Must Reads
There is so much to read, so much to know, so many sources to follow. And the volume of news and information just keeps growing exponentially. How to keep up? Even more, how to rediscover the serendipity of learning something new and interesting for its own sake?
Here, for your enjoyment and interest, are the articles Temin and Company considers “must reads.” They are primarily on the topics of reputation and crisis management, the media, leadership and strategy, perception and psychology, self-presentation, science, girls and women, organizational behavior and other articles of interest.
They are listed below with the most recent articles first, and to the side, by category.
We hope you enjoy them and would appreciate your comments. And whenever you have any favorite articles for us to add, please let us know so that we might include them for other readers to enjoy.
There is so much to read, so much to know, so many sources to follow. And the volume of news and information just keeps growing exponentially. How to keep up? Even more, how to rediscover the serendipity of learning something new and interesting for its own sake?
Here, for your enjoyment and interest, are the articles Temin and Company considers “must reads.” They are primarily on the topics of reputation and crisis management, the media, leadership and strategy, perception and psychology, self-presentation, science, girls and women, organizational behavior and other articles of interest.
They are listed below with the most recent articles first, and to the side, by category.
We hope you enjoy them and would appreciate your comments. And whenever you have any favorite articles for us to add, please let us know so that we might include them for other readers to enjoy.
What a Real Apology Requires
Joseph Grenny, Harvard Business Review, October 21, 2016
Most of what has been written about apologies is fundamentally manipulative, because the focus is on technique — on applying psychology to extract forgiveness from others, as in: “What do I need to say in order to get my boss/child/neighbor to trust me again?” This view of apologies is one of today’s most pernicious assaults on trust. In this article, the author shares his thoughts on what a real apology requires. […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Tyson Finds Itself in Game of Reputation Chicken
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, October 19, 2016
Food processor Tyson Foods Inc. takes crisis center stage after being accused of rigging poultry prices. Lawsuits filed against Tyson allege the company and other producers engaged in fixing prices for its poultry products, prompting one analyst to issue a report suggesting the issue could become a big problem for Tyson—news that sent the company’s stock price lower. Other reports struck a different tone about the company, and the stock rebounded the next week.
Tyson sent out a statement in which it vowed to defend itself against the allegations, saying: “While we don’t normally make substantive comments regarding pending litigation, we dispute the allegations in the complaints as well as the speculative conclusions reached by the analyst, and we will defend ourselves in court.”
Using the company’s statement, the experts break down its response, how well it communicated its message, and what it should do next?
“Tyson Foods felt it had to respond when an industry analyst advising hedge funds issued a report that sent the company’s share price into a dive,” says Davia Temin. “And probably, to its lawyers, it did seem like a spirited and substantive response–but not really. In reality it was a three-sentence statement that said almost nothing.” […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Tyson Finds Itself in Game of Reputation Chicken
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, October 19, 2016
Food processor Tyson Foods Inc. takes crisis center stage after being accused of rigging poultry prices. Lawsuits filed against Tyson allege the company and other producers engaged in fixing prices for its poultry products, prompting one analyst to issue a report suggesting the issue could become a big problem for Tyson—news that sent the company’s stock price lower. Other reports struck a different tone about the company, and the stock rebounded the next week.
Tyson sent out a statement in which it vowed to defend itself against the allegations, saying: “While we don’t normally make substantive comments regarding pending litigation, we dispute the allegations in the complaints as well as the speculative conclusions reached by the analyst, and we will defend ourselves in court.”
Using the company’s statement, the experts break down its response, how well it communicated its message, and what it should do next?
Davia Temin, president and CEO, Temin and Co.: “Tyson Foods felt it had to respond when an industry analyst advising hedge funds issued a report that sent the company’s share price into a dive. And probably, to its lawyers, it did seem like a spirited and substantive response–but not really. In reality it was a three-sentence statement that said almost nothing.”
“Terse corporate responses to lawsuits have turned into an art form. Less is almost always more. Usually words like ‘frivolous,’ ‘we intend to defend ourselves vigorously’ and ‘without merit’ are invoked. But old hands in this game can learn a lot by what is said and what isn’t. For example, Tyson did not say the lawsuit was without merit…only that it ‘dispute(s) the allegations.’ Without merit means it’s totally untrue. Saying we dispute allegations doesn’t quite mean it that strongly, it’s one step less severe and means we will dispute some of the allegations but possibly not all of them–which could mean there might be some elements that are true. In reality the company made a denial that isn’t completely a denial–which only raises more questions. This breaks crisis rule No. 1.
