TikTok Tries to Reassure Senators
Two letters illustrate persuasive communication for students to analyze. The first is a letter from nine republican U.S. senators following a BuzzFeed article, “Leaked Audio From 80 Internal TikTok Meetings Shows That US User Data Has Been Repeatedly Accessed From China.”
The second is TikTok’s response. After a few introductory paragraphs (which say very little, in my opinion), CEO Shou Zi Chew tackles each question in sequence.
As we might expect, some responses are clearer than others. In a fairly obvious obfuscation, Chew doesn’t respond to sub-questions (a, b, c, etc.) individually. Question 9, about Beijing parent company ByteDance and a newly named subsidiary, is particularly confusing.
Despite company efforts, at least one senator believes TikTok should testify before Congress.
More Documents Show McKinsey's Role in Promoting Drugs
McKinsey has already paid close to a $600 million settlement for its consulting work with Purdue Pharma that fueled the opioid crisis. Now, as part of that investigation, new evidence has emerged about its role with other companies.
For example, McKinsey worked with Endo, which ramped up sales as part of a “blitz” recommended by McKinsey. In some cases, McKinsey suggested focusing on more potent products and, as we saw with Purdue, targeting physicians and developing aggressive sales incentive programs.
Endo sold Opana, which became an injected street-drug and caused an HIV outbreak. Still, McKinsey suggested ways to increase sales. McKinsey also recommended ways to avoid taxes, which, although technically legal, President Obama called tax “abuse.”
McKinsey promoted itself as having “in-depth experience in narcotics.” In one document, McKinsey boasted, “We serve the majority of the leading players.” That persuasive language has come back to bite the company.
Examples from the McKinsey document trove are included in 11th edition of Business Communication and Character to illustrate persuasive communication, writing style, and a lack of integrity. Newly released documents illustrate internal debate; for example, one consultant wrote, “We may not have done anything wrong, but did we ask ourselves what the negative consequences of the work we were doing was, and how it could be minimized?”
McKinsey may have hoped that the large settlement and public email to staff at the time would have ended the company’s trouble. But more criticism and lawsuits may be looming.
Lizzo Apologizes for Ableist Slur
Singer and songwriter Lizzo apologized to fans and critics, many of them on TikTok, offended by the term “spaz” in her new song, “GRRRLS.” One tweet explained the controversy:
@lizzo please re-release “grrrls” without the ablist [sic] slur. That word is not kind to disabled people. Your music is global and you have a voice folks listen to. We are trusting and asking you to release it without the slur.
Others mentioned their surprise because the singer “champions women, plus size people and others whom society treats poorly, Lizzo preaches inclusivity and should do better.”
Lizzo responded with an apology that demonstrates accountability and authenticity. She admitted the mistake, announced a new version, and highlighted her own identity. The apology could have been improved by recognizing how the term is offensive and harmful. Regardless, fans seemed to appreciate the response and, overall, the apology was effective.
Airbnb Announces Party Ban
Airbnb’s message banning parties could be considered good news or bad, depending on your perspective. The company’s decision follows a temporary ban during the pandemic, when public gathering spots shut down and parties in rental homes increased. At the time, the rationale was to prevent COVID-19 spread and to reduce the negative impact on neighborhood, a common complaint about Airbnb even before the pandemic.
The decision is easier now—a continuation of the ban rather than a new announcement. As the company wrote in the statement, “It’s been working.” The rationale is clear, and the message is well organized with “Key Takeaways” at the beginning and message titles as headings. Points address concerns of three likely audiences: hosts, neighbors, and guests.
Whether you consider the news good or bad, the statement is an example of a persuasive message. The goal is to stop parties and to win favor of neighbors and municipalities frustrated with noise and other negative effects of short-term rentals, for example, diminished housing inventory and higher home prices. In this regard, the company is demonstrating accountability, although, of course, some would like Airbnb to do more.
BBB's Balanced Executive Change Announcement
On the day that Bed Bath & Beyond posted dismal first-quarter results, the company announced two leadership departures. Like most of these types of news releases, the statement includes quotes from the board chair complimenting the outgoing leaders.
But in this case, the statement starts with a clear acknowledgment of issues and plans to change:
“Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBY) today announced significant changes to the Company's senior leadership to focus on reversing recent results, addressing supply chain and inventory, and strengthening its balance sheet. Sue Gove, an Independent Director on the Company's Board of Directors and Chair of the Board's Strategy Committee, has been named Interim Chief Executive Officer, replacing Mark Tritton, who has left his role as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board.”
