MSL Value Beyond Metrics: How Emotion, Storytelling & Strategy Drive True Impact

Authored by: Jesse Manganelli

At the recent MAPA-MAPS Medical Affairs Summit in Sydney which STEM was proud to sponsor, the sessions we attended reminded us that measuring value of Medical Scientific Liaisons (MSLs) is only one part of the story. From mastering the art of storytelling, to sharpening business acumen, to rethinking metrics, to preparing for an AI-enabled future, the sessions collectively centered around a larger truth: the value of MSLs is demonstrated not just through numbers, but through emotion, influence, and impact. For context, see our earlier discussion in Quantifying MSL Value: A New Lens.

Viewing the conference though our ‘STEM lens’, these sessions were all identified as key emerging topics in our industry and key operational areas where we have a particular interest in supporting clients.

The Shift from Metrics to Meaning

Typically, the industry has leaned on activity counts for MSLs as the most predominant measure of value. But the conversations in Sydney made clear that we are entering a new era – one where storytelling, emotional resonance, and strategic insight are as critical to demonstrating value as any metric. Interestingly, emotion in MSL–HCP interactions was recognized as being an essential lever for making scientific data memorable, actionable, and human. The question persists: how far do Medical wish to go into this world?

Keynote speakers reminded us that connection is just as important as content. From Dr. Norman Swan’s reflections on communicating medical uncertainty during COVID-19; the lesson was clear: impact depends on relevance and resonance.

Dr. Ben Bravery’s unexpected anecdotes spanning fermented deer wine, panda urination and mating rituals, and personal journeys from cancer patient to medical doctor were also expressed with a passion to transform the medical landscape to urge doctors and physicians to “treat the patient, not just the condition.”

Storytelling as a Strategic Lever

The opening workshop, Making Science Stick: Storytelling for Medical Affairs, underscored that science only changes minds when it connects. The facilitators reminded us that “you are 22 times more likely to remember a fact if it is wrapped in a story” (Psychologist Jerome Bruner).

For MSLs, this is not just about making data palatable. It’s about ensuring their contributions are understood, remembered, and acted upon. “Appeal to the heart, not just the head,” one speaker urged, emphasizing that emotion, humor, and even irreverence can be powerful tools.

Takeaway: Storytelling is not a “soft skill” – it is a strategic lever that protects MSL contributions from being diluted or misinterpreted, ensuring they land with clarity and influence.

Business Acumen, Insights and the Strategic Context

The business acumen panel reminded us that gathering scientific customer insights without context risks irrelevance. MSLs who understand strategy, resource trade-offs, and commercial priorities can ensure their insights shape decision-making and when insights lead to decisions, they become objective markers of value.

As one panelist framed it: “Look up and out, as opposed to looking down” in the context of resource allocation at a department-wide level and that “trade-offs must be made” in order to ultimately achieve the ambition of improving patient outcomes with your medicines.

Takeaway: Business acumen is the bridge between great science and clinical application. Without it, MSLs risk being sidelined; with it, their contributions become central to enterprise strategy and, when combined with effective communication, ensure their impact is recognized and acted upon.

Breaking Barriers: Brilliance from Within

The Brilliance from Within workshop highlighted how outdated processes can undermine MSL impact. Misaligned expectations and siloed workflows leave too much room for inconsistent judgment and bias.

Takeaway: By modernizing processes from launch readiness to cross-functional planning, Medical Leadership in organizations can truly unlock their MSL potential and create conditions where their contributions are visible, consistent, and fairly assessed. When aligned with storytelling and business acumen, these changes amplify both the clarity and credibility of MSL value.

Metrics Mindset Shift: From Scorecards to Stories

Perhaps the most thought-provoking session was the panel on metrics. Panelists challenged us to reimagine metrics as forward-looking strategic tools, not just retrospective scorecards. Likening the game of measuring MSL value to the game of chess – “It’s not just about the number of moves that you make, but that the moves advance your strategy.”

One memorable line captured the tension: “Are our metrics telling us that we are winning, or just that we’re busy playing?”

The discussion centered on the need to blend execution, leading (predictive), and lagging (outcome) indicators into a balanced framework.

Takeaway: The future of measurement lies in combining quantitative and qualitative indicators into structured frameworks that minimize bias while reflecting the true breadth of MSL contribution. Frameworks that also leave space for the storytelling and emotion that bring data to life and can recognize the true impact of these conversations.

Looking Ahead: Skills That Will Define Success

Fit for the Future, emphasized that the skills defining MSL success are shifting. Digital fluency, AI literacy, omnichannel engagement, ethical compliance, and change leadership were all described as “non-negotiables.”

Takeaway: Without adapting skillsets to new realities, MSL value will continue to be judged against outdated expectations. Future-ready skills, combined with the ability to communicate science with both precision and emotion, are the key to measurable, bias-resistant impact.

Our Perspective: Emotion as a Strategic Tool

The MAPA-MAPS Summit made one truth undeniable: the value of MSLs cannot be reduced to counts of activities or left to subjective impressions. It must be understood at the intersection of narrative, business acumen, modernized processes, smarter metrics, and future-ready skills.

But perhaps one of the most predominant themes for us at STEM was the validation of emotion as a strategic tool. Historically, MSLs have shied away from emotional resonance in their HCP interactions, fearing it might seem promotional. Yet – it transforms data into decisions, and interactions into relationships. It looks like our industry is beginning to embrace this shift which could be exciting in the near future.

IF we embrace these shifts, including the thoughtful integration of emotion and storytelling, we can build frameworks that are fairer, more balanced, and truly reflective of how MSLs advance science, strategy, and patient outcomes.

Closing Thoughts: Expanding the MSL Role

For us, the Summit’s message was clear. By combining rigorous measurement with compelling storytelling, aligning insights with business priorities, embracing emotion as a legitimate tool of scientific communication, and preparing for the skills of tomorrow, Medical Affairs can ensure that MSLs are evaluated not just by what they do, but by the difference they make.

The industry has an opportunity to redefine what impact looks like moving from narrow activity metrics to a balanced view that captures influence, strategy, and humanity. And in this new lens, emotion is not a distraction from science, it is the bridge that makes science meaningful.

The brilliant Maaike Addicks, MD closed the summit with a call to action for MSL and leaders of MSL teams and the MSLs themselves – we know how amazing you are, now it’s time for you to believe in yourselves and take those steps to become the trusted strategic partners in your organizations that we all believe you should be.

We’d love to hear from peers across Medical Affairs: what frameworks or approaches have you found most effective in measuring MSL impact? The more we share, the faster we’ll move toward systems that capture the true value of MSLs and secure their role as indispensable partners in healthcare.

Contact us and find out how we can help you accelerate your brand performance.