Email for Editing
Here’s a fun email—from a publishing company!—with obvious errors and other issues for students to fix. Also, I’m not an accounting professor. I’m guessing Wiley outsourced this research and the communication.
Dear Amy,
Due to the holiday's, we decided to extend the deadline of this survey to 1/15/23, for anyone interested to give us their feedback.
As an Accounting professor, we know you are constantly looking for ways to optimize your curriculum. We would love to get to know more about the resources you leverage to build your curriculum and your challenges and needs of teaching material for your Accounting courses. Your feedback would go a long way to help us create products and services to better support our Accounting instructors.
The survey should take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
Upon completing the survey, your email will be entered into a random drawing for 1 of 10, $50 Amazon.com gift cards. The random drawing will take place the week of 1/16/23, where winners will be contacted via email. You will also receive a code for 20% off one book on Wiley.com.
The survey will remain open until 1/15/23.
Follow this link to the Survey, if you are interested to give us feedback:
Take the Survey
Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://wiley.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oSZeObx6LcRbAq?Q_DL=Z28LxciSPjK2660_5oSZeObx6LcRbAq_CGC_3xI24GCcnaZf9jE&Q_CHL=email
Send an email to [omitted]@wiley.com if you have any questions.
Thank you and sincere regards,
The Wiley Accounting Team
Steve Jobs Email Blast from the Past
We get a window into executive decision making with Internal Tech Emails. This 2005 thread starts with Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin telling his team that Steve Jobs called, angry about Google “recruiting from the safari team.” Without ever hitting the caps key, Brin described Jobs as “agitated” about at least one potential hire away from Apple. In addition to losing staff, Jobs was concerned about Google developing a search engine to compete with Safari, but Brin assured Jobs that this wasn’t in the works.
The email thread includes other Google execs jumping in to explain that they were, in fact, trying to recruit a high-profile employee from the search team—and that the hire might bring additional employees as well. At some point, an HR leader, Arnnon Geshuri, weighs in: “We are careful to adhere to non-compete agreements if we have established these with any company. However, it is the staffing organization's practice to aggressively pursue leads that come from our employees and bring the best talent onboard.”
But, as the conversation continued (and after few more calls from Jobs), we see the team shift. They agree not to pursue more candidates without pre-approval from Apple if the prized employee came on board.
Southwest Communications
This week’s debacle will make a great case study. As other airlines recovered from the storms, Southwest lagged. Here are a few communications for students to analyze and compare. For an assignment, students could act as consultants advising the company on their messaging or assessing the ethics and character issues demonstrated throughout this time.
CEO Bob Jordan’s video message. Students have a lot to analyze in this example: the apology, explanation of what went wrong, audience perspective, communication objectives, plans for the future, delivery style, etc. The persuasive video raises questions of accountability, compassion, humility, vulnerability, and other character dimensions. Students can identify which Jordan demonstrates and which are lacking.
Southwest webpage. A link to this page is prominent on the Southwest homepage. Customer can find “Travel disruption information,” including how to request a refund and locate baggage. Students can analyze how well the site is organized and how easily users can find what they need.
Employee interview on Democracy Now! What are the character and ethical issues associated with an employee defending staff yet speaking out against the company? The interviewed employee blames Southwest’s technology and says union employees have been asking for changes for years. This raises integrity issues for airline management.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg interview. Buttigieg gave several interviews distinguishing Southwest’s performance from other airlines that struggled but recovered. He defended the Department of Transportation’s recent push for airlines to do right by customers. Critics say the secretary is using the moment for political gain.
Making Sense of Big Numbers
On a recent “No Mercy, No Malice” podcast episode (NSFW), Scott Galloway compares Meta’s spend on Reality Labs—$1 billion per month—to what he considers better investments.
In Business Communication and Character, I suggest that students compare data to concrete objects to help people understand the magnitude. Galloway offers several suggestions to put the expense into context—and to show how Mark Zuckerberg might put the money to better use than building a doomed Metaverse. One is to “pay the entire cost of attendance for every undergrad in the University of Texas and California systems.”