Interim CEO Sue Gove also reinforced the company’s turnaround strategy: "We must deliver improved results. Our shareholders, Associates, customers, and partners all expect more.”
The quote highlighting Tritton’s accomplishments, and those of the merchandising VP, who is also leaving, comes later, under the heading, “Executive Changes.”
Comparing Bed Bath’s statement to similar messages, organization and accountability are probably the most obvious differences. The message sequencing illustrates the company’s primary purpose of reassuring shareholders—prioritizing financial performance over outgoing leader relationships. Although this strategy is sound, the stock fell 20.6% so far today to 5.18, a dramatic fall from its 2013 high of more than 80.
Companies Navigate Comms After Roe v. Wade
After the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, women’s constitutional right to have an abortion, companies are faced with thorny decisions about whether and how to communicate. Leaders have become more vocal on social issues, for example, gay marriage and Black Lives Matter, but this situation may be more complicated.
Several companies have expanded their health care coverage to include travel for medical procedures, but they avoid the word “abortion.” For example, Disney sent an email to staff:
“We have processes in place so that an employee who may be unable to access care in one location has affordable coverage for receiving similar levels of care in another location,” including, “family planning (including pregnancy-related decisions).”
Other companies were more direct. Back in April, after the Texas ruling that limited abortions, Yelp’s chief diversity officer said, “We want to be able to recruit and retain employees wherever they might be living,” She raised the issue of equity—access for employees who may not have the funds to travel. She also said, “The ability to control your reproductive health, and whether or when you want to extend your family, is absolutely fundamental to being able to be successful in the workplace,”
Starbucks, facing unionization efforts and staffing issues, sent three letters to partners during the past few months and posted them publicly. Each uses the word “abortion” and acknowledges different views on the subject and that some may feel “disheartened or in shock.”
How companies approach these communications reflects their business, employee base, location, and culture. We might expect Starbucks, whose founder and current interim CEO Howard Schultz has consistently been vocal on controversial issues. Starbucks leaders demonstrated courage, vulnerability, compassion, and integrity—standing up for what they believe is right, despite strong feelings on the other side.
Business Communication and Character Lessons from Jan. 6 Hearings
Not every faculty member will want to talk about the United States House Select Committee hearings about the January 6, 2021, attack on the capitol. At the time, some public school teachers were instructed not to “wade into” the events. But for faculty who are willing to take a degree of risk, the hearings serve as excellent illustrations of business communication principles and leadership character dimensions. Following are a few examples.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Media Choice: The committee chooses different media for different purposes. Students can evaluate why they might have chosen text, interviews, scripts, live or recorded witness testimony, video, etc. and how effective each is for the purpose.
Delivery Style: Committee representatives and witnesses demonstrate a variety of delivery styles. Some are more natural/conversational or scripted than others. What is the impact of William Barr’s use of a profanity (“b—s—”)?
Claims and Evidence: The committee uses a variety of evidence to prove their claims about former President Trump’s role in trying to overturn the election. For example, the fourth hearing describes voting data in Georgia and Arizona. Students could evaluate, for any of the seven claims, which evidence was strongest and weakest. We also see examples of balancing emotional appeal (for example, Ruby Freeman’s and Shaye Moss’s testimony in the fourth hearing), logical arguments (for example, the testimony in the second hearing about laws and constitutional restrictions on former Vice President Pence’s ability to refuse to certify votes), and credibility (for example, the committee shows a link for viewers to see witness bios online). See a summary of evidence here.
Organization: The committee is trying to prove that former President Trump had a seven-part plan (listed below) to overturn the election. The points are written using message titles (or talking headings) and serve as the committee’s claims. At the beginning of each hearing, committee leaders preview the claim and evidence.
Q&A: Although some of the questions are clearly scripted, students can analyze types of questions asked and how witnesses respond. They may find notable differences between recorded and live testimony.
Email Privacy: Once again, we learn the lesson that emails, text messages, and voicemails may be made public during legal investigations; any communication is discoverable.
CHARACTER
Vulnerability: Several witnesses demonstrate vulnerability; they risk emotional exposure in addition to the targeting and harassment they already experienced.
Humility: We see former President Trump’s lack of humility in his unwillingness to accept failure or defeat.
Compassion: Committee members are compassionate when interacting with witnesses, although we see minimal emotion.
Integrity: The committee contrasts integrity of witnesses with that of former President Trump.
