Kraft Heinz Gets Mixed Reviews for Holiday

Kraft Heinz won't have a commercial in this year's Super Bowl, but the company will give employees Monday off. Joking that the day after, #SMunday, should be a national holiday, Heinz started a petition on change.org:

"We can all agree that going to work the Monday after the ‘Big Game' on Sunday is awful," the petition states. "So as far as we're concerned at Heinz, we as a nation should stop settling for it being the worst work day of the year. We don't settle for that awesome football Sunday to be just like every other day of the year."

They're certainly getting mainstream press, for example, in The Washington Post, but the article refers to the move as a "Super Bowl stunt."

The company recently laid off thousands of workers, and the day off isn't available to factory employees. Some social posts call the campaign "pandering" and one tweet reads, "I think we have bigger things to worry about." 

Image source.

Discussion:

• What's your view of the campaign: pandering, clever, inappropriate, or something else?
• What about the timing? News from the Trump Administration is heavy is week.

Dippin' Dots Responds to Spicer

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has periodically blasted Dippin' Dots via tweets over the years. Now the company has responded in an open letter.

In an NPR interview, the CEO of the ad agency said they were concerned about getting in the political mix, but people were expecting the company to respond, so they had little choice. The company executives decided how to respond: "Scott Fischer, the CEO of Dippin' Dots, and his executive team wanted to openly address the issue in a way which was transparent and stayed true to their brand values – fun, community, and camaraderie."

Dippin' Dots offered to serve the White House and press, but Spicer suggested treating the military and first responders. It's not clear how this might happen. 

Discussion:

• How well did Dippin' Dots handle the situation? What were the risks?
• It sounds as though Dippin' Dots responded because of the social outcry. Should the company have  jumped into the conversation with Spicer earlier? How could they have done this?

VW Culture Change Agent Resigns

About a year after she was hired, the Volkswagen head of compliance has left "by mutual agreement." A New York Times article reports that Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt, previously at Daimler, joined the board in January 2016 and "was responsible for integrity and legal affairs." The article further reports on the significance of her hire and departure:

Volkswagen presented Ms. Hohmann-Dennhardt's departure as one that was mutually agreed on. But the loss of a rare outsider in the top ranks underscores the insular nature of the company.

Its stock is held by a small number of shareholders: Two families, a German state and the government of Qatar jointly hold about 90 percent of Volkswagen shares. That leaves outside investors with little voice and results in a management board typically made up of insiders with a long track record at the carmaker.

Ms. Hohmann-Dennhardt had been an exception.

"No matter what spin they put on" her departure, said Jeff Thinnes, a former Daimler executive who advises European companies on compliance and ethics issues, "the optics couldn't be worse."

A statement on VW's website compliments Hohmann-Dennhardt's contributions: "The Supervisory Board thanks Dr. Hohmann-Dennhardt for contributing her outstanding expertise and experience to achieving important milestones, and for supporting the Group in revising its internal guidelines and procedures." The company also promises ongoing changes:

Volkswagen will continue to press forward with changes to its way of thinking and working. The Group has substantially elevated its commitment to working ethically and with integrity and is decentralizing its organization. Brands and regions already have much more autonomy with regard to their operating business. These and other initiatives are part of a broader transformation of Volkswagen's corporate culture to create a more entrepreneurial and international organization.

Image source.

Discussion:

• Some hires just don't work out. What do you think happened here?
• How well did VW handle the messaging? Read the full statement.
• To what extent do you agree with the Times' assessment? Did the article overstate the damage of Hohmann-Dennhardt's termination?

Diversity Training at Delta

In response to two recent incidents, Delta crew members will attend diversity training that company executives already attended.

In one situation, CEO Ed Bastian banned a passenger after seeing a video of him yelling about Trump. In a statement, the company said the passenger should not have been allowed to fly. In another situation, covered by BizCom, an African-American doctor was questioned about her credentials and discouraged from helping a sick passenger.

