Will Smith's Apology
The 2022 Academy Awards ceremony was eventful, with Chris Rock referencing Jada Smith’s appearance and her husband, Will Smith, hitting Rock on stage. Jada Smith has spoken openly about having alopecia, a hair loss condition. Rock’s joke clearly hit a nerve with her husband.
From the audience, Smith cursed at Rock, who continued with his presentation. Later, Smith gave a tearful acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Leading Role, comparing himself to the character he played, Serena and Venus Williams’ father: they both protected their family. He apologized to his fellow nominees and the Academy but not to Rock. The next day, he posted a fuller apology on Instagram, mentioning Rock first.
The Academy tweeted a pat response, “The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.” I don’t see any response from Rock yet.
The rest of the ceremony was awkward, and host Amy Schumer made a joke, “Did I miss something? There's like, a different vibe in here....” Her idea was probably to call out what was obvious.
Everyone seems to have an opinion on the situation. Was Rock’s joke about “G.I. Jane 2” over the top? Was Smith’s response appropriate? Should he have been prevented from speaking after that point? Should the Academy do more?
The situation is complex and calls us to explore issues of character, for example, compassion, courage, authenticity, accountability, and vulnerability.
Confusing Airbnb Message
Informational messages should be straightforward, but Airbnb sent one that confused hosts and former hosts. I received this email about taxes with the subject, “Action required: Provide missing taxpayer info.” The tone is threatening, and I wasn’t sure whether this applied to my recent international booking or a remnant from my hosting days, although I stopped in 2018.
Apparently, I wasn’t alone. Within two days, I received the second message, “Clarification regarding taxpayer information request.”
My guess is that the message inadvertently went to people who are no longer hosting. The second message could have admitted the mistake but didn’t. Instead of demonstrating accountability and humility, the author wrote, “We wanted to clarify that this action is not required for everyone.”
Shaming Doesn't Work
A recent study explores companies’ responses when an employee falls for hacking. Turns out, shaming doesn’t work.
When an employee causes a cybersecurity breach, company leaders may want to single out that employee by “blaming and shaming.” The intent is to prevent future breaches, but the results can be devastating, as the author explains:
“Shame is similar to a boomerang that will come back to hurt the organization, as well as harming the employee. Managers should deal with the mistake, but not reject the employee. If employees feel that their personhood is being attacked, they will respond defensively. Shaming results in a lose-lose outcome.”
I can’t think of a situation when blaming and shaming works. In the case of a hack, the employee already feels bad and won’t likely make the same mistake. Instead of causing disloyalty, leaders might try demonstrating compassion.
Persuasive Messaging About Permanent Daylight Saving Time
U.S. lawmakers will debate the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent—no more falling back or springing ahead. The Act name, emphasizing more sunshine, is a lesson in framing. If we keep daylight saving time year round, we’ll get more light in the evenings, but we’ll lose light in the mornings. An NBC writer jokes that it should be called the Rising in Darkness Act.
A Wall Street Journal article describes opposing arguments. One of the biggest downsides is that children will travel to school in the dark, which could lead to accidents. Others cite three previous tries to move to a permanent daylight saving time—all reversed.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) strongly opposes the Act. In a statement, the group supports a permanent time but writes that the better choice is standard time, with more light in the mornings. They cite research that standard time “aligns best with human circadian biology and provides distinct benefits for public health and safety” compared to daylight savings’ “increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, mood disorders, and motor vehicle crashes.”
Both AASM statements, linked above, are good examples of concise communication and clear organization. I question the organization around “acute” and “chronic” impacts and would favor main point headings, but the argument is short and easy to read for laypeople—the primary audience.
Marimekko Chart Showing U.S. Aid to Ukraine
A New York Times graphic shows U.S. spending on the Russian war on Ukraine. The display is a Marimekko chart, a visualization of multiple data sets—an at-a-glance picture of a lot of data. In this case, the chart groups data and assigns colors to show traditional foreign aid, military supplies, military deployments and intelligence, and sanctions and other aid.
Although this chart is often called a Marimekko, or Mekko, this article author would call it a treemap because data isn’t displayed in all boxes, and we don’t see columns that add up to 100. I don’t find the distinction important, but the article is useful to see several ways to create a Marimekko chart. Perhaps the easiest is to select, within Powerpoint, a treemap as your chart type.
Starbucks Announces CEO Transition
After 13 years at Starbucks, including five as CEO and president, Kevin Johnson will retire. Company founder Howard Schultz will serve as interim executive as the search for a replacement begins.
The company statement includes the typical quotes: the board chair complimenting Johnson’s accomplishments, Johnson expressing pride and gratitude, and Schultz providing a vision. Of course, the company doesn’t explicitly address two of the biggest challenges Schultz will face, which a Wall Street Journal article calls out in the headline, “Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz to Return as Chain Faces Union Push, Rising Costs.”
