Analyzing Soccer Players' Body Language
Why do soccer players put their hands on their heads when they mess up, a common and seemingly universally gesture. According to Jessica Tracy, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, it's an example of vulnerability:
“It’s going to tell others, ‘I get it and I’m sorry, therefore you don’t have to kick me out of the group, you don’t have to kill me.’”
Tracy also describes the connection between the gesture and shame:
“You have the head in the hands — that’s shame. You have the constriction of the body, in the way that the player is moving his arms around his head, almost to make himself smaller. Those are very classical shame display elements.”
In his book, The Soccer Tribe, zoologist Desmond Morris analyzes more aspects of soccer behavior.
Discussion:
- In what ways does the gesture illustrate the value of vulnerability? What do you see as the relationship between shame and vulnerability?
- What other behaviors have you observed in athletes? What do you think they mean?
- How does this story relate to body language in business settings? What gestures have you noticed in a work environment?
Communicating Strategy at HBO
A New York Times article gives us a window into how leaders are telling employees about the future of HBO. The article describes a town hall meeting John Stankey, an AT&T executive, held for about 150 employees. When AT&T acquired Time Warner in 2016, HBO was part of the deal, so employees are likely anxious to know the company's plans. The Times article describes the meeting as "a straight-shooting, hourlong talk."
Stankey communicated a clear theme throughout his talk: increasing viewer engagement:
We need hours a day. It’s not hours a week, and it’s not hours a month. We need hours a day. You are competing with devices that sit in people’s hands that capture their attention every 15 minutes.
Perhaps understandably, the talk may have included some contradictions. Here are two subsequent paragraphs in the Times article:
They pledged to take a hands-off approach to the company’s crown jewel, HBO, which has won endless Emmys while generating billions in profits.
But the town hall meeting suggested that AT&T would not be a passive corporate parent.
Attempting to quell employees' fears about layoffs, Stankey noted the lack of duplication between HBO and AT&T.
Discussion:
- How do you explain the two statements above? How might HBO employees perceive the talk?
- Read more in the article. What else strikes you as important from an employee perspective?
- Overall, how transparent would you describe the executive's approach?
- What are the advantages and drawbacks of a town hall meeting? What other communication channels would be helpful during an acquisition?
Scott Pruitt Resigns
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Scott Pruitt resigned after months of accusations of overspending and other ethical issues. Questions about Pruitt's judgment involved expensive travel, getting a job for his wife, and underpaying for an apartment.
President Trump had supported Pruitt, but the controversy may have reached a tipping point. Discovery of secret calendars could have been the last straw. A whistleblower said Pruitt kept three different calendars to hide meetings.
In his resignation letter to the president, Pruitt referred to "unrelenting attacks on me personally, [sic] my family, are unprecedented and have taken a sizable toll on all of us." In a tweet, President Trump was gracious and complimentary.
Discussion:
- If you're familiar with Pruitt's history in the position, which of his alleged ethical lapses do you consider more serious? Which are less serious?
- On balance, do you agree with Pruitt that he was attacked? How might your own political views affect your perspective?
- Did he do the right thing by resigning? Why or why not?
- How does Pruitt's resignation letter differ from resignation letters written for corporate jobs?
Before You Hit Delete: How to Respond to Emails You Want to Ignore
Students know how it feels: you spend hours crafting the perfect email—and then nothing. You refresh and refresh, check on your phone, laptop, and desktop. We know how it feels, so why don’t people respond to emails? Here are three common reasons and suggested responses for each. Sometimes having the language helps, and of course, these can be adjusted to the situation and for your own style.
Inappropriate or Untimely Request
- Thanks for the email, but this isn’t really my area of interest [or expertise]. I hope you find someone else to help.
- Thanks for reaching out, but I’m not the right person for this because . . .
- This sounds like a great idea, but I’m fully committed at this point. Best of luck on the project.
- Can this possibly wait until September when I’ll have more time to focus on this?
Obvious or Annoying Question
- May I suggest that you look at the policy for this information? [Add a link.]
- I’m not sure I understand your question. Can you please clarify how I can help?
- From my point of view, we already covered this when we talked on Thursday. I’m not sure how else to clarify my thinking on this.
- I’m forwarding your email to . . . who can better address your question.
Overwhelming Request or Question
- This is a lot! Could we schedule a quick call to discuss?
- I’m having trouble digesting all of this. Can you please send back a few bullets that I can respond to?
