Lisa McCurdy is the first female Partner of a growing global strategic consulting firm, with over 30 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry
A strategist by instinct and training, Lisa brings together vision, culture, people and performance, with a strong belief in the impact leadership has on behaviours, outcomes and lives. What does leadership mean to you, and how has your approach or style changed over time?
For me, leadership is about creating environments where people can be their best and want to be their best. It is about helping others recognise their potential and supporting them to realise it.
Over time, my leadership style has become far more grounded in authenticity. Earlier in my career, I spent energy trying to adapt to what I thought leadership should look like. Experience has taught me that authenticity is everything. Leaning into my own approach rather than trying to be anyone else has been one of the most important shifts I have made.
As I became more senior, I also had to unlearn a tendency to doubt my instincts. I have learned to trust my judgement and act on it, even when it feels uncomfortable. One of the greatest compliments I receive is from former team members who tell me they still ask themselves, “What would Lisa do?” when faced with a challenge. I am often sought out for clarity, positivity and perspective, with a leadership style that is people-centred and outcomes-focused.
At its best, leadership feels open, trusting and energising. It feels like being part of something meaningful and shared.
Leadership is both a responsibility and a service. You can shape the service you provide. People may not remember exactly what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel. Focusing on others, not yourself, is where lasting impact is created.
What have been the biggest challenges and the biggest successes in your life, and what have you learned from them?
Several moments have profoundly shaped how I lead. Early in my career, I encountered overt bias when a hiring manager questioned my commitment because I had a young child. Although unspoken at the time, the experience strengthened my resolve and shaped how I now challenge assumptions and support others.
A major personal turning point came when I divorced while my daughters were young. At the same time, I was offered an exceptional role in Switzerland. I made a deliberate decision to prioritise stability for my children, a choice that led me to take redundancy and set up my own business. Fifteen years on, my daughters have thrived and my career has evolved in ways I could not have planned, but deeply value.
More recently, after 28 years in house within large pharmaceutical organisations, I chose to pivot into consulting as the first female Partner at Osprey Health Consulting. Moving from global corporations to a smaller, growing firm allowed me to influence culture, focus on strategic challenges I enjoy, and make a meaningful difference to people, culture and performance.
Some of the hardest decisions I have made have looked simple from the outside. Navigating a career through divorce, in particular, remains more complex and judged than is often acknowledged.
What I am most proud of does not appear on my CV. My daughters have grown into confident, balanced and strong women. That, above all, feels like success.
Real success for me is seeing former team members and mentees flourish and become leaders in their own right. What has tested me most is second guessing my intuition and managing the inner critic, alongside the profound loss of my mother, who was my feminist champion and greatest inspiration.
From these experiences I have learned to trust myself, value time with those I admire and love, invest in others through listening, and stay focused on the end goal even when the path is unclear.
Today, I am consolidating decades of experience across strategy, marketing, problem solving and business growth, with a clear sense of purpose about the kind of leader I want to be and the impact I want to have.
What advice do you have for younger women aspiring to leadership roles?
Stop caring so much about how others perceive you. Run your own race and avoid comparison. Be flexible, because life will change your plans.
Confidence can be practised. Pace can be adjusted. Saying yes and saying no both require intention. Trust your instincts. If you pause and listen, you usually know the right answer.
“Stay focused on the end goal even when the path is unclear.”
Lisa McCurdy