Shares declined 24% in the past year, and it’s been a rough time for the company, as for all restaurants trying to regain their footing after the pandemic amidst rising prices, staffing shortages, and wage increases. In the statement, Johnson says that he notified the board a year ago of his plan to leave, and the WSJ article confirms the story with a quote from the board chair, “His decision to leave was his own, not the result of any board or outside push, she said.”
We’ll never know the truth, and expecting full transparency in these situations isn’t realistic. Perhaps it’s a mix, anyway. The board may want a leadership change to address difficult issues, including improving relations with employees and unions, and Johnson felt internal and external pressure to leave.
Company Responses to the Russian War on Ukraine
Whether and how companies respond to the Russian war on Ukraine presents a case study in leadership character and communication. A New York Times article describes a Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister’s messaging to persuade companies to take action. Mykhailo Fedorov is using social media to call out specific companies—sometimes complimenting their response, for example, closing stores or cutting off services to Russian citizens, and sometimes calling for them to do more.
Fedorov’s tweets, particularly, chronicle what companies are doing and what, in his opinion, is left to do. The NYT article summarizes Fedorov’s strategy:
“The work has made Mr. Fedorov one of Mr. Zelensky’s most visible lieutenants, deploying technology and finance as modern weapons of war. In effect, Mr. Fedorov is creating a new playbook for military conflicts that shows how an outgunned country can use the internet, crypto, digital activism and frequent posts on Twitter to help undercut a foreign aggressor.”
The Ukrainians are using every weapon they can. Technology and persuasive communication, including questioning leaders’ character, are now front and center.
For examples of how companies are supporting Ukraine, see Anthony Winslow’s LinkedIn article.
McDonald's Announcement About Closing Stores in Russia
McDonald’s and other companies have taken bold steps by closing stores in Russia while the invasion of Ukraine continues. In an email to employees, CEO Chris Kempczinski describes ongoing support to employees in Ukraine, pride in building Russian locations, and the decision to close those locations:
“…our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine. Years ago, when confronted with his own difficult decision, Fred Turner explained his approach quite simply: ‘Do the right thing.’ That philosophy is enshrined as one of our five guiding values, and there are countless examples over the years of McDonald’s Corporation living up to Fred’s simple ideal. Today, is also one of those days.”
Kempczinski explains that the company will continue to pay both Ukranian and Russian employees’ salaries. They also will keep the Ronald McDonald House Charities open to work with local hospitals.
My Googling led me to this bare-bones page, perhaps designed to reassure investors. Although 955 stores are in Russia and Ukraine, they represent only about 2% of systemwide sales and <3% of operating income. However, the revenue percentage is quite high at 9%. The document explains why: 84% of stores in Russia and 100% of stores in Ukraine are company operated, while the global average is only 7% (so 93% of all stores are franchised). Company-owned stores bring far more revenue to the company, which is one of the many reasons this was probably a difficult decision for the executive team.
Data in Domino's TV Commercial
To fill work hours, companies are getting creative about recruiting. Domino’s, FedEx, and other companies are running commercials on TV and using social social media influencers to drum up applications.
The Domino’s ad features an employee who rose through the company ranks to become a franchise owner. She seems “relatable,” we say these days, so viewers can picture themselves working at Domino’s and maybe having the same success. Surprisingly, she is only 27 years old.
The company touts data: “95 of our franchisees started out as delivery drives or store employees.” That sounds impressive and potentially inspiring. But I want to know what percentage of drivers and store employees have become franchisees? Also, the commercial omits important information about the investment costs. Fees vary by store, but could range from $145,000 to $500,000, and a net worth of $250,000 may be required. Still, maybe the ad works to recruit new employees? I wonder.
Doodle Explains Outage
Doodle, the meeting scheduler, gives us a good example of a bad-news message. In this short email, CEO Renato Profico apologizes and explains a recent outage. Having Profico craft the message with an apology that doesn’t deflect blame demonstrates accountability.
I would suggest two changes to the message. I would have liked for Profico to acknowledge the impact on users—how it may have affected them. Also, I note a couple of grammatical errors and hope that business communication students can spot them.
LinkedIn Gives Options for Employment Gaps
In a new feature, LinkedIn gives users 13 ways to describe reasons for employment gaps. In a blog post, a senior product manager at LinkedIn explained the rationale:
“According to a recent survey, more than half of professionals have taken a career break. Yet for far too long, the possibility of embarking on a career break has been overshadowed by stigma, which 60% of people believe still exists. . . . 46% of hiring managers believe candidates with career breaks are an untapped talent pool.”
Recruiters have business reasons to be more open-minded about time away from work. The “Great Resignation” and tight labor market left openings that employers need to fill.
