Is 'Whom' Dead?
A front-page Wall Street Journal article explores the demise of "whom," which we have known for some time-some of us feeling joy, remorse, or indifference. Titled, "The Bell Tolls for 'Whom,' " the WSJ article tells us about Twitter's decision to post "Who to follow" instead of the grammatically correct "Whom to follow." Company representatives say a few people made the case for "whom," but it seems as though they quickly lost the argument.
The article gives us some fun examples of when "whom" just sounds silly: Ghostbusters' "Whom you gonna call" and the music group "The Whom" (well, that could go either way).
Men who used "whom" on their OK Cupid profiles had a 31% better chance of getting dates. (Let's assume they used it correctly.) We already know grammar is sexy. Women, particularly, are more turned off by bad grammar.
The article says that "whom" is still used when it's the object of a preposition, but the example is questionable: "To whom it may concern." That greeting went of out favor with "Dear Sir or Madam." It's best to find a real person or use "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear Recruiter" for cover letters.
My preference is to rewrite a sentence to avoid the whole issue, but I admit, in conversational writing, I might write, "Who are you going with?" committing two sins.
Discussion:
- What's the second "sin" in my last sentence, above?
- Describe the "correct" uses of whom.
- When, at all, do you use the word?
- What's your view: should we always use it correctly, kill it, or something in between?
Uber Board Member Resigns and Kalanick Takes a Leave
An Uber board member resigned after making a sexist comment not supported by research. At the same time, CEO Travis Kalanick will take a leave from the company.
David Bonderman, an investor from TPG, said of more women on the board, "Actually, what it shows is that it's much more likely to be more talking." His comment was made during an Uber staff meeting in response to Arianna Huffington, a female board member, saying that having one woman on the board usually leads to others. Bonderman's comment has no merit: research shows that men talk more than women in meetings.
The comment was untimely, in the midst of Uber, presumably, trying to change its culture following complaints of sexual harassment and lack of follow through. Employees complained about the comment, and Bonderman apologized and resigned: "I do not want my comments to create distraction as Uber works to build a culture of which we can be proud. I need to hold myself to the same standards that we're asking Uber to adopt. Therefore, I have decided to resign from Uber's board of directors."
The comment also comes soon after a report by Eric Holder and others with recommendations for improving the company's culture. Many of the recommendations are for basic management principles, such as conducting performance reviews and having HR keep records.
Also in the news is a "Miami Letter" Kalanick sent to employees in 2013 before a company outing. The email offers advice for having sex, drinking, and more. By any measure, it is not an appropriate email for a CEO to send to employees. (Read here -- NSFW.)
But one happy result is Travis Kalanick's taking a leave from the company. If they want to change the culture, his stepping aside for at least a while may help.
Discussion:
- Maybe Bonderman made the comment as a joke. What are your thoughts? Employees may be sensitive now because of the sexual harassment complaints and other issues.
- Read and assess the report. What principles of report writing from Chapter 10 are followed, and how can it be improved?
- What effect do you think Kalanick's stepping away will have? Is this the right decision for the company?
Gianforte Apologizes
Greg Gianforte, the Montana Republican candidate running for Congress, "body-slammed" a reporter. The link to audio is at right
.
His apology letter has gotten high marks, and it does meet some of the criteria discussed in Chapter 7 for an effective apology. A professor emeritus of management and human resources at the Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business analyzed and annotated the letter for The Huffington Post:
Dear Mr. Jacobs:
I write to express my sincere apology for my conduct on the evening of May 24. My physical response to your legitimate question was unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful [acknowledgement of responsibility]. As both a candidate for office and a public official, I should be held to a high standard in my interactions with the press and the public [acknowledgement of responsibility]. My treatment of you did not meet that standard [expression of regret].
