positive way. People talked about six degrees of separation in the past. I am now starting to believe that the six is shrinking rapidly to five or four degrees of separation. In tomorrow’s world, I am in total belief that the social media evolution — more precisely, ‘revolution’ — is going to logarithmically take over the future of networking. As a result, the ways in which we connect the dots will be continuously transforming. It is the responsibility for every one of us to continue searching for the connections that work best.

In the world contract pharmaceuticals, as well as among large pharma companies, we are already noticing ripples of change within corporations. For example, a recent trend has been the splitting or reorganizing of larger companies into ‘independent business units,’ to allow for more nimbleness and flexibility, while fostering a ‘small company’ atmosphere and philosophy. Pfizer, a mega-company formed of amalgamation of many companies, now has Primary care, Specialty Care, Oncology, Emerging Markets, Established Products and Consumer Healthcare as independent business units. With the patent cliff hitting the major pharma companies, there has been a push for promoting ‘branded generics’ within the big pharma companies, post-loss of exclusivity. All these developments resulted because of the changing nature of pharma. The locations of the dots have certainly changed, but the connecting line still exists.

It is clear that everyone is connecting the dots, or at least trying to connect them, while adapting to the changing environment. There has been a slow “equilibration process” in the global labor paradigm, which is why we are seeing slow growth in developed markets, but a glowing growth of 6-9% in emerging markets. It will be very interesting to see how this growth rate develops moving forward. With continued innovation, the future is bright. Perhaps there will be more visionary leaders emerging in the world of pharma moving forward, resulting in new connections of dots. Many salutes to Steve Jobs for being an excellent role model for our future innovators and pioneers. I hope his legacy will continue.

Makarand (Mak) Jawadekar most recently served as Director, Portfolio Management and Performance at Pfizer Global R&D, until February 2010, when he opted for an early retirement after 28 years at Pfizer Inc. He currently serves on several companies’ advisory boards and also consults with bio/pharmaceutical companies for global outreach in emerging market regions. He can be reached at [email protected].