“Moreover, in repeating the allegation in its denial, it broke crisis rule No. 2: Never repeat the allegation, otherwise, the denial only serves to convince folks the allegation is true. What should Tyson Foods do, then, as the issue is clearly not dying down as quickly as it might like? Ideally, it should come back with an even stronger statement that is a little less expected–one is often far more believable when one’s denial is unique and authentic. Or, its lawyers could craft a persuasive legal response and then quote parts of it in the company’s public response.
“Or, if neither of those two strategies is practicable, Tyson should–like its fellow defendants–hunker down, say nothing further, fight in court or settle and soldier through it. After all, the business is not going away, it has experienced challenges like this before and the public still likes its chicken.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
How CNN is ‘future-proofing’ itself
David Uberti, Columbia Journalism Review, October 13, 2016
On Wednesday, CNN launched a mobile app to curate a more personalized feed of business news. Last week, it hired away a crack team of BuzzFeed reporters who’ve frequently broken stories this campaign through archival research of historical interviews and video clips. Both developments—the creation of a digital product and addition of digital talent—point to a broader change that has come into clearer focus over the past year: It’s not your father’s CNN. […read more]
Younger adults more likely than their elders to prefer reading news
Amy Mitchell, Pew Research Center, October 06, 2016
When it comes to technology’s influence on America’s young adults, reading is not dead – at least not the news. When asked whether one prefers to read, watch or listen to their news, younger adults are far more likely than older ones to opt for text, and most of that reading takes place on the web. […read more]
For Business Leaders, Hacking Attacks Get Personal
Rober McMillan and Rachel Feintzeig, The Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2016
Businesses have spent years fighting off internet intruders bent on stealing corporate secrets. Now, leaders of those businesses must also worry whether hackers will use personal information or private emails to embarrass them or seriously damage the company.
Davia Temin, an executive coach and crisis manager who has worked with victims of hacks, says her clients fret about a Sony-style hack happening to them. Fast-rising executives are particularly worried that a leak could derail their careers, so she advises them to keep their communications bland.
“You can’t let your entire personality necessarily come out in your email,” she said. […read more]
How to Be More Assertive, According to Research
Eric Barker, Time, September 20, 2016
“Assertiveness is about controlling your behavior, not someone else’s”
Research shows being assertive is that perfect Goldilocks balance of “just right.” It helps you get the things you need while preserving relationships over the long term. But there’s one problem… Nobody ever tells you what the hell “assertive” really means. How do you do it? How do you get what you need without being a jerk or a manipulator? Don’t worry. Research has answers. […read more]
What Not To Post on Social Media: 5 Questions You Need To Ask Yourself Before You Publish
Olsy Sorokina, Hootsuite, January 14, 2015
In the early years of social networks, we could hardly imagine a time when people would be getting fired over their social media posts. Now, a search phrase “fired over a Tweet” returns over 30 million search results on Google, all good examples of what not to post on social media. If you want to avoid getting in trouble with your boss, falling from grace in the the eyes of hundreds of fans, or costing your employer millions in legal fees, you should heed these warnings. […read more]
Developing Employees’ Strengths Boosts Sales, Profit, and Engagement
Brandon Rigoni, Ph.D. and Jim Asplund, Harvard Business Review, September 1, 2016
Should companies primarily focus on playing to the strengths of their employees or help them improve on their weaknesses? This question is particularly important today, given low workplace engagement and higher expectations from workers about what a great job entails.
Gallup has studied thousands of work teams and millions of leaders, managers, and employees for more than five decades. We’ve found that there’s significant potential in developing what is innately right with people versus trying to fix what’s wrong with them. […read more]
What a Bad Decision Looks Like in the Brain
Emily Singer, The Atlantic, August 29, 2016
Humans often make bad decisions. If you like Snickers more than Milky Way, it seems obvious which candy bar you’d pick, given a choice of the two. Traditional economic models follow this logical intuition, suggesting that people assign a value to each choice and select the top scorer. But our decision-making system is subject to glitches. Since economics hasn’t been able to explain irrational choices, this article looks to neuroscience for answers. […read more]