The planned program includes unconscious bias and microaggressions-two current topics in diversity and inclusion circles. That's good because traditional diversity training programs haven't been found to be effective. A 2012 HBR article, "Diversity Training Doesn't Work," faults programs for causing more problems than they solve, and a 2016 BizCom story reiterated the point covered in a 2016 article.

Image source.

Discussion:

• What's your view of diversity training programs? Are you skeptical like me?
• How could covering topics of unconscious bias and microaggressions be different?
• What difference do you think the training will make at Delta?

Judgments People Make Within Seconds

Business Insider tells us about eight judgments people make right after meeting you:

• If you're trustworthy
• If you're high status (based on clothing)
• If you're straight or gay
• If you're smart (based on eye contact, expressive speaking, and eye glasses)
• If you're promiscuous (based on tattoos)
• If you have a dominant personality (based on having a bald head)
• If you're successful (based on a man's suit)
• If you're adventurous (based on how you walk)

Business Insider identifies research institutions, but we don't see citations for further study. Each judgment seems to be based on one study, so I would be wary about drawing too many conclusions. Yet, we have plenty of research about quick impressions, particularly during job interviews.

Discussion:

• How are quick judgments helpful and harmful? They do serve a purpose, but what are the dangers?
• How does knowing about this research help you personally and professionally? For example, if you know that you make judgments with little information-knowingly or unknowingly-how can you ward against them?

WSJ's Best and Worst Ads of 2016

The Wall Street Journal rounds up the best and worst ads of the year under the article title, "The Things We Can't Unsee." Among the winners are Sprint's ad starring Paul Marcarelli, a long-time Verizon promoter ("Can you hear me now?") and, of course, Mountain Dew's Puppymonkeybaby.

The Mountain Dew video garnered almost 28 million views on YouTube. I wonder how many people are watching it multiple times.

On the loser list are a Wells Fargo pitch, which BizCom in the News featured, discouraging teens from pursuing the arts, and one I missed this year: a short Sprint ad that calls T-Mobile "ghetto."

Another offensive ad was on a billboard for "X-Men Apocalypse." The ad showed Jennifer Lawrence's character being strangled. People don't take domestic violence references lightly.   

Discussion:

• What's your view of The Wall Street Journal's list? Which ads do like?
• Do you find the Sprint and X-Men ads offensive?

Hyatt Regency Apologizes for Comments About a Name

When Karim Abouelnaga, CEO, Practice Makes Perfect, checked into a Hyatt Regency, the woman at the front desk laughed at his last name. He tweeted to the hotel about the situation and received a message in return, a call from the hotel manager, and an apology note with a few gifts, shown here. Abouelnaga's LinkedIn post received almost 66,000 likes as of today, and more may come.

The apology note is a good example of a handwritten note, discussed in the introduction of Chapter 6. They are so rare that one can differentiate you and your business from others, as this example shows.

Discussion:

• What do you think about the initial interaction with the front desk? Should the agent have known better? How can this be avoided in the future?
• How well did Hyatt Regency respond? Some might think they went over the top. What's your view?

More About Carrier and Cyberbullying

President-elect Trump seems to be firming up opponents and supporters, simply reinforcing what voters felt before the election. His move to save Carrier jobs from relocating to Mexico has been criticized as a political ploy and a dishonest representation of the deal.

The president of the local Steelworkers Union and a member of the negotiating team, Chuck Jones, said Trump's claim of saving 1,100 Indiana jobs was inflated: 350 of those jobs were never intended to move.

A New York Times article questions Trump's response, which experts describe as dangerous:

• Anybody who goes on air or goes public and calls out the president has to then live in fear that he is going to seek retribution in the public sphere. That could discourage people from speaking out. (Frank Sesno)
• It's beneath the dignity of the office. He doesn't seem to understand that. (Robert Dallek)
• When you attack a man for living an ordinary life in an ordinary job, it is bullying. It is cyberbullying. This is a strategy to bully somebody who dissents. That's what is dark and disturbing. (Nicolle Wallace)

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of Trump's behavior on Twitter? This has been going on since the beginning of the election process. Should he stop now, or is that a personal decision he gets to make?
• The initial news about saving jobs seems to have been inflated. How does that influence your view of Trump's negotiation as a success story?