Notwithstanding anyone's statements to the contrary, you did not initiate any physical contact with me, and I had no right to assault you. I am sorry for what I did and the unwanted notoriety this has created for you [expression of regret]. I take full responsibility [acknowledgement of responsibility]
I understand the critical role that journalists and the media play in our society. Protections afforded to the press through the Constitution are fundamental to who we are as a nation and the way government is accountable to the people. I acknowledge that the media have an obligation to seek information. I also know that civility in our public discourse is central to a productive dialogue on issues. I had no right to respond the way I did to your legitimate question about healthcare policy [declaration of repentance]. You were doing your job.
In the hope that perhaps some good news can come of these events, I am making a $50,000 contribution to the Committee To Protect Journalists, an independent non-profit organization that promotes press freedom and that protects the rights of journalists worldwide [offer of repair].
I made a mistake and humbly ask for your forgiveness [request for forgiveness].
Sincerely,
Greg Gianforte
On Twitter, @SorryWatch also compliments the letter, but she questions the source. The letter was part of a settlement, so perhaps the words aren't Gianforte's own?
To me, the letter sounds a bit too perfect. Yes, it hits the right components but, for example, who says, "I....humbly ask for your forgiveness"? And some criteria for apologies discussed in the book are missing. It sounds like a lawyer wrote it.
Discussion:
- Quiz question: Which criteria discussed in the book are missing from this apology? These may give us a clue about how the letter falls short overall.
- What's your view of the letter? Is my assessment too harsh?
Comey's Testimony Offers a Window
Former Director James Comey's testimony tells us-at least from his perspective-a bit about politics in the Trump Administration. A Business Insider headline reads, " 'The most shocking single document' since Watergate." However, the article quotes a good friend of Comey's.
Yet his testimony is impressive, and the media is enjoying the story. Comey describes how President Trump, at a private dinner, asked for his loyalty, and Comey stressed the importance of the FBI being independent from the White House. He reports that the President asked if he wanted to continue on as FBI director, although he had said twice previously that he did.
Comey reports about another private meeting in which the President said, "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go." The question is whether the President's actions constitute obstruction of justice. A Wall Street Journal video commentary describes the President's requests of Flynn as "unusual."
Today is an interesting day to compare headlines and see the political bent of the media:
- New York Times: "Trump Pressed Comey to ‘Lift Cloud' of Russia Inquiry"
- Wall Street Journal: "Comey Says Trump Sought Loyalty"
Discussion:
- How credible do you find Comey's testimony? What influences your opinion? Consider the word choice, writing style, and so on.
- How does what Comey describes differ from business relationships? What could be similar between and manager and an employee working in a company?
- What do you think will happen next?
Harvard Rescinds Offers Because of Offensive Memes
Harvard has rescinded admissions offers to at least ten students for posting offensive memes in a private Facebook group. The posts included jokes about sexual assault and people of color and included violent images, such as a Mexican person hanging.
Newly admitted students participated in a Facebook group established by the university, and a smaller group splintered off to have some fun. Members of the larger group say people were invited to participate if they posted something offensive to the original group first.
The Admissions Office sent an email to several students, including the text, "The Admissions Committee was disappointed to learn that several students in a private group chat for the Class of 2021 were sending messages that contained offensive messages and graphics" and "As we understand you were among the members contributing such material to this chat, we are asking that you submit a statement by tomorrow at noon to explain your contributions and actions for discussion with the Admissions Committee."
In the description of the university's Facebook group is this disclaimer:
"As a reminder, Harvard College reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission under various conditions including if an admitted student engages in behavior that brings into question his or her honesty, maturity, or moral character."
Discussion:
- What are the arguments for and against the decision to rescind the offers?
- What's your view? Did the university do the right thing?
- Have memes gotten out of control? They all seem ill willed. Will people get tired of them at some point?
VP Pence Makes the Commencement Rounds
More than 100 students walked out of Vice President Pence's commencement address at Notre Dame, but he got a better reception at the Naval Academy.