Courage: By participating on the committee, Republican members risk backlash from colleagues and constituents; witnesses demonstrate courage by contradicting former President Trump’s claims and, in some cases, his demands.
Accountability: Witnesses stand by their decisions, for example, in refusing to overturn election results.
Authenticity: Some witnesses and committee members come across as more “genuine” than others.
Here are the committee’s main claims:
Trump attempted to convince Americans that significant levels of fraud had stolen the election from him despite knowing that he had, in fact, lost the 2020 election:
1. Trump had knowledge that he lost the 2020 election, but spread misinformation to the American public and made false statements claiming significant voter fraud led to his defeat;
2. Trump planned to remove and replace the Attorney General and Justice Department officials in an effort to force the DOJ to support false allegations of election fraud;
3. Trump pressured Vice President Pence to refuse certified electoral votes in the official count on January 6th, in violation of the U.S. Constitution;
4. Trump pressured state lawmakers and election officials to alter election results in his favor;
5. Trump’s legal team and associates directed Republicans in seven states to produce and send fake "alternate" electoral slates to Congress and the National Archives;
6. Trump summoned and assembled a destructive mob in Washington and sent them to march on the U.S. Capitol; and
7. Trump ignored multiple requests to speak out in real-time against the mob violence, refused to instruct his supporters to disband and failed to take any immediate actions to halt attacks on the Capitol.
"The" Ohio State Trademark
After a three-year legal process, Ohio State University was awarded the use of “The” as a trademark on its products. The Buckeyes football team, announcers, and others have emphasized “thee” at the beginning of the university name, and now it’s official. This means that only OSU can use “the” “on branded products associated with and sold through athletics and collegiate channels, such as T-shirts, baseball caps and hats.”
The university’s head of media relations said, “THE has been a rallying cry in the Ohio State community for many years, and Buckeye fans who purchase official Ohio State gear support student scholarships, libraries, and other university initiatives.” Indeed, athletic products bring in more than $12 million in annual revenue.
In a 2014 Saturday Night Live parody, players announce their crimes. When it’s Marvin Ingram’s turn, he says his crime and emphasizes “THEE” Ohio State University.
You can read about the history of “the” in the university’s name if you’re interested.
Musk's Meeting with Twitter Employees
A summary of Elon Musk’s meeting with Twitter staff gives us a window into a typical “all-hands meeting.” Employees who ask questions demonstrate courage—and humility.
Of course, in this case, employees are most concerned about their jobs if/when Musk’s acquisition of the company is final. A Wall Street Journal article describes his stance:
Regarding layoffs, Mr. Musk said anyone who is a significant contributor shouldn’t have anything to worry about, according to people who viewed the meeting. “Right now, costs exceed revenue,” he said, according to the people. “That’s not a great situation.”
Likewise, this isn’t a great response for worried staff. How do they know whether they are “a significant contributor”? Doesn’t everyone believe that they are? As one person tweeted, “still not sure if I need to start packing my bags.” The company might lose good people in the meantime—people who don’t want to stick around to see what happens.
As expected, Musk was asked how he views freedom of speech. Musk distinguished between freedom of speech and “freedom of reach,” giving the example of “walk[ing] into the middle of Times Square and deny[ing] the Holocaust" but not allowing that to be promoted. "So I think people should be allowed to say pretty outrageous things that are within the bounds of the law, but then that doesn’t get amplified. It doesn’t get, you know, a ton of reach."
A lot of uncertainty remains for Twitter employees. It’s difficult to know how sincere the meeting was. As this employee cartoon suggests, employees expected that the meeting, although billed as confidential, would be leaked. Still, the format was probably useful for employees to hear directly from Musk, which is the point of these meetings, whether in person or virtual.
Comms About Disney Leadership Changes
When companies announce leadership changes, they typically include quotes from outgoing executives, but a Disney press release mentions the head of TV only in passing. The focus of the release is on Dana Walden’s promotion to Chairman of Disney General Entertainment Content. The 817-word statement mentions Tim Rice near the end of the first paragraph:
She will have oversight of ABC Entertainment, ABC News, Disney Branded Television, Disney Television Studios, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content, and Onyx Collective. Walden previously served as Chairman, Entertainment, Walt Disney Television and succeeds Peter Rice, who is leaving the Company. Her appointment is effective immediately, and she will report directly to Chapek.
News reports explains that Rice was fired for differences over creative decisions, compensation, etc. The company statement could have acknowledged a bit more and demonstrated integrity and accountability for the decision; otherwise, the press carries the message.
