It wasn’t burnout that broke her team. It was brilliance turned inward. Ten overachievers, all wired to win, but no scoreboard left to chase.
“I don’t know what’s going on. My MSL team is incredible, but the competition is starting to feel toxic.”
This MSL lead looked exhausted. She wasn’t talking about people being mean or underhanded.
She was talking about something sneakier.
→ A shift in tone.
→ A hesitation to share information.
→ An eyeroll when someone got praised on a call.
And the worst part? Everyone on her team was brilliant. Top of their class, highest performers, PharmDs, postdocs, post-clinician rockstars. The kind of people who’ve been chasing gold stars their entire lives.
But here’s what no one tells you when you step into Medical Affairs:
When you put 10 overachievers on one team and take away the scoreboard-
competition doesn’t disappear.
It just goes underground.
This week’s issue unpacks that quiet kind of competition. The toxic kind that quietly makes you hate your team and look for a new job.
You’ll learn why it happens, an AI prompt to quickly turn comparison into a superpower, and what to do to protect your team (and yourself) before everyone wants to quit.
1. Why It Happens
Most MSLs have always been measured—grades, grants, publications, output. Then suddenly, you land in a world where success is fuzzy. There’s no scorecard for scientific relationships. No leaderboard for insight quality.
So what happens? The brain fills the gap. We start comparing.
It’s not toxic because we’re bad people. It’s toxic because we care. Deeply.
That’s why our blog this week hit home: How Successful MSLs Use Comparison to Win.
You’ll get 2 ways to flip that same instinct, the one that makes you push harder, and turn it into something that builds you up instead of breaking you down.
2. Turn Comparison Into Your Superpower with this AI Prompt
Here’s a fast way to catch yourself before comparison derails your confidence. Open Mira and type:
“You’re my calm, no-nonsense Medical Affairs coach. I just saw a peer doing something impressive, and it made me feel behind. Help me turn that comparison into a practical takeaway I can use this week in my MSL work.”
Mira will help you reframe it instantly. Because once you turn comparison into curiosity, the sting goes away. You start learning instead of judging.
3. For Leaders: Fix the Competition Before It Breaks the Team
You’ll get 2 ways to flip that same instinct, the one that makes you push harder, and turn it into something that builds you up instead of breaking you down.
If you’re leading a high-performing team and you’re starting to feel that quiet tension, you’re not imagining it. This is the moment to step in. Take action now before everyone disengages and is talking to recruiters.
Our Connection Mastery for Teams training program helps your MSLs:
→ Build trust without losing drive
→ Compete with standards, not each other
→ Turn individual ambition into collective momentum
Reply TEAM to learn how to bring Connection Mastery to your team.
4. For Individuals: Channel Comparison Into Confidence
If you’re early in your MSL career and you want to stop comparing and start growing, join RISE, our community for new MSLs finding their confidence, voice, and rhythm.
If you’re looking for your next role and ready to turn that competitive edge into career clarity, join Aspire, our coaching program for job seekers in Medical Affairs.
TL;DR
✅ Comparison isn’t the problem. Disconnection is.
✅ Leaders: Build team trust with Connection Mastery for Teams.
✅ MSLs: Turn comparison into growth with RISE or Aspire.
✅ Try this week’s Mira prompt when the scroll gets loud.
Because the goal isn’t to beat the person next to you. It’s to become the version of you they’d want to work with.
In your corner always,
Patrina, Sarah & Ralph
P.S. Ever felt that mix of admiration and pressure when you see someone else winning?
Reply and tell us how you’ve learned to flip it.
Upcoming MSL Mastery Events
- Tues 11/18 – LEAP for Leaders Monthly Mastermind (Master LinkedIn Like a Thought Leader)
- Wed 11/19 - Aspire MSL Office Hours
- Fri 11/21 – Elite Presentation Lab (The Power of the Pause)
- Tues 11/25 - Aspire MSL Group Coaching Call
- Wed 11/26 - Aspire MSL Office Hours
- Tues 12/2 – RISE Monthly Mastermind for new MSLs (The 90-Day Strategy Sprint)
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