In his Notre Dame speech, Pence applauded the university for its commitment to free speech:
"While this institution has maintained an atmosphere of civility and open debate, far too many campuses across America have become characterized by speech codes, safe zones, tone policing, administration-sanctioned political correctness - all of which amounts to nothing less than suppression of the freedom of speech. These all-too-common practices are destructive of learning and the pursuit of knowledge, and they are wholly outside the America tradition."
A statement by the students read, "Mike Pence's policies target the most vulnerable groups in our society."
At the U.S. Naval Academy, Pence spoke about character, particularly, "humility, orientation to authority, and self-control. Here's what he said about humility:
Remember that character is destiny. Be men and women of integrity. People follow people they trust.
I truly believe that among the most important qualities of leadership-whether it's in the armed forces or any other endeavor-are humility, orientation to authority, and self-control. And I encourage you to cultivate these qualities as leaders in increasing measure every day from this day forward.
With humility, consider others to be more important than yourselves. Be servant leaders. Approach every challenge as a learner and a listener first. In multiple counselors there is wisdom, and the best decisions by the best leaders come from counsel and collaboration.
Discussion:
- What's your view of the students' walking out on VP Pence's speech? Read their rationale. Does it influence your opinion?
- Assess his speech at the Naval Academy. What are the high and low points from your perspective? How would you assess his delivery skills? How might your political opinions influence your assessment of his speech?
More Bad News for Uber
This is not a good couple of weeks for Uber, and particularly, for CEO Travis Kalanick. After about 8 months on the job, Gautam Gupta, the head of finance will leave, continuing the stream of departures. Last week, the company terminated Anthony Levandowski because of disputes over trade secrets from his previous employer, Alphabet.
In an email to staff, Gupta wrote, "As I leave, Uber will begin the search for a CFO to lead the finance team. This role is critical to writing the next chapter at Uber." By some reports, Uber will have a difficult time recruiting a CFO; the position has been open since 2015. Part of the difficulty lies in questions about the company's business practices; the Financial Times reports an example:
Uber's bookkeeping and pricing practices have come under scrutiny in recent weeks, as Uber announced a refund of tens of millions of dollars to drivers in New York earlier this month, which it said was due to a calculation error.
These departures bring the total to almost a dozen, just as Kalanick is trying to change his personal image. Sadly, he lost his mother this week in a boating accident, and his father was injured.
Discussion:
- Some question whether Kalanick should remain as CEO as the company goes through an IPO. What do you think?
- What would you consider to be the attractions and drawbacks to the CFO position? In other words, what personal and professional advantages and risks should someone consider before taking the job?
Covfefe!
Our president will not admit a mistake. In a fit of early-morning tweeting, President Trump probably mis-typed "coverage" as "covfefe."
CNN editor Chris Cillizzi suggested how Sean Spicer might handle the situation when asked:
"The president made a typo. He meant to type 'coverage.' Raise your hand if you've never made a typo on Twitter."
Instead, Spicer said,
"A small group of people know exactly what he meant."
The president tweeted,
"Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!"
The Administration's response protects the president and asserts his power: he doesn't have to apologize for anything. The tweet came amidst the president's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, so the buzz didn't last long.
Discussion:
- What's your view of Sean Spicer's response?
- How about President Trump's?
- A New York Times article today says lawyers discouraging the president's tweeting. Why do you think that is? Should he follow the advice?
Uber CEO Tries to Change His Image
After many stories of Uber's questionable practices with reporters, employees, drivers, and technology, CEO Travis Kalanick is trying to change his image. A Recode author writes, "A more cuddly Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has returned to social media."
After a Twitter hiatus in 2016, Kalanick is back on, as Recode reports, "as the nicest CEO in the whole wide world." We see pictures of Kalanick with his mom on Mother's Day, with his parents at the Kentucky Derby wearing hats, and of his grinning face while he touches his heart.
Recode reminds us this isn't the first time Kalanick has taken to social media to try to change the company's and his own image:
After the media furor around whatever scandal of the moment died down, Kalanick tried to humanize himself - and, by virtue, the company - and often turned to puppies or children to do that.