Campaign Debrief Gets Heated

A postmortem campaign session at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government "erupted into a shouting match," according The Washington Post. Hillary Clinton's communications director Jennifer Palmieri blasted the Trump campaign:

"If providing a platform for white supremacists makes me a brilliant tactician, I am proud to have lost. I would rather lose than win the way you guys did."

Palmieri was emotional during the discussion; the Post reported that she "choked up at various points of the session."

Kellyanne Conway, Trump's campaign manager, took her share of shots:

"Guys, I can tell you are angry, but wow. Hashtag he's your president. How's that? Will you ever accept the election results? Will you tell your protesters that he's their president, too?"

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view of the exchange? In what ways is this discussion productive, and how did it fall short?
• Someone on the Trump team said of the Clinton team, "You guys are pathetic." Do you agree? Is this just about "sour grapes"?
• Are people still saying "hashtag"?

Communications About Train Derailment in India

More than 140 people died, and dozens more were injured when a train derailed in Uttar Pradesh State, India. Although the cause isn't yet determined, one theory is a crack in the rail, which may be one of dozens on the country's tracks.

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu visited the site and said, "Right now the immediate priority is rescue people and to bring relief to those injured and that's what we are doing." He later gave a statement to a reactive audience.

According to a CNN report, the train system employs 1.3 million people and serves 23 million passengers every day. The rail system has been criticized for poor maintenance: 

India's sprawling rail system is state-run, and the government is being heavily criticized on the nation's television networks. The rail system is known to be poorly maintained, and upgrades have been long overdue. In its last budget, the government put aside large sums of money to modernize the system, to improve traffic lights and lay more rail tracks.

According to a BBC report, "Train accidents are fairly common in India, where much of the railway equipment is out of date. An accident in Uttar Pradesh in March last year killed 39 people and injured 150." In 2014, 27,581 people died in train-related accidents in India. 

Discussion Starters:

• How would you describe the setting where Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu is speaking? How does this compare to similar situations in the United States?
• What should Prabhu say in his statement?

"Mansplaining" Hotline

A Swedish trade union set up a temporary hotline for men and women to report instances of "mansplaining" on the job. Mansplaining was first described in 2008, and the term starting becoming popular around 2102. An Atlantic article describes its origins and offers a definition: "explaining without regard to the fact that the explainee knows more than the explainer, often done by a man to a woman."

A spokesperson for the union described the rationale for the hotline:

Our objective is to contribute to awareness and start a discussion which we hope will be the first step in changing the way we treat each other and talk about each other in the workplace.

It's important to create awareness about how seemingly small things that we do or say add up to a larger issue.

Mansplaining may be a type of microaggression, a term used for subtle, yet damaging forms of discrimination. Microaggressions can be small acts and expressions that, taken alone may not constitute, for example, racism or sexism. But when people are subjected to similar acts or comments over time, it sure feels like racism or sexism.

Columbia Professor Derald Wing Sue has written extensively on the subject. He defines microaggressions as "brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• This post started about mansplaining and ended about microaggressions. Do you see the connection, or is this a stretch?
• Consider your own experience with mansplaining. Have you experienced it or done it? How has it affected you?

New Balance Responds to Neo-Nazi Controversy

New Balance sneaker company has aligned with Trump's trade policies and is getting Neo-Nazi support it doesn't want. People responded by trashing their sneakers, and the company tweeted this statement.

A GQ writer suggests, instead, that New Balance should be more direct:

Why not just say, "We do not want the endorsement of Neo-Nazis and if you are a Neo-Nazi please stop wearing our shoes." Is it really that hard to plain and simple condemn Neo-Nazis? This seems to be an attempt to not ostracize any customers or even, yes, Trump himself.

