Breakthroughs of All Kinds are Here to Stay

With Spring officially here, the days are longer and warmer. That, along with an increasing availability of vaccines for many people, creates hopefulness. The light at the end of the long tunnel of a dark year may be near.

As we go forward, there’s one thing I’d like to keep: the commitment to breakthroughs that was so essential to Pfizer’s COVID-19 response. Imagine what we will achieve if we continue with that energy, courage and purpose in our professional and personal lives.

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been hosting breakthrough dialogues with members of my global Corporate Affairs team. There are no pre-reads or PowerPoint presentations. We gather in small groups – Zooming in from across time zones and areas of responsibility – and each share a breakthrough. These conversations have been funny, thought-provoking and inspiring. 

Here are a few examples:

• Cristiane Santos of Brazil recounted her experience speaking with the public about clinical trials, having the new challenge and opportunity of explaining the drug discovery process to a lay audience. Cristiane described an incredible experience where she witnessed an entire society develop a new understanding of—and appreciation for—how science works. She said her work reinforced the possibility of translating scientific and technical topics into a narrative that resonates with a broad audience.
• Leena Aziz, who represents Pfizer in Africa and the Middle East (AfME), revealed how the pandemic presented a unique opportunity to support colleagues and the local community beyond our medicines and vaccines. With communities being impacted and to help boost morale, she rallied leadership and colleagues across AfME to create a taskforce. Colleagues volunteered their time to support people’s well-being, including elderly family members in quarantine, and organized charitable donations. Leena was quick to point out that it was a collective effort, which demonstrated how, as an organization, we work together to support our teammates and the communities where we live and work.
• Jonathan Medeiros and Samantha Hinkle, both members of the company’s U.S. Government Relations department, independently reported the enhanced ability to reach elected leaders using our virtual platforms. Samantha was able to triple the number of official engagements, such as speaking opportunities with legislative committees and governors’ health teams, and Jonathan talked about the increased ease of meeting with people in hard-to-reach populations and remote places. The increased comfortability with virtual platforms helped preserve relationships and produced another way for Pfizer to connect with stakeholders.

In addition to these professional achievements, I was touched by many of the personal stories colleagues shared: a woman who gained confidence and sought increased responsibilities when her team was made smaller through an organizational change; a man who slept better knowing his daughter was safely quarantined at home; and many colleagues who used this time to get in shape and one who learned to drive!

I’m grateful to everyone who has participated to date. I’m excited to continue these breakthrough conversations and keep that courageous spirit alive as we go forward.