In Walden’s email to employees, she mentions Rice in the 14th of 16 paragraphs:
In reflecting on my own professional journey, I am very fortunate to have worked alongside Peter Rice for a long time. We have been friends for almost three decades and he was my boss for eight years. He is a gifted executive, and I learned a lot from him. I know you all join me in wishing him the best in whatever he chooses to do next.
Of course, this is the right thing to do—and important for employees who may have loyalties to Rice. I respect that she didn’t sugarcoat his departure (and at least Disney isn’t claiming the weasley “mutual agreement” reason for leaving).
As always, leaders communicate by what they say and what they omit. This situation also illustrates a question for business communication students: is this bad news, good news, or a persuasive message? I would argue that it’s all three, depending on your perspective.
Fined for Writer's Block
I’m fascinated by a business in Tokyo, Manuscript Writing Cafe, that charges people if they miss the writing goal they set for their time working.
In addition to the $22 fee, book authors, corporate managers, and others (surprisingly, the article doesn’t mention students or academics) benefit from gathering with others to write. Co-owner Takuya Kawai says the strategy works: “Looking at each other, they find themselves under the same amount of stress—and so, together, they end up working hard.” Customers choose from varying levels of intervention from being left alone to constant observation.
Parts of this strategy match advice offered in Chapter 4 of Business Communication and Character for curing writer’s block, for example, choosing the right environment and scheduling a block of time. The cafe also might encourage free-writing and tackling the easiest parts first, particularly if goals are measured by number of words rather than quality.
Customers of the cafe (and business communication students) could consider why they experience writer’s block. For example, are they trying to make it perfect the first time? Are they impatient with the naturally slow pace of the writing process? Or do they avoid writing because they don’t like it? Many of us carry years of baggage, for example, feeling as though we’re “bad writers,” which would stymie anyone’s process. For this and other reasons, the cafe might help us overcome resistance by just writing—getting projects done. How can students use these principles in their academic work?
"Rainbow Washing" and Burger King Ad
Almost every company seems to have some recognition of Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community during the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. But skeptics complain that June has become a time for “rainbow washing,” which Urban Dictionary defines as “The act of using or adding rainbow colors and/or imagery to advertising, apparel, accessories, landmarks, et cetera, in order to indicate progressive support for LGBTQ equality (and earn consumer credibility)—but with a minimum of effort or pragmatic result. (Akin to ‘green-washing’ with environmental issues and ‘pink-washing’ with breast cancer.)”
Burger King has done worse. To promote a Whopper in Austria, the company’s ad agency suggested selling "two equal buns"—either two tops or two bottoms. Some found the sexual reference funny, but others were offended, particularly because Burger King used the joke only for financial gain. Unlike other brands, the company didn’t include, for example, a donation to an LGBTQ+ organization.
The agency sent an apology to AdAge: “We at Jung von Matt Donau are proud of our queer community within our agency. Unfortunately, we still messed up and didn’t check well enough with community members on different interpretations of the ‘Pride Whopper.’ That’s on us.” The group also said, “we’ve learned our lessons and will include experts on communicating with the LGBTQ community for future work as promoting equal love and equal rights will still be a priority for us.”
The company takes responsibility, but a good apology includes a bit more, for example, an understanding of the impact and reparations or compensation. AdAge didn’t publish the apology in full, but business communication students could rewrite the response to demonstrate more vulnerability, humility, and compassion. In addition, Burger King has remained quiet while the ad agency took all the blame.
End the Long Email Chains
New research highlights problems with choosing text-based communication for complex or ambiguous tasks. In Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, researchers published findings from five studies and concluded the following:
Findings suggest that communicators need to be aware that using text-based communication media, such as email for convergence tasks, can be tiring. As a result, they may not have the energy required to effectively deal with subsequent tasks requiring complex reasoning (e.g., writing a report) they may work on after they finish communicating.
Convergence tasks involve multiple perspectives and require creating a shared understanding, which is difficult to do by email or in Slack. When group decision making or negotiations, for example, starts a string of emails, the communication depletes our energy, making it harder to work on other complex tasks.
Study authors suggest what you might expect: choose a synchronous way of meeting instead. The authors acknowledge that meetings, particularly in person, are increasingly rare and challenging because of more remote work across time zones and varying schedules. But they say it’s worth the effort.
This advice is consistent with lessons in Chapter 1 of Business Communication and Character, which describes rich and lean media and reasons to choose one communication channel over the other. In-person meetings are best for complex decision making, building relationships, and emotional interactions.