New Balance seems to be walking a line, trying not to lose customers on either side of aisle. The executive may very well be questioning whether he should have weighed in about the trade policy at all. Although CEOs should enter political debates carefully, New Balance has a lot at stake, according to a company statement:

As the only major company that still makes athletic shoes in the U.S., New Balance has a unique perspective on trade in that we want to make more shoes in the U.S., not less.

Discussion Starters:

• Should the executive have resisted commenting on Trump's trade policy? Why did New Balance enter the conversation?
• What's your view of the company's statement? Should it have been more direct, as the GQ writer suggests? What are the potential consequences?

Diageo Bans PowerPoint

Diageo, an alcoholic beverages company, has banned PowerPoint presentations at some meetings. In an AdAge article, James Thompson, the company's North American chief marketing and innovation officer, describes his perspective:

"It stops conversation. It makes people feel secure they've communicated what they wanted to. But, in fact, it doesn't move anything on," he said. So he has instituted a PowerPoint ban in some meetings. "Just talk to me, please" is his plea. His goal is to ensure his marketing team is "not totally buttoned-up all the time," he said. "We just want people to be at their best, and that is usually when they are able to think and respond and build rather than sell."

The change is part of other efforts, for example, hiring, to revive the company culture. Thompson said, "I've got nothing against MBA programs," but he is recruiting people from different sources instead of "where people came into the organization in a very conventional way and worked their way up in a very conventional way."

Discussion Starters:

• Do you agree with Diageo's decision? What are potential consequences of the decision?
• What could be some alternatives to a ban on PowerPoint?
• If you banned PowerPoint at some meetings, which type of meetings would you include?
• Consider different types of PowerPoints discussed in the text book. How are some outputs better for some audiences?

Danny Meyer Encourages Employees to Listen

Restaurateur Danny Meyer wrote a post-election message to his employees, reflecting on the Trump win. It's a mixture of election-hangover, reconciliation, and encouragement. Like other business owners, Meyer is taking the opportunity to support his staff's communication, particularly listening to one another.

Dear USHG Colleagues,

It is a gray, damp morning in New York City and by the empty, downward looks on the faces of some of the same pedestrians I see almost every morning on the way to work, it seems that many did not sleep a whole lot last night. Other than the usual sirens and periodic honking car horns – my morning walk was far quieter and more self-reflective than usual. Like others, I am working hard to sort out my own feelings so that I can be there for my family and for you. I'm not going to sugar coat it: this is tough.

Before any of us can make sense of what will transpire in America following this election, let's acknowledge what we do know:

1) Democracy works. This campaign was hard fought, and Americans came out in droves to make their votes count. We will have a new, democratically elected president who prevailed in the Electoral College, and the results will be accepted, even if not appreciated by the slight majority of voters who voted elsewise. Do not underestimate how important and how unusual that is among the world's nations.

2) For those who feel completely shocked and disappointed by the election results (didn't all the polls tell us it would be otherwise?), note that the outcome itself mirrors the very theme of the entire election: that as a country we have done an inadequate job of listening to or hearing one another, and when enough people don't feel heard, massive change is inevitable. When will we learn that it is far more important for people to feel heard – even than to be agreed with? As a country and as a society which too often prizes shouting over respectful listening, we have clearly done a poor job at that.

3) Donald Trump will be our next president. I acknowledge that I found it hard to type those words, but there, I did it, and it was actually therapeutic. Acceptance of reality is never a bad first step to healing.

4) My dogs woke up today wagging their tails, wanting to be fed, and needing their morning walk. They slept perfectly well last night, and I believe they are fully prepared to accept the election results so long as they continue to be loved and cared for by the human beings they love: their family. I learned something from them this morning.