Of course, his point is how much money is being wasted. For students, it’s a good example of making numbers more relevant to an audience.
"Embellishment" vs. Lying
New York Representative-elect George Santos misrepresented himself during his campaign for Congress and is facing calls to resign. The story is relevant for students finding the line between “putting their best self forward” and lying during a job search.
Santos now says, “My sins here are embellishing my resume. I’m sorry.” But his claims are clear fabrications in several cases. What’s interesting about the situation is how easily his claims could be verified. The New York Times simply contacted Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Baruch College, and none could verify his employment and graduation claims.
In his position paper, he claimed to be “a proud American Jew.” He also said he is “half Jewish” and a “Latino Jew” and claimed that he has Holocaust and Ukrainian heritage, which has not been supported. Now he clarifies: "I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was Jew-ish.”
Santos also defended himself during an interview. He said, “I didn’t outright lie,” but he did admit that he used “a poor use of words” and included “a little bit of fluff.” He blamed “elitist” outlets like The New York Times for referring to his customer service experience as “odd jobs,” which forced him to inflate his experience.
His justification raises an issue about how students can handle their own vulnerability. Business communication faculty encourage students to explain how their experience relates to a prospective job. Some students downplay their experience, so we ask them to highlight the relevance to an employer. But none of us would encourage students to include experiences they didn’t have.
We’ll see whether his colleagues vote for him to stay or leave.
Jan. 6 Committee Report
After almost two years of investigative work, the U.S. House committee complete its report about the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. As we might expect, the report has some features we teach in business communication classes.
The 845-page report starts with a list of contributors and a “letter of transmittal”—language I saw in old textbooks when I started teaching in 2004. Next, we see a few “forward” statements from elected officials, which seem like political posturing, until we get to the six-page table of contents. Students will recognize that the headings are descriptive but aren’t quite parallel: some are full sentences, while others are phrases. Bias—or persuasion—is clear in the heading choice, for example, “The Big Lie,” and an all-caps quote, “JUST CALL IT CORRUPT AND LEAVE THE REST TO ME.”
If you’re brave enough to discuss the report in class, other report features are worth reviewing. The 193-page executive summary is unusual for a business report, which is usually about 10% of a total report. The portrait layoff and footnotes are typical for a more formal report, but the photos, used primarily for emotional appeal, are not. Depending on your perspective, the writing style is vivid, inflammatory, or something else. The report on documentcloud.org is navigable by page numbers and a clunky search, but it could be more interactive, for example, with hyperlinks from the table of contents. This is a public document, so students could analyze the audiences and communication objectives.
Justin Bieber and H&M Dispute
Justin Bieber claimed—on Instagram—that H&M created and was selling products without his approval. In addition to the post shown here, he wrote, “The H&M merch they made of me is trash and I didn’t approve it,” and “Don’t buy it.”
H&M pulled the products and explained the decision in a statement: “H&M has followed all proper approval procedures, as we have done in this case, but out of respect for the collaboration and Justin Bieber, we have removed the garments from selling.”
This story raises questions about integrity: what exactly was the process, and was it followed as agreed? I also question Bieber’s medium choice. Why did he make such a public statement? Did he already reach out to H&M privately and not get the response he wanted? We might question both parties’ accountability: how did they agree to resolve differences?
Emails to "Boost Your Career"
Wall Street Journal writers suggest sending emails to someone in your inner circle, an influencer, a VIP, a long-lost contact, and someone leaving the organization. They offer good advice for students to maintain and build relationships; even as interns, thinking about reaching out regularly is a good way to develop this habit in the future. I know someone who starts his day by sending a recognition or complimentary email to someone. It’s a kind of daily gratitude.
Of course, the trouble with these emails is being genuine, offering something without expecting anything in return. The article authors suggest avoiding tired phrases, for example, “Can I pick your bring?” As we teach in our classes, they recommend getting to the main point quickly, being brief, and making a response easy, for example, asking for a 10-minute call.