- The short answer to your question is . . . If you need more from me, can you please be more specific about how I can help?
- I can answer some of this . . . For your other questions, I suggest trying . . .
Admittedly, all of these responses require some engagement, but we respond to emails for good reasons: to demonstrate respect, to educate, and for reciprocity. I would argue that replying is “the right thing to do”—and a brief response requires very little from us to be good corporate citizens.
Discussion:
- When have you written an email that was ignored? Why do you think the person didn't respond, and how did you feel? Could you have done anything differently to get a response?
- When have you ignored an email? Why didn't you respond?
- Do you agree that responding is the "right thing to do"? Why or why not? When, if ever, is it acceptable to ignore an email?
- What leadership character dimensions may be lacking when people don't respond to emails?
Barnes and Noble CEO Gets Fired
The Barnes and Noble board isn't giving any details about why CEO Demos Parneros was terminated. In a brief press release, the company cited "violations of the Company’s policies" and stated that the decision wasn't based on "any disagreement with the Company regarding its financial reporting, policies or practices or any potential fraud relating thereto."
However, the CEO's termination will result in a loss of severance pay, and he will no longer serve on the company board. Parneros joined Barnes and Noble in 2016 and accepted the chief position just a year ago. Given his short tenure with the company, the consequences seem reasonable.
Perhaps unusually, the statement emphasizes legal counsel:
This action was taken by the Company’s Board of Directors who were advised by the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.
To me, this sounds unnecessary and defensive: of course a company would receive legal counsel in such a situation.
Discussion:
- Why would the board of directors not say more about why Parneros was fired? Should they?
- What are the downsides of failing to reveal the reason for the termination?
- What are your thoughts about the statement, particularly the reference to legal counsel? Why would the board include this? Could it be self-promotional for the law firm?
- Which leadership character dimensions are illustrated by this situation? Which may be lacking?
Fewer Meetings at GE and the CEO's Reaction to the Dow
A Wall Street Journal article describes an interview with GE CEO John Flannery. GE was recently dropped from the Dow Jones Industrial Average (also called the "DJIA" or "the Dow"), an index of 30 companies on the New York Stock Exchange that, taken together, serve as a indication of the U.S. economy. Asked about the move, Flannery downplayed the impact on GE:
WSJ: How about the more recent news of being removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average? Does it mean GE has changed or is it the Dow that has changed?
Mr. Flannery: Yeah, there’s a lot of debate about that. Listen, you know being a member of the Dow is a big part of the company’s history, and I sent a note out to our teams just as that came out.
It is part of our history. It’s not going to be what defines us today or in the future. We’re going to define ourselves in the future. The teams and how we perform and how we deal with customers, how we invest in the things we do right now. That’s what writes the story for GE. The people inside the company are the people who define GE, not the people outside the company. So I’d say if anything, I certainly took it as a motivation.
During another part of the interview, Flannery discussed the company's goal of reducing meetings: "Little or no meetings wherever possible." The goal is part of a broader strategy for decentralization, moving the "center of gravity" to diverse business units.
Discussion:
- How do you assess Flannery's response to the question about the Dow? It's a delicate situation.
- What, if any, leadership character dimensions did he demonstrate in responding to the question?
- What is the value of decentralization? What is the value of having fewer meetings? Also consider the downsides: what could be lost when fewer meetings are held?
Intel CEO Resigns Over Relationship With Employee
A Wall Street Journal article describes events leading to the Intel CEO's resignation. Brian Krzanich had an affair with a mid-level manager at the company, but the relationship ended years ago. Still, the affair became public when the woman told a co-worker who, citing the company's strict policy, reported it to the board of directors.
Intel has a particularly tough policy, which bans any relationships among managers and any employees and requires employees to report known relationships.
In a news release, the company announced the news in the first paragraph and then quickly moved to the future: the appointment of an interim CEO and expressions of confidence for Intel's strategy. Still, the stock fell 3.5% on the news.
Discussion:
- Did Krazanich do the right thing by resigning? Why or why not?
- What are the advantages and downsides of Intel's strict policy? "Non-fraternization" seems dated and odd, doesn't it? Why would a company use this title?
- Consider the employees who discussed the affair. We might assume that one confided in the other. What were the steps along the way that led to Krazanich's resignation? Who is accountable for the result?