5) Other than feeling really tired and somewhat off kilter, I did my usual morning routine. I remembered to shave, managed to put on both socks and shoes, and got myself to work. I've already given five hugs today, and received five in return. They won't be the last.

6) We are an incredibly resilient country and company, and there is no way that the results of this election are going to erode our ability to pick ourselves up and to persevere. When faced with any type of adversity, we have always found ways to end up in a better place, and this time will be no different. I feel confident that we will all see the sun shining – even before the end of this week.

As I wrote to you the night before the election – even before knowing these results – we have both a responsibility and a powerful opportunity to lead with our strongest suit: hospitality. The root of the word hospitality is hope, and hope is optimistic. I need each one of you to remember this : that every single person who chooses to dine at one of our restaurants – or anywhere we serve food, is primarily paying us to deliver the four gifts we are capable of doing better and more consistently well than anyone else:

1. Eye Contact – let people know you see them!

2. Smile – let people know you are happy to see them!

3. Hug – let people know that in making them feel good, you feel good!

4. Good food – give them the pleasure they came for!

Give those gifts with abandon, and we will show one another, and our guests why we are champions. It always works.

Enlightened Hospitality works and over the course of our company's history, whenever we have been tested by challenges, whenever our world has been rocked, and times are uncertain – we have turned to what we know and do best: first taking care of ourselves, so that we can do a remarkable job at taking care of others. I'm holding myself accountable to that, and need you to do the same. And that begins with listening.

I am aware that many in our community may have woken up this morning feeling just as elated by the election results as others are feeling deflated. I honor that, and want to learn from every single point of view. What a privilege we have to be a company that provides tables at which people can break bread, communicate their feelings, be heard, and advance what is best about being human!

Writing this has given me the opportunity to express myself to you, and if you've read this far, you've given me the gift of being heard. I hope you will examine your own feelings, and feel safe expressing yourself to your colleagues, and give them the gift of doing the same.

It is eminently clear to me that people who feel, express, listen, hear, and love is who we are, and what we must do for one another, and for our guests.

I promise to do that to my utmost for you.

Danny

Danny Meyer | CEO
Union Square Hospitality Group
www.ushgnyc.com

Restaurants are in the news after the election. Nation's Restaurant News summarizes, from a policy perspective, how Trump's presidency may affect the industry. And a New York Times article today, "Owner Was Target, but Restaurant Workers Are Swept Up in Immigration Raids titled," may justify concerns about immigration.

Discussion Starters:

• What are Danny Meyer's main points to his employees? How do you think employees could receive it? Consider people on both sides of the aisle. 
• Read the Nation's Restaurant News article. How would you summarize the potential impacts of Trump's presidency on the industry? Restaurant owners seem to be mixed about whether it's good or bad news.

Managers Encourage Unity at Work

Last week, we read about increasing divisions at work because of the contentious presidential election. Now that the election is over, companies are trying to unite workers who may have been on opposite sides.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz had emailed employees before the election:

Many Americans have allowed the vitriolic nature of the presidential campaign to ignite our differences and strip away our civility and dignity. In the process, we've lost faith in what we all know has always been true, the promise of America.

But you are the true promise of America.
…

Kindness, compassion, empathy, and yes love is what we need. It is what we must display and share. We are all longing for a deeper sense of human connection and humanity because, when we are touched by it, it fills us up.

Now, several companies are trying strategies, such as videos and chat sessions, to help employees move on from the high emotions during the campaign season.

The news isn't all bad at work. In a commercial real estate firm, The Wall Street Journal reports, managers believe difficult conversations have offered a type of "team building in this weird sort of way."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What has been your experience post-election at work and at school? How are people managing differences?
• If you were to write an email to foster unity among students at your school, what would you say?

Election Causes Emotions to Run High at Work

A Society for Human Resources (SHRM) survey found more "political volatility" at work than in previous election years. The rate is up from another SHRM survey conducted in June. Respondents said that employees are more concerned this year about the candidates and more vocal about their opinions.

