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.
10 Optimistic and Inspiring Quotes
Zach Cutler, Entrepreneur, July 30, 2015
Life is filled with difficulties. How we confront our challenges is precisely what makes us great. Nobody ever reached greatness on a silver platter. This is true in any aspect of life, including running a business. This article’s author shares inspirational words of wisdom. […read more]
Female Founders Outperform Their Male Peers
First Round 10 Year Project, July 29, 2015
First Round Capital has been fortunate to back many companies with female founders. That’s why they were so excited to learn that their investments in companies with at least one female founder were meaningfully outperforming their investments in all-male teams. […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Accounting Problems Hobble Toshiba
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, July 27, 2015
The crisis this week involves the actions taken by Toshiba Corp. in the wake of an accounting scandal that saw the company overstate earnings by more than $1.2 billion over seven years. The fallout from the scandal escalated last week, when the company announced the resignation of Chief Executive and board Vice Chairman Hisao Tanaka and a reorganization of its board in which half the members are stepping down. A report from the company into the overstatement said its three most recent CEOs all played roles in inflating the company’s operating profit.
Looking only at the statements of company officials, and the actions taken in removing the CEO and reshuffling the board, we asked the crisis management experts how well has the company handled this crisis? Where has it done particularly well? Where has it fallen short? What should it do next?
Davia Temin responds: “It is extraordinarily difficult for a company to buck its own tradition and culture. Japanese companies have always been opaque and less than communicative, and are not known for admitting to misdeeds until they are absolutely forced to–and sometimes not even then. Much pain could have been avoided had they owned up to their problems quickly, rather than doubled down through denial.” […read more]
“Crisis of the Week: Accounting Problems Hobble Toshiba”
The actions taken by Toshiba in the wake of the fallout of an accounting scandal that saw them overstate earnings by more than $1.2 billion over seven years escalated last week when they announced the resignation of Chief Executive and board Vice Chairman Hisao Tanaka and a reorganization of its board in which half the members are stepping down. “Not only must heads roll, and practices change, but it is time to turn corporate culture on its ear,” says Davia Temin. — The Wall Street Journal’s Risk and Compliance Journal […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Accounting Problems Hobble Toshiba
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, July 27, 2015
The crisis this week involves the actions taken by Toshiba Corp. in the wake of an accounting scandal that saw the company overstate earnings by more than $1.2 billion over seven years. The fallout from the scandal escalated last week, when the company announced the resignation of Chief Executive and board Vice Chairman Hisao Tanaka and a reorganization of its board in which half the members are stepping down. A report from the company into the overstatement said its three most recent CEOs all played roles in inflating the company’s operating profit.
Looking only at the statements of company officials, and the actions taken in removing the CEO and reshuffling the board, we asked the crisis management experts how well has the company handled this crisis? Where has it done particularly well? Where has it fallen short? What should it do next?
Davia Temin, CEO, Temin and Co.: “It is extraordinarily difficult for a company to buck its own tradition and culture. Japanese companies have always been opaque and less than communicative, and are not known for admitting to misdeeds until they are absolutely forced to–and sometimes not even then. Much pain could have been avoided had they owned up to their problems quickly, rather than doubled down through denial. Now is the time to show it is serious about changing corporate culture. Nothing less will quell the massive crisis of confidence Toshiba has created.
“To be sure, in the face of incontrovertible evidence, Toshiba has acted more quickly and decisively to show ‘accountability’ after the fact than almost any other company in a Japanese corporate scandal. The CEO and other leaders, plus half of the board, have stepped down immediately, issuing authentic-sounding apologies. But that is hardly enough. Not only must heads roll, and practices change, but it is time to turn corporate culture on its ear.
“[The] business needs to take a page from the playbook of Pope Francis. This new pope is turning Vatican tradition and culture–easily as entrenched as Japanese culture–upside down, systematically breaking every ‘rule’ of papal behavior. My suggestion to cure [Toshiba’s] crisis of corporate culture–follow Pope Francis’ lead. Take immediate steps to make glaring, symbolic change, the kind no one thinks it can. Then create a new code of conduct, at every level of corporate life, and begin to communicate it broadly and enforce it strongly. That is the only way I know to stop a series of crises that has been going on for years.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
China’s Global Ambitions, With Loans and Strings Attached
Clifford Krauss and Keith Bradsher, The New York Times, July 24, 2015
The country has invested billions in Ecuador and elsewhere, using its economic clout to win diplomatic allies and secure natural resources around the world. […read more]
When You Lose Sleep, Your Brain Can’t Read Other People’s Emotions
Natalie Shoemaker, Big Think, July 23, 2015
Sleep is the foundation of our day, and when we don’t get enough of it, strange things start happening to our minds and bodies. A new study has found that when we go long enough without sleep, we lose our ability to read facial expressions. […read more]
How to Stop Procrastinating in 2 Easy Steps
Christine Schoenwald, PsychCentral, July 23, 2015
The problem with procrastination is that whatever you are putting off doing doesn’t just go away; it gets worse and worse. If you’re procrastinating about doing something and don’t think there are consequences, think again. Katy Milkman, a Wharton professor, has come up with a psychological trick that will help you stop procrastinating, while developing healthy and productive habits. This life-changing system is called Temptation Bundling. […read more]
Emerging Markets: Painful Debt/Fed Catharsis Ahead?
Dimitra DeFotis, Barron’s, July 23, 2015
Emerging markets appear headed for a “painful catharsis” despite two rounds of debt unwinds. That’s the opinion of Morgan Stanley’s global economics team, which expects eventual support for growth and higher asset prices. Morgan Stanley’s illustration of the trends indicates Russia’s economy is the most structurally challenged, followed by Brazil, South Africa and China, and then Turkey, Thailand and Korea. The triple play is 1) the unwind of domestic emerging market credit (which hurts emerging market growth directly), 2) the unwind of China’s leverage (which hurts emerging market current accounts) and 3) the end of U.S. quantitative easing via higher real rates, and dollar strength which hurts emerging market capital accounts). […read more]
How Consultative Sales Methods Need to Change
Mike Schultz, RAIN Selling Blog, July 23, 2015
Call it what you like: solution sales, consultative sales, consultative selling—at the core of each of these concepts is diagnosing and connecting the “pain” of the buyer with the products, services, and overall capabilities of the seller as “solutions.” Pain + Diagnosis + Offerings as “Solution” = WIN! While this concept is still alive and necessary today, it has changed in 3 very important ways. […read more]