Becoming a Change Agent through Impactful Disruption: Live from SXSW 2023 with GSK’s Alison Woo

·26 min·2 clips

Alison Wu reveals why being a change leader, not just a change agent, is key to driving real impact in large organizations.

This episode features host Aaron Strout interviewing Alison Wu, Head of Strategy, Planning, and Paid Campaigns, Communications, and Government Affairs at GSK. Their live conversation at South by Southwest explores how to drive innovation within large, established organizations. Wu explains her multifaceted role involves strategic digital engagement, paid campaign activation, and ensuring alignment across global teams at GSK. She describes her typical day as never the same, involving meetings with senior executives, managing international teams, and collaborating with partners like Real Chemistry. Wu recently participated in a panel titled "Being Unapologetic," discussing how to bring one's full identity to work. She distinguishes between being a "change agent," who knows what's new, and a "change leader," who works collaboratively to implement practical changes. Wu emphasizes the importance of speaking the specific language of different internal stakeholders, from scientists to innovation leaders. A key insight is her concept of being a "disruptor without being disruptive," which means shifting perspectives without becoming a counterproductive noisemaker. She advocates for building a "circle of the willing" to create grassroots momentum for change. Wu shares that effective sponsorship from senior leaders, many of whom in her career have been men, has been crucial for opening doors. She notes that women constitute over 51% of the U.S. population and 81% of consumer buying power, challenging the idea of treating them as a niche market. Outside work, Wu is a caretaker for her mother, a baker, and a jewelry maker, finding that these personal pursuits inform her professional analytical skills. Her one wish is for everyone to regularly feel that "lit up" sensation of doing purposeful work. When asked for a deserted island album, she mentions the Austin-based band Sir Woman and the timeless song "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire. The tone is conversational, insightful, and forward-looking, blending career advice with personal philosophy. This episode would appeal to professionals in healthcare, marketing, or large corporations interested in change management and inclusive leadership. Listeners seeking highly technical discussions on AI or pharmaceuticals might find the focus on communication and culture too broad.

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