After we saw a video of Kalanick arguing with an Uber driver over declining wages, he promised to improve. But the promise was about his leadership style. This seems like a PR fix.
Discussion:
- Assess Kalanick's approach. Who is his audience, and what are his objectives?
- Am I justified in questioning Kalanick's sincerity or too harsh?
- What else could he do to improve the company's image and his own image?
Ryan Getzlaf Calls Ref a Bad Name
NHL Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf will pay $10,000 for calling a referee a name too bad to print in BizCom in the News. People say it's homophobic, which technically it is, and it's just plain ugly. (Here's a detailed, NSFW analysis of the term, if you're so inclined.)
A statement on NHL's website, shown here, refers to " an inappropriate remark." The fine is the most allowed by the players' union.
In a statement called "luke warm," Getzlaf apologized, a little:
Read more at: http://nesn.com/2017/05/ryan-getzlaf-apologizes-sort-of-after-10k-fine-for-using-gay-slur/
A situation like that, where I'm on the bench by myself, frustration set in. There was obviously some words said, not necessarily directed at anyone in particular. It was just kind of a comment. I've got to be a little bit more responsible for the words I choose.
Definitely as a father, as somebody that takes a lot of pride in this game and the respect for it, it's tough to see somebody refer to it as (a gay slur). I didn't mean it in that manner in any way. For that to take that route was very disappointing for me. I do accept responsibility and I accept the fine.
Discussion:
- "There was obviously some words said." Help: What grammar problems do you see here?
- What make this a weak apology?
- Did the league take the right action? Some say Getzlaf deserved more of a punishment.
- What else should Getzlaf do or say?
Ford Announces New CEO
Ford has appointed a new CEO to replace Mark Fields, who had been with the company for 28 years. Jim Hackett joined Ford's board in 2013 from Steelcase, and he'll have three new leaders reporting to him. A New York Times article describes Fields' less-than-stellar performance as CEO:
During Mr. Fields's three-year tenure - a period when Ford's shares dropped 40 percent - he came under fire from investors and the company's board for failing to expand the company's core auto business and for lagging in developing the high-tech cars of the future. . . .
The board's decision to change management was made on Friday, eight days after Mr. Fields had been sharply criticized during the company's annual shareholders' meeting for Ford's deteriorating financial results.
Ford has faced safety recalls and has been struggling against GM and Google to develop a self-driving car. The board said Fields' retirement decision was mutual.
The company's news release included this quote from the chairman about Fields: 
Mark Fields has been an outstanding leader and deserves a lot of credit for all he has accomplished in his many roles around the globe at Ford," Bill Ford said. "His strong leadership was critical to our North American restructuring, our turnaround at the end of the last decade, and our record profits in the past two years.
Discussion:
- Read the full press release. Describe the audience, objectives, and structure. What's the purpose of the summary bullets at the top?
- Should the company's press release have said more or something different about Fields? Does the quotation seem to reflect reality?
Dove's Shampoo Bottles Touch a Nerve
Dove's latest advertising from the "Real Beauty" campaign was mostly mocked. Shampoo bottles were designed to represent different body types, continuing with Dove's messaging about body positivity. Copy with the ad read,
From curvaceous to slender, tall to petite, and whatever your skin colour, shoe size or hair type, beauty comes in a million different shapes and sizes. Our six exclusive bottle designs represent this diversity: just like women, we wanted to show that our iconic bottle can come in all shapes and sizes, too.
Twitter responses were nasty, including Perez Hilton's round-up. (Read at your own risk.)
But an AdAge article reports little brand damage. A survey of 2,200 Americans found that 41% received a more favorable view of the brand, while only 9% felt less favorable. More people were likely to buy Dove products: 71% or 3 points higher than before seeing the ads.
Discussion:
- What's your view of the campaign? Is it "dumb," as Perez Hilton says, or something else?
