2. Must Reads

Must Reads

“When turmoil rules, go in.” — Lao Tzu

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.

7 Mistakes That Will Make People Unfollow You on Twitter

Neil Patel, Kissmetrics, April 12, 2015

The Twitter crowd is fickle. They’re going to unfollow you if you violate any of their preconceived notions of what you should (or shouldn’t) be doing on Twitter. This article lists seven big mistakes that might cost you traffic, and explains how you can hang on to your followers. […read more]

Fed report offers upbeat view of U.S. economic direction

Andrew Soergel, U.S. News & World Report, June 3, 2015

Reports from the Federal Reserve’s 12 major regional district banks show a “generally optimistic” outlook for U.S. economic growth, which is “expected to continue at a modest to moderate pace in several districts,” according to the Fed’s Beige Book. […read more]

How a curmudgeonly old reporter exposed the FIFA scandal that toppled Sepp Blatter

Michael E. Miller, The Washington Post, June 3, 2015

The biggest news story of the year was breaking, but the journalist responsible was fast asleep. Andrew Jennings spent the past 15 years digging into the dirty deals underpinning the world’s most popular game. He is the man who set into motion the investigation into the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), international soccer’s governing body, with a book in 2006, “FOUL! The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote Rigging and Ticket Scandals,” followed by an exposé aired on the BBC’s “Panorama” program that same year, and then another book in 2014, called “Omerta: Sepp Blatter’s FIFA Organised Crime Family.” […read more]

Help Wanted: 11 Million College Grads

Bill Gates, Gates Notes, June 3, 2015

As the class of 2015 prepares to join the workforce, what many people may not realize is that America is facing a shortage of college graduates. At the current rate the US is producing college graduates, the country is expected to face a shortfall of 11 million skilled workers to fill those jobs that require education beyond high school over the next 10 years, according to a new study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. […read more]

Large-Scale IT Projects: From Nightmare to Value Creation

Jon Brock, Tamim Saleh, and Sesh Iyer, BCG Perspectives, May 20, 2015

For business leaders, the decision to embark on a large-scale IT initiative (that is, one with an investment of more than $10 million) is often fraught with angst. Their worries are justified. According to one large study, the chances of delivering such a project successfully—on time, on budget, and with the desired technical objectives met—are roughly one in ten. […read more]

Netflix says its promos for other shows won’t devolve into actual advertising

Brian Fung, The Washington Post, June 2, 2015

You may have noticed that Netflix has been putting bits of promotional material in your programming for its other shows. It’s a small test so far, but it already has some wondering if real, third-party advertising is coming down the pipe. Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings is trying to shoot down that speculation. In a post on Facebook Monday, Hastings promised that the streaming video service won’t be getting ads anytime soon. […read more]

Regulators Say Firms Need ‘Reasonable’ Data Safeguards

Megan Leonhardt, WealthManagement.com, June 2, 2015

If your firm isn’t taking reasonable precautions to protect client data, you could face enforcement action. While there are not specific regulations around cybersecurity standards, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority are on the lookout for firms not operating under a “reasonable standard.” […read more]

Crisis of the Week: Kiss-and-Tell Fears After Adult Friend Finder Breach

Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal, June 1, 2015

The crisis this week is the one involving Adult Friend Finder, the hookup dating site that suffered a data breach that exposed its users’ sexual secrets. Among the data allegedly stolen were details about the sexual preferences of the site’s members, including whether they were married. The U.K. television station that broke the story said it found a database of 3.9 million site members on a hacker forum.

The company that runs the site, FriendFinder Networks Inc., last week issued a statement saying it was investigating the reports, taking steps to protect members’ information, had hired a data security firm and was working with law enforcement agencies. It wouldn’t confirm the full scope of the breach until its investigation was completed, but said there was no evidence of financial information or passwords being compromised.

Looking at the company’s statement and its actions to date, how well has it responded to this crisis? Where is its response falling short? What more can the company do at this point?

Davia Temin, president and CEO, Temin and Co.: “This is crisis management at the shadow fringe of commerce. While pornography, and other businesses involved in sex trade such as Adult Friend Finder, have always been the ‘early adopters’ of new Internet and social media technologies, they are woefully late to the game of crisis management. For a site that one tech expert calls ‘one of the most heavily-trafficked websites in the world,’ and that collects some of the most private and potentially embarrassing data in the world, the owners of the site have made every crisis management mistake in the book regarding cyber data breaches.” […read more]

The New CEO’s Guide to Transformation: Turning Ambition into Sustainable Results

Hans-Paul Bürkner, Lars Fæste, and Jim Hemerling, BCG Perspectives, May 15, 2015

Leadership transitions increasingly happen when companies are at an inflection point, and as a result, new CEOs frequently face immediate pressure to make changes. The challenges are significant. As the traditional sources of competitive advantage disappear, top-performing companies are increasing their lead on poor and average performers. To keep up with industry leaders—or to remain a leader—it is more important than ever for companies to undergo transformations. […read more]