This infographic summarizes the survey responses.

Politics are part of life, and perhaps this is just part of "bringing your whole self to work," which we discuss in Chapter 2 of the tenth edition. Or should we avoid talking about politics in the workplace?

Although these conversations may be uncomfortable, a Harvard Business Review article quotes Joseph Grenny, coauthor of Crucial Conversations:

"[Y]ou spend the majority of your waking hours with your colleagues, and so it's natural to "feel the need to process your thoughts and feelings" with them. In fact, he says, learning how to talk about politics in a productive manner can help you "manage other difficult conversations at work," including peer performance reviews or disagreements over strategy and policy. Politics is just another topic where "emotions run strong, the stakes are high, and opinions vary," he says.

The article suggests strategies for managing political discussions at work, for example, viewing them as an opportunity to learn more about each other, focusing on the process instead of a candidate, and knowing when to "disengage."

Discussion Starters:

• What's your view? Should we avoid talking about politics at work, or is it an opportunity for building a better team?
• Have you been in an awkward or frustrating situation with a coworker about a political situation? How did you handle it, and what did you learn?
• What do you think will happen after this year's election? Will we all go back to normal, or is that just wishful thinking?

Giving Feedback to Someone Who Doesn't React Well

A new Harvard Business Review article offers tips for giving feedback to "people who cry, yell, or get defensive." No one likes to be on the receiving end of that behavior, but most managers will be at some point.

The author certainly doesn't suggest shying away from the feedback, which may be some managers' tendency. Instead, she asks managers to remind themselves to focus on the value of the feedback to the employee. Presumably the feedback will be useful to the employee's career. Being prepared also helps, as can staying calm in the moment and stopping the meeting to continue another time if things get too tense.

For emotional people, you might hold meetings at the end of the day and offer tissues. But hold your ground. If someone is yelling, you have every right to address it. The author suggests the following:

• "I need to have a conversation with you. I need you to lower your voice."
• "I need you to take a deep breath or we will have to reschedule this. This is not constructive."

More good advice in the article is for managers to, separately, address the employee's reaction, for example, "I notice every time we sit down to discuss feedback, you get [upset, angry, defensive]. I have your best interests at heart. What can I do to help you receive feedback with more openness? And here's what I need in these interactions." 

Emotions in the workplace aren't necessarily bad, and they are inevitable. Dealing with them in a humane, professional way may help build trust in an otherwise shaky relationship.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Have you tried to give feedback to someone who gets emotional? What strategies worked for you?
• Have you been emotional when on the receiving end of feedback? What would help you maintain your composure?
• The image is from an article about positive anger in the workplace. What's your view of the researcher's perspective?

Wells Fargo Failing Damage Control

Wells Fargo has been embroiled in a scandal for weeks and is finally communicating directly with customers. In an email, the company didn't quite apologize, but it did acknowledge mistakes. An FAQ on the company's website says little more.

                         

An update on what we're doing to make things right   Dear [name omitted],   Over the last several weeks, you may have heard about the settlements we've made involving some of our customers receiving products or services that they did not want or request. We are deeply committed to serving you and your financial needs, and in those instances, we did not live up to our commitment. This is inconsistent with our values and with the culture we work hard to maintain. It's not who we are as a company. It's important for you to know that making things right and restoring the faith you have in us is the very top priority for our entire Wells Fargo leadership team. There is nothing more important than for you to experience the very best from us. Here's what we're already doing:   Putting your interests first: We have eliminated product sales goals for our Retail Banking team members who serve customers in our bank branches and call centers.   Proactively communicating with you: We send a confirmation after you open a new consumer or small business checking, savings, or credit card account so that you know what is happening and can tell us if anything we've confirmed is different than what you expected.   Full transparency: You can always see your eligible accounts any time when enrolled in Wells Fargo Online®.   Fixing what went wrong: We have provided full refunds to customers we have already identified and we're broadening our scope of work to find customers we may have missed. If we have any doubt about whether one of your accounts was authorized, and any fees were incurred on that account, we will contact you and refund fees.   If you have any concerns about your accounts or any aspect of your relationship with Wells Fargo, please come into a branch and speak with our team in person, or call us on our dedicated hotline 24/7 at 1-877-924-8697. We will continue to update wellsfargo.com/commitment to keep you informed. The trust you place in us means everything and we will work hard every day to earn your trust back.