Underpinning these emails is authenticity: being yourself and sounding conversational to make a genuine connection. Although the authors don’t mention it, many of these contacts can be made on social sites as well.
Related: I asked ChatGPT, “How should I write an email?” and got this response—not bad for the basics!
There are a few key things to keep in mind when writing an email:
Start with a clear subject line: The subject line should clearly and concisely convey the purpose of the email.
Use a professional greeting: Begin your email with a formal greeting, such as "Dear [Name]," or "Hello [Name]," followed by a comma or colon.
Keep it concise: Keep your email brief and to the point. Use bullet points or numbered lists to make it easy to read.
Use a clear and concise writing style: Use simple, straightforward language and avoid using jargon or technical terms that may not be familiar to the reader.
Use proper formatting: Use paragraphs to break up your text and make it easier to read. Use bold or italic text to highlight important points.
Use a professional closing: End your email with a formal closing, such as "Sincerely," followed by your name and contact information.
Proofread your email: Make sure to carefully proofread your email for spelling and grammar errors before sending it.
By following these tips, you can write a clear, professional email that effectively conveys your message.
Integrity Issues in Musk and Twitter Comms
Two Elon Musk/Twitter-related gems this week illustrate issues of integrity. I’m posting these in case you’re not entirely bored with Musk news and teach winter classes or are already planning for next semester.
Musk’s Poll: Musk posted a poll asking whether he should “step down as head of Twitter,” and the results are clear. The next day, he blamed bots for the results. Two days later, Musk tweeted, “I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job! After that, I will just run the software & servers teams.” We might call this a lack of integrity—both questioning a poll he ostensibly runs and not doing what he says he will do. In addition, Musk still owns the company, so he remains the leader until he sells, and he has no successor, particularly given the recent exodus.
Banned Accounts: Twitter banned @ElonJet, which posted Musk’s use of his private plane. Journalists and others reporting on the account, who say the data is public, had their accounts suspended. One journalist explains that, although his account no longer indicates suspension, he cannot post until he removes offending tweets. Mastodon, a Twitter competitor that’s gaining traction, also had an account suspended and explains how the platform is superior to Twitter’s. The Mastodon message illustrates persuasion—and not-so-subtle sales tactics that would be interesting to explore with students.
ChatGPT Got a D on My Writing Prompt
I submitted to ChatGPT, “Write an argument to convince a restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, to pay a living wage.” I received this response in about 3 seconds. See my notes at the bottom—and a prompt for a longer response.
There are several compelling arguments that a restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, should consider when deciding whether to pay a living wage to its employees.
First, paying a living wage can help to attract and retain top talent. Employees who are paid a fair wage are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work, which can lead to improved customer service and a better overall experience for diners. In addition, a living wage can help to reduce turnover and the costs associated with training new employees, which can ultimately save the restaurant money in the long run.
Second, paying a living wage can help to build a positive company culture and reputation. Customers and community members are increasingly looking for businesses that prioritize the well-being and fair treatment of their employees, and a restaurant that pays a living wage can differentiate itself in this regard. This can lead to increased customer loyalty and positive word-of-mouth marketing, which can help to drive business.
Finally, paying a living wage can have broader social and economic benefits for the community. When employees are paid a fair wage, they are more likely to be able to afford basic necessities such as housing, food, and healthcare, which can contribute to a stronger and more stable local economy. In addition, paying a living wage can help to reduce income inequality and promote social justice, which can have a positive impact on the overall well-being of the community.
In summary, there are numerous reasons why a restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, should pay a living wage to its employees. Doing so can help to attract and retain top talent, build a positive company culture and reputation, and contribute to the overall well-being of the community.
I hit “Regenerate response” and got this:
Paying a living wage has numerous benefits for both the restaurant and its employees.
First, paying a living wage can improve employee morale and satisfaction, leading to a more positive work environment and lower turnover rate. When employees feel financially secure and valued, they are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work, which can result in better service and customer satisfaction.