Netflix Comms Officer Out After Using Racial Epithet
Jonathan Friedland, Netflix's chief communications officer, was fired after using the "N-word" at least twice at work. CEO Reed Hastings sent an email to employees explaining the situation:
“Several people afterwards told him how inappropriate and hurtful his use of the N-word was..." “We hoped this was an awful anomaly never to be repeated.” “The second incident confirmed a deep lack of understanding, and convinced me to let Jonathan go now." "[I should]...have done more to use it as a learning moment for everyone at Netflix about how painful and ugly that word is, and that it should not be used.” “Depending on where you live or grew up in the world, understanding and sensitivities around the history and use of the N-word can vary.” “For nonblack people, the word should not be spoken as there is almost no context in which it is appropriate or constructive (even when singing a song or reading a script). There is not a way to neutralize the emotion and history behind the word in any context.”
The first incident was during a PR meeting on the topic of sensitive words. It's unclear when and how the word was used the second time.
For his part, Friedland apologized on Twitter.
Discussion:
- What's your view of the situation and Friedland's use of the word? Consider that we don't have all of the context.
- Given what little we know, should Friedland have been fired?
- How does this situation potentially demonstrate a lack of humility?
Email Edits at MSU
Emails at Michigan State University reveal interesting email editing regarding the controversy about Larry Nassar, the medical doctor who sexually abused hundreds of female athletes, including many during his post at the university.
The previous university president resigned, and the interim doesn't seem to be winning much support. John M. Engler drafted an email that included these statements, obtained by The Chronicle of Higher Education:
But his email was edited to the following, a watered-down apology if that:
The university continues to be criticized for a lack of empathy for survivors of the sexual abuse, and perhaps here we see an example of the administration's failures to offer a sincere apology.
While trying to keep his job, Engler did apologize for an earlier statement, implying that Nassar's first victim would probably get a "kickback" from her lawyer for encouraging others to come forward. The trustees voted to keep Engler despite the controversy.
Discussion:
- What is the value of an apology, and what does an effective apology include?
- What is the interim president's responsibility for the final email after the editing process?
- Which leadership character failures are demonstrated by this example?
Tesla Employee Accused of Sabotage
A Tesla employee is accused of hacking into the computer system and changing code that affected the manufacturing process of the Model 3 car. The company believes this is the reason for the production delays.
CEO Elon Musk sent an email to employees, explaining the situation and asking them to report anything that looks "suspicious." He also writes, "This can be done in your name, which will be kept confidential, or completely anonymously." Musk blames an employment dispute:
"The full extent of his actions are not yet clear, but what he has admitted to so far is pretty bad. His stated motivation is that he wanted a promotion that he did not receive. In light of these actions, not promoting him was definitely the right move."
Musk gives other possible explanations for the deceit. He mentions short-sellers and members of the oil and gas industry who "don't love the idea of Tesla advancing the progress of solar power & electric cars."
The employee, Martin Tripp, disputes the claim, saying he was a "whistle blower." According to Tripp, he merely sent a query to a database to confirm waste and safety issues he saw at the company. Tripp has worked for Tesla since 2007.
Meanwhile, an email exchange between Musk and Tripp has become public:
Tripp: “Don’t worry, you have what’s coming to you for the lies you have told to the public and investors.”
Musk: “Threatening me only makes it worse for you”
Tripp: “I never made a threat. I simply told you that you have what’s coming. Thank you for this gift!!!!”
Musk: “You should ashamed of yourself for framing other people. You’re a horrible human being.”
Tripp: “I NEVER ‘framed’ anyone else or even insinuated anyone else as being involved in my production of documents of your MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF WASTE, Safety concerns, lying to investors/the WORLD. Putting cars on the road with safety issues is being a horrible human being!”
Musk: “There are literally injuries[sic] with Model 3. It is by far the safest car in the world for any midsize vehicle. And of course a company with billions of dollars in product is going to have millions of dollars in scrap. This is not news.
“However, betraying your word of honor, breaking the deal you had when Tesla gave you a job and framing your colleagues are wrong and some come with legal penalties. So it goes. Be well.”
Discussion:
- I'm curious about the possibility of employees reporting anonymously when Musk gives an email address. How is this possible?
- Have you been in a situation where you were unhappy with how you were treated by management? What resources were available to you?
- Assess Musk's email to employees: the audience focus, organization, tone, and so forth. What works well, and what could be improved?