The message may be too little, too late. Oddly, the email was sent within a day of CEO John Stumpf's resignation, but we see no mention of leadership changes. This may be a missed opportunity. In addition, these types of messages typically take a more personal approach: we would expect to see a signature at the bottom-an indication of someone taking responsibility for making things better, as the company promises. In addition, Wells Fargo has taken out full-page newspaper ads with the same four points as in the customer email.

In the meantime, the news is getting worse. More employees are coming forward saying they had complained about company practices but were ignored. Employees report extreme pressure to sell, and more news is surfacing about which customers were targeted, for example, immigrants with little English and older people.

A New Republic article, "Corporations Ignore Whistleblowers at Their Peril," includes the subtitle, "Wells Fargo could have saved itself some trouble by listening to employees." Employees report worse than being ignored: they suffered retaliation.

Discussion Starters:

• Assess the email to customers. How could the message be improved?
• What hope do you see for Wells Fargo? If you were the new CEO, what would you do now?

Wal-Mart CEO Is Front and Center

Two articles this week highlight strides Wal-Mart is making in increasing wages and improving store service. A Wall Street Journal article was titled, "CEO Doug McMillon's Ad Was Designed to Burnish Retailer's Image: The retailer put its leader at the center of a push to shed perceptions that it offers little more than low prices and low-paying jobs," and a New York Times article was titled, "How Did Walmart Get Cleaner Stores and Higher Sales? It Paid Its People More." Both articles focus on the retail giant's efforts to improve its image.

The WSJ article describes McMillon's appearance in a commercial as an "unusual move," and the NYT article references a video he produced in 2015 promising to increase employee wages and training, below. McMillon also appears in a YouTube video, "Riding in Cars with Executives" with a Wal-Mart associate. Although having an executive so tightly connected to a brand can be risky, McMillon is younger than the average Fortune 500 CEO and is likable. In the car video, he talks about popular culture and seems, well, just like the rest of us.

Discussion Starters:

• I say that having a CEO tightly associated with a brand is risky. Why do you think that is? What examples of other companies have presented a CEO similarly and probably regretted it?
• Assess McMillon's video, above. Who are his primary and secondary audiences? What are his communication objectives? How convincing are the messages? How effective is his delivery style?

"Robo-Interviews" Become More Prevalent

More companies are interviewing applicants via webcam, and the process is not interactive like Skype and FaceTime interviews. About 90% of these interviews have no interviewer present. Applicants respond to questions on the spot, sometimes with a warm-up question and a few seconds to compose a response, but not always. A Bloomberg article quoted one candidate about his experience:

"I'm not a YouTube star, obviously," he said. "It's such a weird experience talking to a camera. It honestly was pretty horrible." Jamie Black, who suffered through the video interview experience for a job at a school, said it felt "more like a game show than an interview." 

HireVue, which provides interview software, reports 2.5 million such interviews in 2016. The company's clients include JPMorgan, Deloitte, and "most of the major airlines."

The process has some advantages. Of course, it saves companies travel and other expenses of live interviews. But some companies also say that are able to meet more people through the technology. The Bloomberg article ends with a quote from HireVue's founder, Mark Newman:

"Candidates will generally say, 'I would have preferred an in-person interview to this,' but that's not the right comparison," HireVue's Newman said. "The alternative is no interview at all."

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• What's your experience with interview videos?
• What benefits and downsides do you see for applicants?
• How do you think this technology affects people of color? If companies want a more diverse workforce, will the software help or hurt?