Second, paying a living wage can also improve the restaurant's reputation and attract top talent. Customers and potential employees are increasingly considering a company's commitment to social and environmental responsibility when making purchasing and career decisions. By paying a living wage, the restaurant can differentiate itself from competitors and appeal to a socially conscious customer base.
Finally, paying a living wage can have a positive impact on the local community. When employees are paid a wage that allows them to meet their basic needs, they are more likely to spend their income locally, supporting other businesses and boosting the local economy.
Overall, paying a living wage is a win-win for both the restaurant and its employees. It can lead to improved employee satisfaction and retention, a positive reputation, and a positive impact on the local community.
Once again, “Regenerate response”:
Paying a living wage is good for businesses, employees, and the community.
First, businesses that pay a living wage tend to have lower employee turnover and higher levels of employee satisfaction, which can lead to improved customer service and increased customer loyalty. This can ultimately lead to increased profits for the business.
Second, paying a living wage allows employees to support themselves and their families without relying on government assistance programs. This not only helps to reduce poverty in the community, but it also helps to stimulate the local economy as employees have more disposable income to spend at local businesses.
Finally, paying a living wage is simply the right thing to do. It ensures that all employees are fairly compensated for their hard work and enables them to live with dignity and respect.
In conclusion, paying a living wage is a win-win situation for businesses, employees, and the community. It can improve profits, reduce poverty, and promote economic growth, while also promoting fairness and dignity for all.
My notes
Bottom line: D, a generous grade if the assignment asked for citations, which most would. I can see how the 5-paragraph essay drives ChatGPT, and this is exactly what business communication faculty try to get students to stop doing.
And yet, I’m surprised how good these are from a computer, and they illustrate how multiple students can enter the same prompt and receive different versions. However, they don’t meet our business writing standards.
Overall, the arguments are sound. The main points are probably best for convincing a restaurant owner.
Although simplistic, the organization is easy to follow. In all versions, arguments are grouped appropriately (and differently), and paragraph organization is acceptable. However, we would encourage an introductory paragraph that includes some version of the purpose, prompt, main points, and a preview, and a more varied closing paragraph with some forward-looking nod back to the audience.
The writing style is clear and varied, but wordy and lacks stronger subjects and verbs (there is, it is). We see several extraneous words and phrases.
Where I would deduct the most points on a rubric would be for argument/evidence and audience analysis:
No citations! These responses need references to be credible arguments. I’m curious about ChatGPT because this information comes from somewhere—where?
No depth. Partly because they lack citations, these arguments lack depth. We see big statements without nuance or extrapolation.
Limited argument. Similarly, this is a logical argument, as we would expect from a computer. Although we see references to fairness, we don’t see a balance of credibility, logic, and emotional appeals. Our students would likely include a story or two to illustrate arguments about income inequality and meeting “basic needs.”
No tailoring to the audience. To be fair, my prompt is sloppy, asking for an argument to a “restaurant,” but restaurant owner is assumed. My prompt does specify St. Paul, Minnesota, but only the first response even mentions the location. Data specific to the region would strengthen the argument. How much? What would be the average cost increase? What are the current regulations about a living wage? Experience of other restaurants in St. Paul or similar regions would also strengthen the argument and quell concerns about businesses closing because they can’t afford to pay a living wage—or a student might provide conditions under which restaurants are more successful in how they implement a living wage.
No opposing arguments. For persuasive communication, we ask students to acknowledge opposing arguments to challenge their own thinking, to present a comprehensive view, and to consider the audience’s perspective and address possible resistance.
Could students use ChatGPT as a starting point, as some use Wikipedia as a starting point for research? This idea is worth exploring, and a colleague and I may test this approach in the spring.
I wondered whether the length was an issue and asked ChatGPT to “Write a three-page argument to convince a restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, to pay a living wage.” The result is about the same but includes more acknowledgement of the audience and possible challenges. But, in my view, this confirms ChatGPT’s limitations.
