SERVICE
Leadership Development
INDUSTRY
Biotechnology & Life Sciences
"The Developing Frontline Leaders program has been instrumental in fostering collaboration among participants who might not typically work together. It bridges connections across our geographically diverse organization and enhances cross-functional communication. This program has undoubtedly prepared Thermo Fisher Scientific to continue leading and innovating in our industry."
— Kathryn Grant, Senior Director, Global Talent Development, Thermo Fisher Scientific
"This program provided very practical skills that I can use immediately in my role that will make a significant impact in both how I perform and how those that report to me perform. The fact that I have resources that I can take with me makes it even more valuable."
— Developing Frontline Leaders participant
"Developing Frontline Leaders has given me tools to enable me to fulfill my daily activities as a people manager."
— Developing Frontline Leaders participant
OVERVIEW
Thermo Fisher Scientific is the world leader in serving science with a commitment to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer through innovative products and technologies. Thermo Fisher Scientific helps customers address some of society's most pressing challenges, including treatment of disease, access to clean water, and ensuring the safety of their communities.
With more than 120,000 colleagues globally, Thermo Fisher Scientific requires a deep leadership bench that can lead dynamic teams with integrity, innovation, and passion. Thermo Fisher Scientific partnered with Entelechy to revamp the organization’s core leadership fundamentals program, Developing Frontline Leaders, leveraging Entelechy's flagship leadership development program, Unleash Your Leadership Potential.
Now offered in three modalities, in-person classroom, virtual, and as a social learning experience, Developing Frontline Leaders has been incredibly well received with a Likely to Recommend Score of 9 out of 10 and is now the cornerstone leadership development program offered for all frontline and mid-level leaders at the organization.
OBJECTIVES
Over the years, Thermo Fisher Scientific has grown primarily through acquisitions — more than 50 since its founding. As a result, the organization needed a way to effectively establish — and maintain — a common culture, a standard way of operating, and a mutually agreed upon way to measure success.
To achieve those objectives, Thermo Fisher Scientific needed a comprehensive leadership development process for the organization’s newest people managers that would ultimately last throughout their careers.
SOLUTION
Through a powerful blended learning experience, Developing Frontline Leaders provides leaders with the skills and confidence to build productive, meaningful relationships with colleagues and to develop talent and bench strength through deliberate performance management.
Developing Frontline Leaders was initially developed as an in-person classroom experience, and Entelechy quickly reimagined the program as a virtual learning experience once the Covid-19 global pandemic halted in-person training. In 2023, to extend the reach and impact of the program to global leaders who couldn’t easily access an in-person learning or who wanted a more collaborative, engaging experience, Entelechy developed Developing Frontline Leaders-Social, a blended learning experience hosted on NovoEd, a social learning platform, with three live virtual events.
Regardless of modality, Developing Frontline Leaders features instructor-led workshops, skills practice, small group exercises and discussions, self-guided introspection, action planning, meeting with managers, and more. Above all, Developing Frontline Leaders is designed to blend concepts and models with hands-on application.
RESULTS
Developing Frontline Leaders has been well received and widely celebrated throughout Thermo Fisher Scientific and is now the cornerstone leadership development program offered for all frontline and mid-level leaders. Key success metrics include:
- 7,500+ leaders developed, representing 57.9% of eligible managers.
- Impressive Would Recommend Scores of 9 out of 10 for the social learning experience version and 8.6 out of 10 for the classroom version.
- Leadership Self Assessment data showed an 11% average increase in mastery of key leadership skills, including coaching, feedback, communications, expectation setting, delegation, and more.
- 99.5% of participants said they were satisfied/highly satisfied with the program overall.
- 99% of participants agreed the program was a good use of their time.
- The organization as a whole achieved significant advancements in core business objectives, including revenue growth, acquisitions, product and service expansions, global presence, innovation, and sustainability.
- Awarded two Brandon Hall HCM Excellence Awards in 2025 — Gold for Best Leadership Development Program and Silver for Best Development Program for Frontline Leaders — and a Silver Excellence in Partnership Award from Chief Learning Officer.