LinkedIn’s survey found that 51% of employers are more likely to contact candidates who “provides context” about a gap. Of course, what LinkedIn doesn’t say is that 49% may be less likely or just as likely to follow up. Still, we may be seeing more compassion about personal challenges, including breaks for mental health reasons, family responsibilities, and illness.
If this feature is used widely, it could normalize work breaks and reduce the stigma of taking time off. Personal reasons are personal, but revealing them may encourage applicants to be more vulnerable and authentic—to trust that employers won’t judge them harshly and to present themselves genuinely, “warts and all.”
To explain a gap is to take a risk but so is not explaining a gap. In this case, an employer may think the worst, and applicants have no chance to include their own voice.
Advice for Resignation Emails
A Wall Street Journal article suggests ways to resign from your job gracefully. With a wave of post-pandemic departures, we’re seeing all sorts of resignation messages, some more appropriate than others. The string of emails can be disheartening for people who decide to stay, and leavers should be mindful of burning bridges they may want to walk across in the future.
A law career coach advises that people “Let it rip. Let everything out”—in a document that you don’t send. Then, send an email that respects the workplace and the people you’ll leave behind:
“For the real deal, be gracious and express gratitude. Include up to three career highlights. (Any more and you risk being seen as a braggart.) And skip the passive-aggressive jabs.”
I hadn’t thought about including career highlights, and I wonder whether coworkers would appreciate reading them. Instead, I suggest observing what other resignation emails include and following suit. Every workplace has its own norms around these types of messages.
I do agree with this advice:
“By giving your notice, ‘the power dynamic has been leveled.’ Use that new sense of control and confidence to share more authentically about yourself, not torpedo your relationships on the way out the door.”
The coach is right: you made your decision and are burdening your manager and coworkers who will pick up the slack. Now’s the time to demonstrate humility instead of rubbing it in and causing more hurt feelings.
More Companies Eliminate the Annual Performance Review
For many years when I worked for large companies, I was responsible for the annual performance review process: identifying competencies, creating forms, training managers, and tracking those yearly conversations that were often painful for everyone involved. Since then, more and more companies are eliminating the annual review.
The tight labor market seems to be the biggest impetus for the recent wave. With more frequent reviews, managers can increase antsy employees’ salaries, hoping to retain talent. However, companies are cautious because more frequent reviews may set expectations that employees will always get an increase. Instead, managers have other retention tools, such as increasing benefits and giving one-time bonuses.
This recent news reminds me of a 2016 article. But at that time, the impetus was to increase feedback. When an annual process exists, some managers rely too heavily on that one meeting in lieu of giving feedback when needed throughout the year. Eliminating the review also reduces anxiety and ends a rating system that some see as inaccurate or unfair.
Of course, the best feedback is ongoing. Ideally, managers and their reports have a relationship where either can initiate a conversation at any time to encourage accountability and improved performance.
Deception in the Hiring Process
A New York Times article surprised me. During a video job interview, someone else answered “technical questions while the job candidate moved his lips onscreen.”
All applicants present themselves in the best light. We describe our accomplishments and may push the limits of our expertise. We also “cover” parts of ourselves that we fear may be undesirable to an employer.
But having a friend interview for a candidate is out of bounds. In this example, the interviewer wondered, “What did he think was going to happen when he moved across the country and realized he couldn’t do the job?” The article concludes with a quote from a deceptive candidate who felt relieved when she didn’t get the job. Of course, that’s a better outcome than suffering the embarrassment of failure.
This situation is a clear example of integrity—misrepresenting oneself, claiming to be someone they (intentional plural) are not. Today, we have a particularly strong job market; I would hope that candidates can find a job for which they’re qualified.
Peloton's New Ad Campaign
Peloton is trying for a comeback with a new ad campaign. After losing market share, market value, a CEO, a couple of fictional characters, and about 2,800 jobs, the company needs a boost, but the latest campaign feels, to me, defensive and, dare I say, desperate.
Ads quote negative views of the company and counter with positive quotes, presumably from people who have been converted. For persuasive communication, research supports acknowledging opposing sides, even hostile points of view, and then arguing against them. But the counter-quotes in these ads represent one person’s opinion and may not provide enough evidence to outweigh the introductory quote, which seems to represent many.
I also wonder whether Peloton—without providing more evidence—might inadvertently reinforce negative perceptions of the company and products. Introductory quotes refer to Peloton as a fad, a cult, elitist, a scam, an easy workout, and an overpriced coatrack. These are all good reasons for me to never buy a Peloton.
The ads seem to disregard real challenges. The quotes represent good feedback for company leaders who, in response, defend rather than try to change the brand.
Tesla Accuses SEC of Harassment
In a letter to a U.S. District judge, an attorney for Tesla describes how the SEC tries to “muzzle and harass Mr. Musk and Tesla.” Tesla claims that the SEC monitors Elon Musk’s Twitter, yet hasn’t distributed settlement funds to shareholders.