- What's your view of the dispute between the company and the employee? With whom do you side, and why?
Body Language During a Job Interview
A Business Insider article gives tips for body language, and some suggestions are better than others.
The best advice is to "sit up straight" and "walk in with your shoulders pulled back and head held high"―good for an interview and for posture. The given example is for when you approach a receptionist, and this is a good first test of your communication skills and how you treat people throughout the interview process. Also good advice is to "nix sweaty palms with cold water" at a restroom before the interview starts.
Other advice is questionable. The point of "hold still" and "don't cross your legs" is to avoid excessive fidgeting, but a natural, comfortable position is probably best. In an hour-long interview, you can certainly shift your body a bit, which may include uncrossing and re-crossing your legs a couple of times. You don't want to appear stiff; authenticity is best.
Discussion:
- Which advice from the article do you find most and least useful?
- In what ways do you tend to fidget? Have you found ways to control this, such as pulling back your hair or avoiding dangling jewelry?
Tesla Layoff Memo
Tesla will cut about 9% of its staff, according to a memo sent to employees. In the message, CEO Elon Musk is direct about the decision, which he claims addresses some overlapping roles. Musk also says that profits haven't been a priority but that the company must now focus on profitability to be successful.
In the last paragraph, Musk expresses his gratitude to those leaving the company:
"To those who are departing, thank you for everything you’ve done for Tesla and we wish you well in your future opportunities. To those remaining, I would like to thank you in advance for ult job that remains ahead. We are a small company in one of the toughest and most competitive industries on Earth, where just staying alive, let alone growing, is a form of victory (Tesla and Ford remain the only American car companies who haven’t gone bankrupt). Yet, despite our tiny size, Tesla has already played a major role in moving the auto industry towards sustainable electric transport and moving the energy industry towards sustainable power generation and storage. We must continue to drive that forward for the good of the world."
A Bloomberg article criticizes the memo for burying news that it will end its partnership with Home Depot. Musk does address the issue, particularly how employees are affected, in the fifth paragraph.
Discussion:
- How clearly does Musk's memo communicate the news the employees?
- What organizational approach does Musk use in the memo? How effective is this approach given the situation and audience?
- What's your view of Bloomberg's criticism about the Home Depot decision? How, if at all, could Musk have handled this differently?
- What leadership character dimensions are demonstrated in Musk's memo? Where, if at all, does he fall short?
Tonys Recap: Speeches and Politics
As usual, the annual Tony awards was a star-studded night with fancy clothes and big celebrities. But this year, the show got political.
Most significantly—or most viral—was Robert De Niro's "F-bomb" preceding President Trump's name. He received a highly positive reaction from the Hollywood audience, with people cheering and standing. The comment, which De Niro repeated, was censored in the United States, but an Australian feed let it roll, so it's available in full on YouTube.
A highlight of the night was hearing graduating students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, where a shooter recently killed 17 people and left more injured. Students sang "Seasons of Love" from "Rent" and encouraged us to "measure your life in love." A Washington Post article referred to this segment as "the most moving moment" of the night.
Discussion:
- What's your view of De Niro's outburst: inappropriate, inspiring, or something else?
- How would you respond to the same question about the high school students?
- One could argue that De Niro is "just being his authentic self." How would you respond to this perspective?
Valedictorian's Speech About Sexual Assault Is Cut Short
Just as a high school valedictorian started talking about sexual assault at the school, her mic was cut off. Lulabel Seitz, in Petaluma, CA, had planned to discuss issues of students, including herself, being silenced after reporting incidents of sexual misconduct. The school administration warned her to avoid the topic in her speech: “For weeks, they have threatened me against ‘speaking against them’ in my speech. Sometimes we know what’s right and have to do it despite the threats.”
When the time came for her speech, Seitz said, “Because the class of 2018 has demonstrated time and time again that we may be a new generation, but we are not too young to speak up, to dream and to create change, which is why even when some people on this campus, those some people..." And then there was silence from the podium as her classmates cheered her on: "Let her speak."
She did continue, on YouTube, where she uploaded her complete speech and the ending to her sentence: “And even learning on a campus in which some people defend perpetrators of sexual assault, and silence their victims, we didn’t let that drag us down.”
