How do you grow from tactical executor to strategic advisor in communications? What skills separate those who stagnate from those who advance? In this episode of The Piar Podcast, host Tan Sukhera sits down with Keith Berman—a no-nonsense internal and executive communications professional whose career spans companies from 20-person startups to Fortune 10 businesses with 250,000 employees—to explore the skills and mindset needed to grow in this profession.

Keith's perspective is refreshingly direct: "I just say what's on my mind and unfortunately sometimes the filter just magically goes poof." His career across telecommunications, entertainment, B2B SaaS, healthcare, industrial, food and beverage, medtech, and insurance gives him a unique vantage point on what drives career advancement.

What You'll Learn:

Think Like a Central Nervous System – Keith's framework for understanding strategic value: you're not just sending messages, you're translating executive strategy into actionable steps for every level. "The executive team is the brain. Communications carries signals through the system. But critically, the system is bidirectional. You need to carry signals back—speak truth to power when something isn't working."

Psychology Is Your Superpower – Keith's undergraduate psychology degree has been instrumental in his growth. "You've got to know how people will think when they hear or read something. People take action based on emotional response. We're not entirely logical. If you're really good at your job, you create the emotional connection that drives the desired action." Understanding cognitive biases and behavioral patterns becomes a competitive advantage.

Learn How the Business Actually Works – Keith describes going directly to CFOs to ask them to teach him about the business. "Can you teach me what it means to calculate EBITDA? They've been appreciative because it shows curiosity. Now I can walk into conversations more well-rounded and avoid proposing something that will destroy our revenue stream." Business acumen isn't optional for growth—it's the foundation of strategic credibility.

Move Beyond the Mechanism – Too many people see communications as just execution—send the email, post on the intranet. "We do so much more in strategy and translation. External comms keeps an eye on the market. Internal comms surfaces insights from across the organization. If you want to grow, demonstrate that strategic value, not just execute tasks."

Navigate AI Thoughtfully – Keith warns about AI's impact on career pathways. "AI takes in everything, averages it to the middle, and produces content that's palatable for everyone. That doesn't stand out. More concerning: if you remove entry-level grunt work and outsource it to AI, you destroy the lower rungs of the career ladder. How will people learn why certain communications work? That's how you grow to the manager level."

The Growth Mindset – Curiosity, willingness to learn business fundamentals, understanding psychology, thinking strategically rather than tactically, and maintaining the human elements AI cannot replicate—these are the differentiators for advancement.

Whether you're early in your communications career or looking to make the jump from manager to strategic leader, Keith's insights offer a practical blueprint for growth in this profession.