Episode 85 – Lessons from a trailblazer

We’re ending Season 9 of the Internal Comms Podcast with a bang this week, as Sally Susman takes to the hot seat for her second appearance. Sally is Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs Office at Pfizer, and on episode 55 she shared with Katie what it was like being on the company's vaccine development task force and being in the room when the US Federal Drug Authority gave the vaccine the green light. This time, she’s back to take a deep dive into her book Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts and Change the World. Sally shares candid stories from the book, including a toe-curling account of a costly mistake when working for a US Senator. As Sally reflects, “it’s in these moments when we suffer embarrassment that we really stretch ourselves, learn and grow”. Beyond these anecdotes, Katie and Sally discuss when corporations should speak up, the blurred lines between external and internal communications, and even Pfizer’s unexpected fourth corporate value. This episode is jam-packed with equal parts wisdom and humour. It’s not one to be missed. As always, share your thoughts of this or any other episode of the Internal Comms Podcast using the hashtag #TheICPodcast. And thanks for listening.