This story exemplifies the Streisand Effect, which The Economist describes as demonstrating "how efforts to suppress a juicy piece of online information can backfire and end up making things worse for the would-be censor." The Effect was named when performer Barbra Streisand sued the California Coastal Records Project for including pictures of her Malibu house. The suit was considered frivolous, and photos of the home went viral, giving Streisand far more attention than she would have otherwise received from the Coastal Project.
In the case of the high school student, the administration silenced her during the ceremony, but her YouTube video, as of this writing, received almost 230,000 views, far more than the number of people who attended graduation. Also, now the school's handling of sexual misconduct situations is on full display.
The school responded with a short statement:
"Administrators and staff in Petaluma City Schools care deeply about the safety and well being of our students. Due to student privacy issues, we cannot and should not respond with specific information. We can say that when issues of sexual assault come to our attention, local law enforcement has initial jurisdiction and determines the course of action."
Discussion:
- What, if anything, should the school administrators have done differently before Seitz's speech?
- What is Seitz's responsibility? Should she have avoided discussion of sexual assault, as she was instructed by school officials?
- What else should school officials say now? How can they repair the district's image and address issues raised?
- How is this an issue of integrity for the school and for Seitz?
Analyzing Communications Around the USC Crisis
After the University of Southern California's president resigned last month, crisis communication experts analyzed university messaging. When a gynecologist was accused of inappropriate exams and comments over decades working for the university, 200 faculty called for President C.L. Max Nikias's resignation. Faculty wrote that they believed Dr. Nikias "has lost the moral authority to lead the University.” Although the Administration denies any type of coverup, the gynecologist was allowed to continue in his job even after many allegations in 2016. Dr. Nikias did resign.
A Wall Street Journal article chronicles the following university communications:
A May 21 statement from university Provost Michael Quick denied university leadership knew of the doctor’s improper behavior, stating: “It is true that our system failed, but it is important that you know that this claim of a cover-up if patently false.” Prior to that, the university issued statements about the matter from Mr. Nikias on May 18 and May 15, and statements from other university officials on May 15 and May 16. University administrators also are contacting students.
Criticism of the communication includes sounding defensive, not completing the investigation quickly enough, and failing to report investigation results to those affected. One writer complimented the statement by the chair of the university's executive committee.
Discussion:
- How does this situation illustrate character dimensions such as vulnerability, accountability, and integrity?
- Read the executive committee chair's statement. In what ways does the statement illustrate authenticity? What other character dimensions are illustrated?
- Assess the university's other statements. What's your assessment of each?
- What should the university do at this point to rebuild trust?
Howard Schultz Steps Down from Starbucks and Speculation Abounds
Howard Schultz's career may get more interesting. After an incredible 40-year success story with Starbucks, Schultz announced he's stepping down from the company's board of directors.
The Seattle Times reports that Schultz planned the announcement before the controversy about two black men arrested in a Philadelphia store. He waited until the news died down, and now, the time seems right.
Schultz has never shied away from political topics, and this isn't the first time people are speculating about a presidential bid. But this time, Schultz isn't denying the possibility, as he told The New York Times:
“I want to be truthful with you without creating more speculative headlines. For some time now, I have been deeply concerned about our country — the growing division at home and our standing in the world.
“One of the things I want to do in my next chapter is to figure out if there is a role I can play in giving back. I’m not exactly sure what that means yet.”
Schultz also responded to a question about a potential presidential run:
“I intend to think about a range of options, and that could include public service. But I’m a long way from making any decisions about the future.”
He certainly has a simple, nicely designed website with a video introduction. Regardless of his campaign decision, Schultz seems to have some plans for a future. With the multiple ways to provide contact information ("Let's stay in touch!"), the focus is clearly on connecting with people.
See additional communications about the news:
Discussion:
- Assess Schultz's website and video. Who are his primary and secondary audiences, and what are his objectives?
- Why do you think Schultz emphasizes staying connected? Other than for political reasons, what could be his motivations?
- Read the company's press release. What are the main points?
Cold Email Examples
The CEO of Mapistry, a start-up software company for storm water compliance, posted and analyzed her past emails to VCs, venture capitalists who could invest in her company. Allie Janoch disputes the claim that you need an introduction to a VC; she has had some success in sending cold emails.
Her first email, Janochs admits, says little about her company and undermines the message with self-deprecation.
She didn't get a response. Her second email, when her company had more traction, includes a specific subject, focuses on problem solving, uses bullets for important data points, and is personal.
Discussion:
- What do you consider the strength's of Janoch's second email?
- What improvements could she make?