Introduction:
As a restaurant owner in St. Paul, Minnesota, you are no doubt constantly facing challenges and making difficult decisions. One of the most important choices you can make is how much to pay your employees. While it may be tempting to keep labor costs as low as possible, there are many compelling reasons to consider paying a living wage to your employees. In this argument, we will outline the benefits of paying a living wage, both for your business and for your employees, and explain why it is the right decision for your restaurant.
Body:
Paying a living wage has numerous benefits for your business. First and foremost, it can lead to increased productivity and morale among your employees. When workers are paid a wage that allows them to afford the necessities of life, they are more likely to be focused, motivated, and engaged in their work. This can translate into higher levels of customer satisfaction and ultimately, increased profits for your restaurant.
Paying a living wage can also help to reduce turnover, which can be costly and disruptive to your business. When employees are paid a wage that allows them to support themselves and their families, they are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and less likely to leave. This can save you the time and expense of constantly training new hires and can lead to a more stable and experienced workforce.
In addition to the benefits for your business, paying a living wage has numerous positive impacts on your employees and the community at large. When workers are paid a wage that allows them to afford the necessities of life, they are less likely to struggle with financial stress and insecurity. This can lead to improved physical and mental health, which can benefit not only your employees, but also their families and the community as a whole.
Paying a living wage can also help to reduce income inequality and promote social justice. When workers are paid a wage that allows them to afford the necessities of life, they are able to participate more fully in their communities and contribute to the local economy. This can help to build stronger, more vibrant communities, which can benefit everyone.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, paying a living wage is the right decision for your restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota. It can lead to increased productivity and morale among your employees, reduced turnover, and improved physical and mental health for your workers and their families. It can also help to reduce income inequality and promote social justice in the community. While it may require some adjustments to your business model, the long-term benefits are well worth the investment.
Worries About ChatGPT
ChatGPT is getting a lot of attention, including a Chronicle article about the effect on student writing. (See a writing prompt I submitted and ChatGPT’s response—and why I’m not worried about business communication classes.)
The biggest worry about this AI tool is exactly what the developers promise:
We’ve trained a model called ChatGPT which interacts in a conversational way. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer followup questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests. ChatGPT is a sibling model to InstructGPT, which is trained to follow an instruction in a prompt and provide a detailed response.
What’s to become of our assignments if students can simply paste in a prompt and get a computer-generated response? How will students learn to write? The Chronicle article challenges us to reevaluate our assignments: “Assignments and assessments are so formulaic that nobody could tell if a computer completed them.”
Ideas from the article to prevent cheating (which seems to be a primary concern) include showing students why writing is important and, “Flip your teaching so that seminal pieces of work are done in class. Focus more on multimedia assignments or oral presentations. Double down on feedback and revision. Ask students to write about topics of genuine interest to them, in which their voices come through and their opinions are valued.” The author cites problems with adjuncts and large class sizes and suggests that instructors need more time to create meaningful work for students.
I feel optimistic about our business writing courses. How well does AI write to a defined audience, with emotional nuance and appropriate jargon? We don’t teach five-paragraph essays. We teach audience analysis, critical thinking, data integrity, and emotional intelligence, and these topics need more attention. Maybe we use ChatGPT to start arguments, but students verify and build on them. Business communication faculty have always excelled at valuing our students, as a sociologist suggests:
The way forward is not to just lament supplanted skills, as Plato did, but also to recognize that as more complex skills become essential, our society must equitably educate people to develop them. And then it always goes back to the basics. Value people as people, not just as bundles of skills.
One tech writer believes ChatGPT “can be excessively verbose and overuse certain phrases.” That is certainly something our students can fix.
FTX Bubble Chart
As fraud and conspiracy charges roll in for FTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) so do the graphics. Yahoo has a doozy—a worthy visual showing where $5 billion was spent (and lost), unbeknownst to investors.