- How do you account for the disconnect between the nasty reaction (or should we say, the reports of the reaction) and the survey results about the brand?
- Even the most cynical seem to agree that Dove is trying to do a good thing. Does no good deed go unpunished?
President Trump's Coast Guard Speech
President Trump gave the commencement speech at the Coast Guard Academy. The theme was perseverance, and he gave the new graduates good advice:
Now, I want to take this opportunity to give you some advice. Over the course of your life, you will find that things are not always fair. You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve and that are not always warranted, but you have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight. Never, ever, ever give up. Things will work out just fine.
Apparently, he then went off script:
Look at the way I've been treated lately. Especially by the media. No politician in history - and I say this with great surety - has been treated worse or more unfairly. You can't let them get you down. You can't let the critics and the naysayers get in the way of your dreams. I guess that's why, thank you, I guess that's why we won.
The speech came after a difficult week for the president: he fired FBI Director James Comey, who questioned the president's integrity in return.
Of course, reports about President Trump's speech vary according to political alignment. Conservative outlets such as Rush Limbaugh and Fox News applaud his calling out the media. Limbaugh wrote, "Media Livid," and Fox's headline was "Trump Takes on Media." Compare those headlines with CNN's: "Trump's Pity Party at Coast Guard Academy Was Shameful."
Discussion:
- What's your view of the speech? Do you agree more with the conservative media outlets or the more liberal CNN? How does your opinion align with your own political views?
- Take the other side of the argument. In what ways was the comment appropriate or inappropriate?
- How would you assess President Trump's speech overall? Consider delivery skills discussed in Chapter 11.
GM Venezuelan Employees Laid Off by Text Message
Last month, 2,700 employees at a General Motors plant in Venezuela say they were fired by a text message:
"GM informs you that social benefits will be transferred to employees' accounts due to the termination of your contracts."
Authorities took over the plant, removing vehicles and causing damage. The plant joins more than 500,000 companies in Venezuela that have been closed since 1999, when Hugo Chávez became president.
GM said they had no choice but to close operations after the seizure:
"[The plant] was unexpectedly taken by the public authorities, preventing normal operations. In addition, other assets of the company, such as vehicles, have been illegally taken from its facilities."
Understandably, employees are upset about the news:
"We don't feel happy. We will only feel happy when our plant starts operation again. We need to be sure our jobs are safe and we are going to start working again. Given the situation in Venezuela these days, it would be really hard to find another job like the one I am doing here at this plant."
Some say the government did GM a favor; car sales have been declining in Venezuela anyway.
Discussion:
- What do you think of GM's communication? Maybe the company had little choice given the situation?
- Generally, what's your view of firing or laying off by text message? What are the benefits and downsides?
Chobani Claim Dropped and a Muddy Apology
Right-wing radio host Alex Jones admitted he "mischaracterized" Chobani when he posted negative messages to social media. Chobani had sued Jones for false and defamatory comments when Jones wouldn't remove posts or retract the comments. You may remember Jones for the "Pizzagate" hoax, which linked Hillary Clinton with a child sex ring at a restaurant.
This time, Jones posted on Twitter, "Idaho Yogurt Maker Caught Importing Migrant Rapists."
Jones issued this apology, and the case is said to be closed. @SorryWatch posted this commentary on the writing. Passive voice is useful for avoiding responsibility.
Discussion:
- What examples of passive voice do you see in this paragraph?
- How would you rewrite Alex Jones' apology if he wanted to take responsibility?
Hyundai's Whistleblower
Kim Gwang-ho took a big risk revealing safety issues at Hyundai, his employer for the past 26 years. The engineer reported failures in proper engine checks that could prevent accidents. Whistleblowing is extremely rare, as Kim describes, "I will be the first and last whistleblower in South Korea's auto industry. There are just too many things to lose." He also said, "I had a normal life and was better off, but now I'm fighting against a big conglomerate."
