The first job is fixing the problem — not finding a scapegoat. Mary Barra got it right. Barely two months into her job as General Motors’ CEO, she seized control of quality…
Tag: reputation (page 13)
Loose Lips & Paper Trails
If you don’t want it public, don’t put it in writing. In World War II it was, “Loose Lips Sink Ships.” The U.S. War Advertising Council created the slogan to caution that…
King, Ferryman, Shepherd
A firm hand, a clear eye, and unwavering decisiveness. In one school of Tibetan Buddhism, there are three paths for leading others to enlightenment: The King, who knows the ultimate truth and…
Gullible
Knowing what sells to the media gives you a fighting chance. Hope springs eternal in the human breast; Man never is, but always to be, blest. ~ Alexander Pope, 18th century English…
Paranoia & Survival
You’ve got enough to worry about. Let the Crisis team fix PR problems. It’s a timeless concept. Right up there with the ancient proverb, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”…
Affluence Made Me Do It
Rarely there’s so little to say that it’s best to say nothing. Justice for the super-rich is different from justice for the rest of us. Always has been. Always will be. They…
Battle of the Anecdotes
Facts are facts. Deal with ’em. Your only job is to win. Anecdotes are an effective way to tell a story. We all use them every day, some better than others. Politicians.…
Gerrymandering the Mind
Defining your message is easy. Being convincing is the challenge. “I don’t judge wine from a technical point of view, but from the pleasure it gives me,” Italian connoisseur Luca Maroni wrote…
Progress & Reinvention
Technology drives progress. The challenge is reinvention. Another bit of technology and history is biting the dust: Movies on film. But shed no tears. Paramount Pictures is notifying theater operators that, going…
Two Ears, One Mouth
In a dispute, success or failure is a measure of perception. There are reasons, the old saying goes, why you have two ears and one mouth. First: You learn more by listening…