As we expect, this bubble chart packs in a lot of data, and the interactivity explains why some bubbles show cut-off or no text at all. Mouse-over text is clear, but it’s hard to pinpoint some small bubbles. By small, I mean those amassing a mere $5 million or less—or “Flourishing Humanity,” which, sadly, received only $80,000. Zooming in solves the text problem, but it’s not intuitive (at least to me) on a laptop. I almost want another level of detail. Another click could tell me what the Pangea Cayman Fund is.
Color contrast is an obvious issue in this chart, with large swaths of black that prevent the at-a-glance value of a good chart on a laptop. Some of the brighter colors make the white text hard to read, but it’s better when zoomed in.
If you share this chart with students to analyze, I hope they’ll find the comma splice in the title.
Interview Advice from a CTO
Deloitte CTO Leo Alexandru offered interview advice in a Twitter thread. Most of it is common sense, but the examples could inspire a good class discussion, including why tech has trouble attracting more women. Here are his (non-parallel) main points in bold, with some commentary:
Honesty. Of course, but he recommended admitting concepts that you “never heard of, haven't used in a while, and want to learn more about.” Students would do well to prepare for the last two.
The right attitude, which Alexandru describes as “positive, trustworthy, and solution-oriented.”
Don't talk s**t about their previous job. This is a good one, and students should prepare for questions about their internships. Even if they were disappointed, how can they describe the experience in a balanced way?
Chemistry. This one worries me and reminds me of other assessments about “fit.” Sometimes, this is a veil for “just like me” and leads to a homogenous team.
Communication skills. Alexandru writes, “So I am very interested in how well you express a point of view. Without being aggressive.” His perspective could be a difficult balance for women, who, in one study of performance reviews, were far more likely than men to be criticized for being “too aggressive.”
Don’t be a “yes man.” See above!
Preparation. This is always a good reminder for students: know the job description and research the company ahead of time. The bigger challenge might be integrating what they know into the conversation.
Asking questions. Alexandru suggests asking about challenges in the job, what success looks like, and why a previous person left. A colleague told me that she starts an interview by asking what questions the candidate has. Other hiring managers prefer most of the interview to be led by the candidate. An interactive discussion is usually best, and students need to be on their toes.
Passion. This is a good reminder for students to show enthusiasm and prepare reasons for wanting the job other than, “Apple is the best company in the world.”
Proven track record. Alexandru wants candidates to “show” not just “tell” results. An ePortfolio or other documented work will help.
Top Apple Exec Fired Over Joke
This story could be a challenging class discussion, but it gets at where we draw the line with “jokes.” Apple’s VP of procurement quoted an old movie line and got himself fired.
At a car show, a TikTok creator asked Tony Blevins what he does for a living. With his wife laughing, he quoted Arthur as he got out of his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren: “I have rich cars, play golf, and fondle big-breasted women. But I take weekends and holidays off.” The video went viral, and Apple terminated the 22-year company veteran.
Students will have opinions, of course. Some will believe, as a New York Post writer believes, “Beyond the gross overreaction, canning top talent over a harmless pop culture reference is a bizarre path to innovation for the world’s top tech company.” Others will find the comment offensive and say that Apple had to act when employees complained to HR. In this sense, the video is an integrity issue for the company.
Either way, it’s a reminder that what students say can end up anywhere and have an impact they don’t intend.
Misleading College Financial Aid Letters
A lively class discussion is almost guaranteed if you introduce the topic of college financial aid letters. A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that 91% of colleges either underestimate net prices or fail to include the net price entirely.
In their offer letters, the GAO recommends that colleges subtract only grants and scholarships that students will receive but include ancillary costs like “tuition, fees, housing and meals, books, and living expenses.” Any parent with a college-age student—or any student paying their own way—know that these expenses add up.
The GAO report is also a good example for students to analyze. It follows some principles we teach in business communication classes: a clear structure and detailed table of contents (with hyperlinks); a mix of text, tables, and other graphics (with callouts); and an executive summary. Some design features are a bit curious, for example, left-column headings and squiggly lines around tables.