Hyundai denied allegations in a statement, as reported by Reuters: "The company promotes openness and transparency in all safety-related operations, and its decisions on recalls comply with both global regulators and stringent internal processes."
The company also defended its practices, arguing that they were investigating issues before Kim raised them: "Hyundai has taken appropriate steps to ensure safety, quality and compliance with applicable regulations in our markets, including all recalls Hyundai has conducted to date."
Meanwhile, investigators raided Kim's house and confiscated some documents. Kim said, "At first my wife asked me not to do it. She was worried about living costs if I'm fired. But I'm stubborn, and persuaded her that the problems will be buried forever without my confession."
But the company eventually rehired him and reimbursed him for lost work time.
Kim's complaints did inspire the South Korean government to mandate a recall-the first in the country's history. In addition to the 1.5 million cars voluntarily recalled by the Hyundai and Kia, the government requirement adds another 240,000 to the list.
Discussion:
- Analyze how Hyundai is handling this situation and the statements made so far. What could be improved?
- How believable do you find Hyundai's responses? Based on what language or other criteria are you forming your opinion?
United: It's Too Soon
United tried a fun Twitter campaign, but it failed. It's simply too soon after Dr. Dao was dragged off the plane to put themselves out there.
A 16-year-old from Nevada asked Wendy's how many retweets he would need to get free Chicken Nuggets for a year. The answer was 18 million.
Somewhere along the way, United jumped in and offered a free flight to the boy to any Wendy's in the country. It was a bold move, but people had fun at United's expense.
Discussion:
- Do you agree with my assessment that it's too soon for United? What if they wanted a few weeks? Still too soon?
- Or did the campaign backfire for other reasons?
- How do you think Wendy's feels about the association with United?
- What else should United be doing now to rebuild its brand?
Snap CEO Unconcerned About Stock Drop
For a recent IPO, Snap Inc. is taking a big hit. The stock dropped more than 20% when the company missed its first-quarter results, and few people seemed interested in picking up the shares. Analysts worry that Facebook is a fierce competitor that will usurp what's unique about Snap. Snapchat has recently introduced features for video and images to be maintained forever, which is not the original intent of Snapchat.
CEO Even Spiegel isn't helping. Jim Cramer joked, although he's against hazing, Spiegel is arrogant and needs to be hazed. Cramer suggested, on future earnings calls, Spiegel say he wants to do better and then turn it over to his CFO. Cramer said, "Humility is a fabulous thing."
Discussion:
- This is a difficult situation for the CEO of a newly public, suddenly billion-dollar company. Spiegel has to be confident, yet Cramer suggests humility. How can he do both?
- Spiegel compares Facebook to Yahoo and Snap to Google, which is one of the reasons Cramer called him "arrogant." Do you agree with the comparison? Do you agree with Cramer's assessment?
- Read more of Spiegel's earnings call here. What does he need to improve?
Spirit Cancels Flights and Passengers Get Angry
Spirit cancelled flights, and their customers went a bit wild in the Fort Lauderdale airport. One woman says Spirit cancelled three flights in four days, and she's having trouble getting home. Customers were fighting, and some were arrested.
Spirit blames pilots, who won't take certain assignments. They have sued the Airline Pilots Association for what they're calling a work slowdown, which has caused 300 flight cancellations and affected about 20,000 customers.
In a statement, Spirit spokesperson said the company was "shocked and saddened" to see the airport chaos and said, "These pilots have put their quest for a new contract ahead of getting customers to their destinations and the safety of their fellow Spirit Team Members."
Pilots say they are working without a contract and are seeking pay increases. They deny causing a slowdown and said, "Rather, ALPA and the Spirit pilots are continuing to do everything possible to help restore the company's operations, which have experienced significant problems over the past several days."
Discussion:
- Analyze responsibilities in this situation: airline management, the pilots, the pilot union, and customers. How could this situation have been prevented?
- How's your view of the airline's communications so far? How can they be improved?