- How does each email demonstrate humility? The first, as Janoch says, is self-deprecating. What's the potential problem with this approach? How does the second email demonstrate humility as well as confidence? How well does Janoch balance the two?
More About the Roseanne Situation
Reactions to Roseanne's tweets and her firing raise interesting questions about communication. Let's look at decisions and responses from five groups: cast members, ABC executives, conservatives, the makers of Ambien, and President Trump.
Cast Members
Perhaps the most immediate and vocal reaction came from Sara Gilbert, who plays one of Roseanne's daughters on the show. Although she likely has a lot to lose, Gilbert did not hesitate in expressing her anger at Roseanne's tweet about Valerie Jarrett.
ABC Executives
A New York Times article sheds more light on ABC's decision to cancel the show. Channing Dungey, appointed to lead ABC Entertainment in 2016, is the first African-American woman in such a senior leadership role at a network. With this decision, which was supported by more senior-level executives at ABC, Dungey has made her mark and won praise from other entertainment executives.
Conservatives
Political conservatives support Roseanne and blast the media and firing for silencing her voice. A writer for InfoWars, which has connections to radio host Alex Jones, referred to Roseanne's extraordinary ratings and the "PC police." Conservatives see this as another example of censorship of the right.
Ambien
After the firing, Roseanne returned to Twitter and seemed to blame sleep drug Ambien for her comments: "It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting." The drug maker Sanofi responded quickly to defend its "side effects."
President Trump
The president also has jumped into the conversation, which contradicted his press secretary's claim: "That's not what he's spending his time on." President Trump's tweet took aim at CEO Bob Iger:
"Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that 'ABC does not tolerate comments like those' made by Roseanne Barr. Gee, he never called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn't get the call?"
The president and Roseanne are mutual fans.
Discussion:
- Which, if any, of these reactions surprise you?
- Assess Ambien's response. How well did the company defend the brand?
- Should President Trump have involved himself in this situation? Why or why not?
"Roseanne" Gets Cancelled After Racist and Islamophobic Tweet
The revival of TV show "Roseanne has gotten a lot of press, and now there's more, but not for good news. The new season addressed political and social issues, with Roseanne, on the show and in real life, a Trump supporter, and she has a transgender and a black grandchild on the show.
But Roseanne crossed the line in a tweet, criticizing former President Obama's adviser Valerie Jarrett as a mix between "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes.” The missive was part of a series of tweets about Roseanne's view that Jarrett covered up inappropriate actions during the Obama Administration.
At first, she defended her post as "a joke": “ISLAM is not a RACE, lefties. Islam includes EVERY RACE of people.” Roseanne eventually apologized.
ABC Network's response was swift and direct. CEO Robert Iger announced that the show will be cancelled.
Although Roseanne was ABC's most popular show, it was suspiciously not mentioned during the network's recent earnings call until someone asked a question. Perhaps issues existed before this tweet.
Discussion:
- What's your view of the tweet? Does Roseanne's role as a comedian excuse it? Is she just being her authentic self? Or something else?
- Did ABC make the right decision? What are the consequences either way?
Teacher Edits White House Letter
Yvonne Mason, a retired high school English teacher from Atlanta, marked up a letter she received from President Trump. She criticizes language choices, capitalization, and other issues, but some choices are by convention.
A New York Times article uncovered a federal government style guide, which is a whopping 465 pages. The guide suggests capitalizing some words, such as Nation and Federal when used to refer to the United States.
Then again, the style guide covers unusual topics, such as "Leaderwork":
14. Leaderwork
(See also Chapter 9 “Abbreviations and Letter Symbols” and Chapter 13 “Tabular Work”)
14 .1.
Leaderwork is a simple form of tabular work without boxheads or rules and is separated from text by 4 points of space above and below in solid matter or 6 points of space in leaded matter. It consists of a reading (stub) column and a figure column, leadered from the bottom line. It may also consist of two reading columns, aligning on the top line.
Mason skipped a more serious grammatical error: "I did not mention the dangling modifier. I focused mainly on mechanics.”
Discussion:
- On social media, people criticized Mason, with someone imagining her as "a lonely bitter hag with a lot of cats." Do you agree, or do you see Mason as doing an important service, or something else?
- What is the dangling modifier?
- Can you find a simpler way to explain leaderwork in the style guide? What is the value of such detail in a style guide, and what are the drawbacks?