Overall, best practices are clear, and I hope that colleges take the GAO’s advice. The news raises issues of integrity and accountability. I find it interesting that the GAO was renamed the Government Accountability Office from the Government Accounting Office in 2004. The name does seem to better fit the organization’s mission.
FTX Founder Plays the Innocent
Sam Bankman-Fried’s interview about the collapse of FTX tells us a lot about him, about investors, and about regulation. Bankman-Fried chose to tell his story to New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin via video from the Bahamas. (See transcript.) Starting with a discussion of the many people were “hurt” by the business failing, Sorkin tried to hold Bankman-Fried responsible for billions of losses. He offers two divergent views of what happened to the company: that Bankman-Fried is a “young man who made series of terrible, terrible, very bad decisions,” or that he “committed a massive fraud—that this is a ponzi scheme, a manipulation of the system.”
Business communication students might see this as a false dichotomy. Bankman-Fried claimed that his goal was to “do right” by people and that he made mistakes. He said, “Look, I screwed up. I was C.E.O. I was the C.E.O. of FTX. And I say this again and again that it means I had a responsibility, and I was responsible ultimately for us doing the right things and didn’t. We messed up big.” But he denied setting out to commit fraud. Ross read a letter from someone who says he lost $2 million—his life savings—and that Bankman-Fried used his money to fund his hedge fund. Maybe both narratives are true, and Bankman-Fried isn’t seeing or admitting it.
Students might benefit from a class discussion or assignment about the investor perspective. Not to the blame the victim, but what accountability do investors have in this situation? What were they hoping to achieve compared to other investors—or compared to the general public who do not have $2 million to invest? Depending on how far you want to take this story, a discussion about regulation is certainly relevant, and students, particularly if they or they families have benefitted from crypto investments, might have a lot to say about it.
Otherwise, the video serves as a good example to analyze for delivery, persuasion, character, and interview skills. How is Bankman-Fried as a presenter? How does he balance logical arguments, emotional appeals, and credibility? What character dimensions are at play? Was it the best decision, going against his lawyers’ advice, to do this interview—and from his penthouse in the Bahamas? How well did he respond to questions? Overall, are students more—or less—favorable about Bankman-Fried after watching the interview?
Problems with Medical Jargon
A new study identified specific phrases that patients would likely misunderstand from their healthcare provider. Students probably know that medical jargon causes problems, and they might be interested in analyzing their own provider’s communication.
The survey asked respondents to interpret these phrases, listed in the article supplement. In most cases, respondents were asked whether the news is good or bad. I can see how some could go either way. What does progressive, unremarkable, or impressive mean in a medical diagnosis? We could consider this issue a problem with humility in the medical profession.
Understanding didn’t improve with either age or education. In the demographic section, survey authors did provide non-binary options for gender: female, male, non-binary, other. A related article this week describes data scientists’ challenges when asking about gender. Although researchers found no significant differences in this study, in other studies, gender matters greatly, and students should consider this question carefully in their own primary research.
Snap Memo Delivers Bad News
Snap employees who avoided the 20% layoff in August just got bad news: they need to spend at least 80% of their time back in the office. The timing makes sense for the company to capitalize on employees’ gratitude for having a job. Tech downsizing might not give Snap employees who want to leave a lot of options.
I don’t see the full memo online, but here’s the bottom line from CEO Evan Spiegel:
"I believe that spending more time together in person will help us to achieve our full potential. What each of us may sacrifice in terms of our individual convenience, I believe we will reap in terms of our collective success."
Spiegel also wrote:
"We've been working this way for so long that I'm afraid we've forgotten what we've lost—and what we could gain—by spending more time together. I believe that 'default together,' while retaining flexibility for our team members, will help us to accelerate our growth and deliver on our strategic priorities of growing our community, reaccelerating our revenue growth, and leading in AR."
Business communication faculty often teach students to avoid qualifiers like “I believe” and “I think” for persuasive communication. In this case, Spiegel writes “I believe,” and it fits. This is bad news, and the qualifier softens the tone. Company leaders can’t say with full confidence that working in the office will have these certain outcomes. Without “I believe” or “we believe,” they might sound like jerks, which they might be, anyway. I don’t see a lot of compassion, at least in these excerpts.