PGA Commissioner Sends Letter to Suspend Golfers
After a new golf tour has wooed Professional Golfers’ Association players, the association announced that they are no longer eligible to play in the PGA. The commissioner’s letter is an example of bad news for those who accepted the opportunity from the LIV Golf Invitational Series, a Saudi-backed organization, and it’s an example of persuasive communication for those who might consider doing the same.
In his letter, Commissioner Jay Monahan justifies the decision, using the word “regulations” several times. He mentions that players didn’t get proper releases for the conflict and blames players for making a “choice for their own financial-based reasons.” Monahan also appeals to a wide audience when he writes, “But they can’t demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you. That expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners.”
Monahan uses strong language throughout and calls out specific players at the end of the letter, which players received while they were in the middle of a tournament. He demonstrates courage by facing some backlash, and he demonstrates some vulnerability by acknowledging, “What’s next? Can these players come back?”
The PGA is also holding players accountable, although not everyone agrees. In a statement, LIV Golf calls the decision “vindictive” and promises further action. The brief tweet is a notable counterweight to the PGA’s two-page letter. Students may analyze both in terms of tone, audience focus, content choices, and organization.
A Different Approach to Customer Replies
Squarespace is trying to reduce the volume of customer requests to handle, and I like the approach. I received this email three days after I submitted a ticket on the website.
From: Squarespace Customer Care <customercare@squarespace.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 7, 2022 9:06 AM
To: Amy Newman <amynewman@cornell.edu>
Subject: [Support] Re: Automatic weekly?
##- Please type your reply above this line -##
Hello, this is Squarespace Customer Support. We're writing to confirm that we received your email a few days ago and are still working to respond as soon as possible.
We're currently experiencing a high volume of requests, so it's taking us longer than usual to respond. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes.
If you've resolved your issue since contacting us, please reply with the word "solved" to let us know and we'll close the case on your behalf. You can reopen a closed case at any time by replying to the thread.
If you want to speak to someone directly about your issue, contact us via live chat. Live chat is available Monday - Friday from 4:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET. To start a chat, visit this link, choose a topic, then select Live Chat:
https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/requests/new#choose-topic
I wonder what percentage of customers resolve their own issue before the company can respond. Either way, this message gives customers some control over their fate and may reduce frustration. It worked for me, partly because the declining customer experience is well known and not unique to Squarespace.
It might not work for customers with a serious issue, but they can follow options in the last paragraph. In this sense, the message is a bad-news reply and, like most, it’s also persuasive. Students can analyze how well the writing style and organization work for the audience and purpose.
Airline Customer Service Reps Get Testy
A year ago, customers complained about long wait times on hold for airlines, and that has not changed. Representatives seem to be at their polite limits.
A Delta rep tweeted publicly for a customer to “calm down,” which led to a brief apology. Everyone seems to be stretched, with cancelled flights and staffing shortages a common complaint, exacerbating airline rage. The tweet is quite extraordinary for a service company like Delta—and maybe we need to be more patient. The bare-bones apology reflects this view.
Despite the previous success of tweeting, a Delta executive suggested other channels now that Twitter volume is impossible for stretched social media employees. To increase the chance of a response, a customer-experience consultant also suggests, “The more detailed or the more actionable the question is, the more [airlines] prioritize that.” This follows suggestions for any business communication message: stick to main points, provide enough evidence, and make your request easy to follow. She also warns customers to check their tone. Airline represents don’t want to “set a precedent” by responding to angry tweets, which might elevant others’ anger.
Checking our own character—compassion for airline employees and humility—is a good idea before lobbing a complaint whether in writing or on the phone. Of course, this is difficult when travel plans change and we’re on hold for hours, but airline reps are probably doing the best they can in a tough situation they didn’t cause.
Argument Linking Marijuana to Violence
A Wall Street Journal opinion is a good example of a persuasive argument for business communication students to analyze. The articles uses logical arguments, emotional appeal, and credibility; evidence is stronger for some points than for others.
The author provides research to support increased marijuana use in young people and to link marijuana use to mental illness and hospital visits. Is the evidence linking use to violence strong enough to convince students? The first study referenced studies of teenagers with mood disorders; the second is a meta-study that concludes, “cannabis use appears to be a contributing factor in the perpetration of violence.” Both are from credible sources and illustrate data analysis principles from Chapter 9 in the text.
