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.
“Crisis of the Week: Tesla Slams the Brakes on Seat Belt Problem”
“At last someone is finally modeling what great customer care looks like in the new, hyper-connected era. Tesla’s reaction to the seat belt connection problem found in one car in Europe could be called an overreaction by many. But what Tesla is really doing is setting a new–and much needed–standard for addressing product failures and recalls, especially in the automotive industry,” says Davia Temin. — The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Tesla Slams the Brakes on Seat Belt Problem
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, November 30, 2015
The crisis this week deals with Tesla Motor’s decision to recall all Model S cars—about 90,000 of them—because of a problem reported with a seat belt in one of the vehicles. The company said even though the car in question wasn’t involved in an accident, and no one was hurt—and the problem wasn’t found on 3,000 other vehicles it inspected—it decided to proceed with a full recall nonetheless. “We have decided to conduct a voluntary recall as a proactive and precautionary measure to inspect all front Model S seat belts and make absolutely sure that they are properly connected,” the company said in a letter sent to every Model S owner.
Using only the public statements made by the company, or the comments it sent to owners, we asked the experts to evaluate whether the company is doing the right thing with a total recall, or overreacting to a minor problem in one vehicle. Is there more to the company’s response than just dealing with a seat belt issue?
Davia Temin, chief executive, Temin and Co. says: “In this highly unstable world of social media–where anything can catch fire or be totally ignored–Tesla has wisely understood that overreaction can keep problems from going ballistic. Throw every wise solution you have at an incipient problem, especially if human life is at stake, and no one will ever doubt your trustworthy intent.” […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Tesla Slams the Brakes on Seat Belt Problem
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, November 30, 2015
The crisis this week deals with Tesla Motor’s decision to recall all Model S cars—about 90,000 of them—because of a problem reported with a seat belt in one of the vehicles.
The company said even though the car in question wasn’t involved in an accident, and no one was hurt—and the problem wasn’t found on 3,000 other vehicles it inspected—it decided to proceed with a full recall nonetheless. “We have decided to conduct a voluntary recall as a proactive and precautionary measure to inspect all front Model S seat belts and make absolutely sure that they are properly connected,” the company said in a letter sent to every Model S owner.
Tesla’s stock price dropped following the recall announcement, which comes a few weeks after shares slid following a Consumer Reports story calling into question the reliability of the Model S.
Using only the public statements made by the company, or the comments it sent to owners, we asked the experts to evaluate whether the company is doing the right thing with a total recall, or overreacting to a minor problem in one vehicle. Is there more to the company’s response than just dealing with a seat belt issue?
Davia Temin, chief executive, Temin and Co.: “At last someone is finally modeling what great customer care looks like in the new, hyper-connected era. Tesla’s reaction to the seat belt connection problem found in one car in Europe could be called an overreaction by many. But in the face of the totally failed, less-than-truthful public strategies seen from Volkswagen, General Motors and Takata, what Tesla is really doing is setting a new–and much needed–standard for addressing product failures and recalls, especially in the automotive industry.
“Tesla has taken it very seriously indeed. Its voluntary action resets the norm for industry recalls, particularly around issues that could cause loss of life. Tesla’s apparent ‘zero tolerance policy’ is even more powerful because it could have gotten away with doing nothing. Compared to VW, GM, or Takata, certainly the seat belt problem of one Model S does not seem that grave. But Tesla’s reaction shows trustworthy business practices in action.
“In this highly unstable world of social media–where anything can catch fire or be totally ignored–Tesla has wisely understood that overreaction can keep problems from going ballistic. Throw every wise solution you have at an incipient problem, especially if human life is at stake, and no one will ever doubt your trustworthy intent.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
The cost of immaturity
The Economist, November 7, 2015
The average time between an attacker breaching a network and its owner noticing the intrusion is 205 days. Like most statistics touted by the cyber-security industry, it is little more than a guesstimate. But there is no doubt that criminals and pranksters are thriving by attacking computers and networks, that companies are struggling to cope and that businesses offering answers are charging fat fees. The penalties for getting cyber-security wrong are steep. Unsurprisingly, then, the cyber-security industry is booming. […read more]
Self-Flying Helicopters Are the Future of Rescues, Deliveries, and War
John Knefel, Inverse, November 6, 2015
Like self-driving vehicles, automated flying robots carry amazing promise – and serious ethical questions. This article takes a look at the pros and cons of fully automated weaponized and non-weaponized aircraft that require no human input. […read more]
Bonuses for Bank Executives Should Be Tied to Gender Diversity, Review Says
Chad Bray, The New York Times, November 4, 2015
The annual bonuses of financial services executives in Britain should be tied to targets to bring more women into senior roles, according to the preliminary findings of a government commission’s review of gender diversity in the sector. The preliminary findings also recommend that banks and other financial services firms in the City of London publicly report their gender diversity and that each business appoint an executive responsible for gender, diversity and inclusion. […read more]
How will blockchain technology transform financial services?
The Financial Times, November 3, 2015
Banks are racing to harness the power of blockchain technology, in a belief that it could cut up to $20bn off costs and transform the way the industry works. Banks, insurers and companies ranging from IBM to PwC are trying to work out how they can adapt the technology that, in its simplest form, allows consumers and suppliers to connect directly and form online networks, removing the need for middlemen. For the financial services sector it offers the opportunity to overhaul existing banking infrastructure, speed settlements and streamline stock exchanges, although regulators will want to be assured that it can be done securely. […read more]
Google abandons plan to open first-ever retail store in New York City [see the inside of the SoHo space it renovated]
Daniel Geiger, Crain’s New York Business, November 2, 2015
Google has abandoned plans to open its first-ever retail store in New York City. The company is trying to sublease a 5,442-square-foot SoHo space it leased last year, and wants $2.25 million annually in rent for it, according to sources. The decision to abandon its retail store came after the Internet giant spent $6 million renovating the 131 Greene St. location. […read more]
This Is The Lazy Way To Stop Procrastinating, Backed By Research
Eric Barker, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, November 1, 2015
Do you want to stop procrastinating? What if the solution is fun and lets you do the thing you love most in the world, no willpower or discipline necessary? Wharton’s Katherine Milkman found that “temptation bundling” – a method for simultaneously tackling two types of self-control problems by harnessing consumption complementarities – is a simple and effective way to tackle the problem. […read more]
How Not to Be ‘Manterrupted’ in Meetings
Jessica Bennett, Time, January 14, 2015
This article offers tips for women on how to stop the cycle of being ‘manterrupted’ – an unnecessary interruption of a woman by a man – or ‘bropropriated’ – the taking of a woman’s idea and taking credit for it – in the workplace. […read more]