Also, writing “I believe” three times in four sentences is a bit excessive. A spokesperson repeated the phrase when responding to CNET about the story:
“After working remotely for so long we're excited to get everyone back together next year with our new 80/20 hybrid model. We believe that being together in person, while retaining flexibility for our team members, will enhance our ability to deliver on our strategic priorities of growing our community, driving revenue growth, and leading in AR."
In case you missed it, The New York Times ran an article about young employees “romanticizing” working in an office. Their employers are lucky that these TikTok videos are so popular.
Company and Celeb Last Tweets
With all the turmoil at Twitter, companies and celebrities are posting their final tweets, some giving reasons and some quietly slipping away. Their choices offer lessons in integrity and authenticity. Here are examples for students to analyze:
CBS News Bay Area: In light of the uncertainty around Twitter and out of an abundance of caution, CBS News Bay Area is pausing its activity on the social media site as we continue to monitor the platform.
Playbill: [at right]
Balenciaga: [Deleted account without comment.]
Shonda Rhimes: Not hanging around for whatever Elon has planned. Bye.
Sara Bareilles: Welp. It’s been fun Twitter. I’m out. See you on other platforms, peeps. Sorry, this one’s just not for me. [heart and prayer-hands emojis]
Toni Braxton: I'm shocked and appalled at some of the "free speech" I've seen on this platform since its acquisition. Hate speech under the veil of "free speech" is unacceptable; therefore I am choosing to stay off Twitter as it is no longer a safe space for myself, my sons and other POC.
Disney Comms About Ousted CEO
Students might enjoy comparing internal and external messages from Disney about Bob Iger’s return just 11 months after his retirement. Lagging investor confidence and profits ended the current CEO’s short tenure in the position, which the board skirts in the press release.
As we might expect, the public statement includes typical quotes from the incoming leader (Iger) and board chair. Missing are comments from the outgoing CEO, Bob Chapek, although the chair thanks him “for his service to Disney over his long career, including navigating the company through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.” Iger is positioned as “uniquely situated to lead the Company through this pivotal period.” Here’s Iger’s quote for the release:
“I am extremely optimistic for the future of this great company and thrilled to be asked by the Board to return as its CEO,” Mr. Iger said. “Disney and its incomparable brands and franchises hold a special place in the hearts of so many people around the globe—most especially in the hearts of our employees, whose dedication to this company and its mission is an inspiration. I am deeply honored to be asked to again lead this remarkable team, with a clear mission focused on creative excellence to inspire generations through unrivaled, bold storytelling.”
In an email to employees, below, Iger mentions “gratitude and humility” and focuses on his audience—”cast members” who have probably struggled in many ways during the past couple of years. He says nothing about Chapek, but really, what is there to say? It might just sound false.
Dear Fellow Employees and Cast Members,
It is with an incredible sense of gratitude and humility—and, I must admit, a bit of amazement—that I write to you this evening with the news that I am returning to The Walt Disney Company as Chief Executive Officer.
When I look at the creative success of our teams across our Studios, Disney General Entertainment, ESPN and International, the rapid growth of our streaming services, the phenomenal reimagining and rebound of our Parks, the continued great work of ABC News, and so many other achievements across our businesses, I am in awe of your accomplishments and I am excited to embark with you on many new endeavors.
I know this company has asked so much of you during the past three years, and these times certainly remain quite challenging, but as you have heard me say before, I am an optimist, and if I learned one thing from my years at Disney, it is that even in the face of uncertainty—perhaps especially in the face of uncertainty—our employees and Cast Members achieve the impossible.
You will be hearing more from me and your leaders tomorrow and in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, allow me to express my deep gratitude for all that you do. Disney holds a special place in the hearts of people around the globe thanks to you, and your dedication to this company and its mission to bring joy to people through great storytelling is an inspiration to me every single day.
Bob Iger