Bayer Zydus Pharma, a pharmaceutical company, partnered with SimuRise to elevate the effectiveness of 60 front-line sales managers through a structured two-day sales leadership development program. Centered around the BOA Framework—Business Simulation, Organizational Alignment, and Action Planning—this intervention helped leaders think strategically, align operationally, and commit to performance with accountability and clarity.
The Sales Leadership Challenge at Bayer
In a fast-paced, ever-changing industry like pharmaceuticals, Bayer Zydus Pharma Pvt Ltd. recognized the need for first-line sales leadership development.
With over 60 FLSMs (First-Line Sales Managers) operating across India, the company sought a framework that could empower them to:
- Make better business decisions
- Build trust and collaboration
- Strengthen ownership and accountability
- Drive operational excellence
Bayer needed a comprehensive and practical sales leadership development program that didn’t just teach concepts—it had to create behavioral change.
That’s where SimuRise stepped in with the BOA Framework.
What is the BOA Framework?
BOA stands for:
- B: Business Simulation
- O: Organizational Alignment (Square Wheels Round Wheels Workshop)
- A: Action Planning
This approach was designed to move leaders from insight to alignment to action, with measurable business outcomes as the end goal.
Day 1: Business Simulation & Organizational Alignment
Business Simulation
The first half of Day 1 focused on an immersive business simulation where participants navigated realistic scenarios. This helped FLSMs:
- Improve strategic thinking
- Tackle business problems under pressure
- Understand how cross-functional decisions impact performance
Organizational Alignment
In the second half of the day, SimuRise facilitated the Square Wheels Round Wheels Workshop to help participants identify organizational inefficiencies (Square Wheels) and replace them with practical solutions (Round Wheels).
Key outcomes included:
- Transparent identification of process blockers
- Collaborative brainstorming for improvements
- Clear commitment to implementing new ideas
Together, these two sessions laid the groundwork for stronger sales leadership development by addressing mindset and collaboration.
Day 2: Action Planning and the SMT Framework
Day 2 began with a reflective session to revisit the insights from Day 1. This helped participants consolidate learning before diving into structured action planning.
SMT Framework
To ensure lasting change, SimuRise introduced the SMT Framework:
- S: Scoreboards – Differentiating lead and lag indicators for performance
- M: Meetings – Setting up structured check-ins to share updates and solve challenges
- T: Tracker (WHW) – A tool to help FLSMs break down tasks into:
- What is to be done
- How it should be done
- When it should be completed
- What is to be done
This system improved transparency, accountability, and performance tracking—key pillars of effective sales leadership development.
Results & Impact
The two-day program had a measurable impact on both mindset and capability.
Key outcomes:
- Stronger ownership and clarity in decision-making
- Higher alignment with organizational goals
- Increased peer-to-peer collaboration and trust
- Renewed energy and motivation from hands-on, gamified learning
Leadership & Participant Feedback
“The workshop was an excellent eye-opener for us as leaders. We realized that everything starts in the mind. By opening ourselves to new ideas, we discovered our potential to achieve wonders.”
— Amol Katariya, Senior Area Business Manager, Bayer
“This was one of the most enjoyable and insightful leadership sessions I’ve attended. SimuRise made learning engaging with their innovative use of gamification.”
— Laboni Chatterjee, Head of Commercial Excellence, Bayer
The leadership team saw visible change in their managers—more initiative, stronger engagement, and strategic clarity.
Looking Ahead: A 6-Month Learning Journey
To ensure sustained impact, Bayer and SimuRise have mapped a 6-month journey that includes:
- Group coaching sessions for ongoing reinforcement
- Game-based masterclasses with Accelium
- Continuous use of the WHW Tracker for performance management
This commitment to long-term sales leadership development shows Bayer’s belief in growing leaders from within.
Conclusion
Bayer Zydus Pharma didn’t just run a sales training workshop. They created a culture shift—one where first-line sales managers now lead with clarity, confidence, and commitment.
With the BOA Framework and SimuRise’s experiential approach, sales leadership development became more than an initiative—it became a driver of business transformation.
