The Human Side of Leadership: Building a Culture of Purpose-Driven Performance with Jeff Schaffnit

What changes when the work you lead is deeply personal?

For Jeff Schaffnit, his career in the pharmaceutical industry is directly connected to his son, Carter, who was born with severe hemophilia. That personal experience shaped not only the work Jeff chose to pursue, but the kind of leader he strives to be.

In this episode of The Athletics of Business, Ed Molitor and Jeff dive into what it takes to build a culture where purpose and performance strengthen one another.

Jeff shares why patient stories serve as a North Star for his team, how he evaluates talent through the lens of heart, mind, and execution, and why great teammates put the patient and the team ahead of individual recognition.

He also explores the human side of leadership: building trust, calling out silos, coaching instead of simply telling, developing future leaders, creating space for vulnerability, and helping people manage their time and energy in demanding environments.

As AI continues to influence healthcare and business, Jeff offers a powerful reminder: technology may change how the work gets done, but the future still belongs to leaders and organizations that keep humanity at the center.

 

OUR GUEST

Jeff Schaffnit is the General Manager and Head of Rare Blood Disorders at Sanofi, where he leads work focused on serving patients and families impacted by rare blood disorders.

With more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Jeff is known for his ability to build and inspire high-performing teams, design effective commercial organizations, and translate complex challenges into clear, pragmatic strategies that deliver results. His leadership approach combines a strong strategic lens with disciplined execution, enabling teams to perform in dynamic and highly regulated environments.

His connection to this work is deeply personal. Jeff’s son, Carter, was born with severe hemophilia, an experience that helped shape Jeff’s career and continues to influence the way he leads. For Jeff, the mission is not abstract. It is about helping patients live fuller lives and building teams that understand the responsibility and privilege of serving them.

At his core, Jeff believes that performance is built through people—through clarity, alignment, trust, and a shared commitment to purpose. And ultimately, the true measure of success is the impact that work has on patients’ lives.

Jeff holds an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

• How Jeff’s son’s hemophilia diagnosis shaped his career and personal mission.

• Why patient stories keep teams connected to the meaning behind their work.

• How Jeff builds culture around purpose-driven performance.

• Why he looks for heart, mind, and execution when building a team.

• What great teammates understand about collaboration, ego, and accountability.

• Why trust begins with listening, especially when leading new people or teams.

• The difference between coaching someone and simply telling them what to do.

• How leaders can model wellness, boundaries, and energy management.

• Why Jeff’s team encourages people to “Find Your Five” and reclaim meaningful time.

• Why vulnerability has been one of Jeff’s most important leadership growth areas.

• How leaders can transform while performing without losing sight of the human impact.

• Why a leader’s most important job is developing the team.

• Why Jeff believes the future of leadership and healthcare must remain human first.

 

RESOURCES & LINKS 

Jeff Schaffnit

• LinkedIn: Jeff Schaffnit

• Sanofi: Sanofi US

• Article: To Drive Value in Hematology Research, We Must Prioritize the Patient Experience

 

Ed Molitor

• LinkedIn: Ed Molitor 

• Website: CoEffex

• YouTube Channel: The Athletics of Business

 

TIMESTAMPS

• 00:01:19 What gets Jeff out of bed every morning

• 00:02:18 Jeff’s personal connection to hemophilia

• 00:04:40 Why patient stories anchor the team’s purpose

• 00:06:31 AI in healthcare and the importance of human connection

• 00:07:46 Building culture through heart, strategy, and execution

• 00:09:55 What makes someone a great teammate

• 00:10:53 Calling out silos and protecting the culture

• 00:12:51 How patient stories bring culture to life

• 00:16:08 The damage caused by micromanagement

• 00:17:06 How leaders build trust with new team members

• 00:24:42 Owning your mindset as a leader

• 00:32:20 Why vulnerability does not always come naturally

• 00:35:00 Why a leader’s real job is developing the team

• 00:37:16 Development is a two-way street

• 00:38:28 Advice Jeff would give his younger self

• 00:39:54 Building meaningful networks and mentorships

• 00:40:50 Why the future of leadership is still human first