We see strong language throughout the letter, for example, “gone beyond the pale,” “formidable resources,” “endless, unfounded investigations,” “broken its promises,” and “police.” The last paragraph reads as follows:
“Enough is enough. Mr. Musk and Tesla write in the hope that the Court can bring the SEC’s harassment campaign to an end, while ensuring that the SEC finally delivers, at long last, on its commitment to Tesla’s shareholders and this Court.”
The letter is an example of persuasive communication, with the lead strategy emotional appeal. Although logical arguments are included, the language and medium emphasize what the company perceives as irrational. We get the sense that Musk is personally targeted. We’ll see whether the letter gets the desired results.
A Resume for Remote Work
A Wall Street Journal writer offers good advice for adjusting your resume for a remote job. The author of Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work . . . Wherever You Are, Alexandra Samuel suggests five ideas to incorporate.
Some suggestions may be obvious, for example, including remote work experience and tech skills, such as Slack or Basecamp proficiency. But Samuel also recommends describing “facilities” or “affiliations,” for example, if you have dedicated space in your house or a private remote office. You might write, “ergonomic home office with excellent soundproofing” and identify special equipment you own.
Of course, these distinctions might disadvantage people who don’t have private spaces or the luxury of buying high-end technology. Employers may decide to properly equip new hires.
All this is to reinforce what we know about employment communication: applicants need to find ways to differentiate themselves in job search. If an employer reviews 20 resumes for a remote position, maybe yours will stand out. Convince the employer that you are accountable and can be trusted to work well independently.
Best and Worst Super Bowl Ads
The Kellogg School of Management rated the 2022 Super Bowl Ads based on a framework called ADPLAN: attention, distinction, positioning, linkage, amplification and net equity.
Uber Eats received the highest rating for its commercial featuring several celebrities eating inedible objects delivered to their home. It’s funny and memorable, with a close connection to the company’s new service.
On the other hand, Salesforce got an “F” for its commercial staring Matthew McConaughey. The ad took jabs at other tech company leaders focusing on space travel and, instead, implored us to “engage,” “plant more trees,” “build more trust,” and “make more space—for all of us.” Kellogg justified the bad rating: “for fumbling on effectiveness and linkage back to the brand.” I see the point: after watching the ad, viewers still won’t know what Salesforce is selling.
The Kellogg School’s ranking is one measure. In a USA Today viewer poll, the Coinbase ad, showing a QR-code worth $15 traveling across the screen for a minute, ranked last. Kellogg gave it an A.
Encouraging Humility
David Axelrod, a New York Times opinion writer, weighs in on President Biden’s first State of the Union address, scheduled for March 1. The article, “Mr. President, It’s Time for a Little Humility,” criticizes the president’s previous news conference in which he “energetically sold a litany of achievements” without acknowledging “grinding concerns that have soured the mood of the country.”
In addition to humility, which is defined at recognizing one’s own and others’ limitations, Alexrod is encouraging compassion—caring for yourself and others. He makes good arguments for being positive, while avoiding a “doom and gloom” speech like one of President Carter’s.
Getting the balance right will be difficult. The president needs to remind people of his successes to inspire reelection, while being honest about COVID deaths, the decline of mental health, and economic challenges. As Alexrod says, “Now, he needs to find that voice by telling the story of the ordeal so many Americans have shared, honoring their resilience and painting a credible, realistic picture of how we can all reclaim control of our lives.”
We’ll see how President Biden does. Multiple speech writers will wordsmith his address. But as business communicators know, how the speech is received depends on the president’s delivery as well as his words. I’m curious how much of the president’s genuine self we’ll see—his authenticity.
Zillow's Letter to Shareholders
Zillow ended its failed iBuying business, but is recovering well, as the latest letter to shareholders explains. A foray into the home-flipping business didn’t pan out for the company, resulting in losses and layoffs.
The company’s letter demonstrates accountability, humility, and vulnerability, yet express optimism, as the CEO and CFO write in the closing:
“We want to acknowledge the past few months have been challenging for us all — Zillow leadership, employees, and investors — but innovation is a bumpy road. Big swings are core to Zillow, and they are what make our company so unique. We are excited about the opportunity in front of us. Thank you for joining us on this journey.”
In addition to describing plans, the leaders want readers to take away that performance was “better than expected.” “Better” is used 13 times in the 20-page letter. The approach seemed to work. As a CNBC article summarizes, “Zillow soars on upbeat outlook and faster-than-expected selloff of homes in portfolio.” However, for perspective, the article reports that the stock increased 20% after the letter was published, yet “the stock has lost three-quarters of its value since reaching a record almost a year ago.” Zillow’s leaders have more work to do.