I find the article title, “Cannabis and the Violent Crime Surge,” a misleading stretch. Coming just days after an elementary school school shooting—and when gun violence is a news mainstay—the WSJ implies a conclusion that I don’t see in the evidence. The author uses an example as evidence: the Uvalde, Texas, shooter apparently had a history of smoking marijuana. In addition, the argument is complicated by the claim that the shooter was NOT smoking at the time. Yet, he could have been experiencing detox, which may include anger and irritability. The author doesn’t include these points.
The author ends with, “Maybe it’s time that lawmakers and voters rethink their pot-legalization experiment before more young lives are damaged.” Do students agree?
Another Elon Musk Email: Layoffs
Elon Musk has a unique way of announcing bad news. In an email to employees, which he sent to the New York Times and other news organizations, Musk is brief and direct.
To: Everybody
Subject: Headcount Reduction
Date: Friday, June 3, 2022
Tesla will be reducing salaried headcount by 10% as we have become overstaffed in many areas. Note this does not apply to anyone actually building cars, battery packs or installing solar. Hourly headcount will increase.
Elon
Business communication students can compare this message to principles in Chapter 8 for delivering bad news, particularly about jobs. Musk’s email doesn’t quite measure up. A better example is from Brian Chesky, Airbnb. Chesky tailors the message to his audience, letting them know why the decision was made, how it affects them, and what they can expect. He demonstrates vulnerability and compassion to those leaving—and to those staying.
Elon Musk's Harsh Emails
Elon Musk wants employees to work in the office, and he doesn’t waste words in getting his message across. In two emails, below, to Tesla and SpaceX employees, Musk requires at least 40 hours of work in a company main office.
First email:
Subject: Remote work is no longer acceptble [sic]
Anyone who wishes to do remote work must be in the office for a minimum (and I mean *minimum*) of 40 hours per week or depart Tesla. This is less than we ask of factory workers.
If there are particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible, I will review and approve those exceptions directly.
Moreover, the “office” must be a main Tesla office, not a remote branch office unrelated to the job duties, for example being responsible for Fremont factory human relations, but having your office be in another state.
Thanks,
Elon
Second email:
Subject: To be super clear
Everyone at Tesla is required to spend a minimum of 40 hours in the office per week. Moreover, the office must be where your actual colleagues are located, not some remote pseudo office. If you don’t show up, we will assume you have resigned.
The more senior you are, the more visible must be your presence. That is why I lived in the factory so much – so that those on the line could see me working alongside them. If I had not done that, Tesla would long ago have gone bankrupt.
There are of course companies that don’t require this, but when was the last time they shipped a great new product? It’s been a while.
Tesla has and will create and actually manufacture the most exciting and meaningful products of any company on Earth. This will not happen by phoning it in.
Thanks,
Elon///
In case it wasn’t clear, Musk tweeted consequences for employees who fail to follow his rules: “They should pretend to work somewhere else.” Musk is known for being demanding and direct. I refer to his emails as “harsh,” but not everyone will agree.
Musk has reasons for his decision, but he doesn’t include them. His strategy is coercion (implied, and then explicit in his tweet). He will get compliance, but I wonder how motivated and satisfied employees will be to work long hours in an office after having the flexibility to work from home.
Walmart Apologizes for Commercializing Juneteenth
Walmart is facing backlash for using the Juneteenth holiday to market its products. The new U.S. federal holiday on June 19 commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. Walmart took the opportunity to promote clothing, books, and food.
A particularly painful example is a container of red-velvet ice cream showing the Pan-African flag with the text, “Share and celebrate African-American culture, emancipation, and enduring hope.” Twitter users point to a similar ice cream at the Black-owned company Creamalicious. As one Twitter user wrote, “Walmart could have used this opportunity to highlight this brand instead of making a cheap copycat for OUR Independence Day.”
Walmart published a statement to several news organizations:
"Juneteenth holiday marks a commemoration and celebration of freedom and independence. However, we received feedback that a few items caused concern for some of our customers and we sincerely apologize. We are reviewing our assortment and will remove items as appropriate."
Does the statement meet criteria for a “good” apology: express regret, explain what went wrong, acknowledge responsibility, declare repentance, offer reparation, and request forgiveness? I would say only minimally. It does use the word “apologize,” acknowledge what went wrong, and promise to take action, but the statement doesn’t identify why the promotion might “cause concern.” Notice a glaring logical leap between the first and second sentences. Leaders could demonstrate more humility and accountability by explaining how the decision fell short and what damage it caused.