How Great Leaders Build Trust When Everything Is Changing with Meraf Eyassu | #37

How do great leaders build trust when their teams are facing uncertainty and change? In Episode 37 of Thoroughly Thriving, Darren and Sean sit down with Meraf Eyassu, an accomplished biotech clinical operations leader with more than 20 years of experience across clinical research, drug development, and organizational leadership. Most recently serving as Executive Director of Clinical Operations at Terns Pharmaceuticals, Meraf has led teams through the realities that come with developing new medicines—changing priorities, uncertain clinical programs, rapid growth, and major organizational transformation. But throughout her career, one lesson has continued to stand out:People and relationships matter. Meraf shares why she believes great culture never happens by accident, why technical expertise alone isn't enough to build high-performing biotech teams, and what employees really need from their leaders when the future is uncertain.In this conversation, you'll hear: How working as a registered nurse helped Meraf discover her "why" Why relationships can determine whether teams get results What Meraf looks for when building high-performing teams Why adaptability and calm matter in unpredictable environments How leaders can introduce change with empathy Why great company culture must be intentionally created How a leader's reaction to problems shapes employee behavior Why trust should be built before uncertainty hits How to communicate when you don't have all the answers What employees experience during an acquisition or major transition Why leaders may need to communicate the same message repeatedly How listening to employee questions can make leaders better What "thoroughly thriving" means to Meraf today Whether you're leading in biotech, clinical operations, healthcare, life sciences, or another rapidly changing organization, this conversation is a reminder that leadership isn't simply about having the answers. Sometimes it's about creating enough trust that your people know you'll tell them what you know, listen to what they're experiencing, and walk through the uncertainty with them. 🎧 Watch Episode 37 of Thoroughly Thriving with Meraf Eyassu.Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, life sciences, people, culture, and the changing world of work.