Colleges React to Racist Posts

George Floyd’s killing has sparked protests around the world as well as backlash. A Chronicle of Higher Education article describes a few colleges acting quickly—within one day—after seeing a current or an admitted student’s racist post.

In a statement, The University of Denver condemned racist posts and announced, “The University has rescinded the student’s admission offer and they will not be attending DU.”

Some pubic universities, such as Missouri State, have published statements but are not expelling students or rescinding admission offers. President Clif Smart explains the university’s stance in a blog post.

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Discussion:

• Should universities expel students or rescind offers after finding racist posts? If so, under what circumstances?

• Should students know better—both morally and practically—than to post racist comments, memes, videos, etc.?

• Analyze and compare the two university statements. Who are the primary and secondary audiences? How well does each convey the main points, balancing various audience needs?

Atlanta Mayor Speaks to Protests

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms delivered a speech from the heart and from her experience. Mayor Bottoms speaks from her experience as an African-American mother and implores people to protest peacefully.

Discussion:

• Analyze the mayor’s speech: audience, communication objectives, organization, tone, delivery style, and so on. What works well, and what could be improved?

• In what ways does this speech demonstrate authenticity? How does the mayor’s identity play a role in her message and her delivery?

Facebook's Position on Twitter's Labeling

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg weighed in on Twitter’s decision to fact-check and label some of President Trump’s tweets. In response to protests after the death of George Floyd, one tweet promised “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Twitter hid the tweet with a note that it “violated the Twitter Rules about glorifying violence.”

Another tweet claimed that “mail-in voting will lead to massive fraud and abuse,” and Twitter posted a warning to “get the facts.” Until now, Twitter had not enforced its policies for the president’s tweets.

Facebook is taking a different tack. CEO Mark Zuckerberg described the company’s position:

"I believe strongly that Facebook shouldn't be the arbiter of truth of everything that people say online. I think in general, private companies shouldn't be, especially these platform companies, shouldn't be in the position of doing that."

The Wall Street Journal editorial board defended Zuckerberg’s decision: “We wish Facebook would take a lighter touch when it comes to political speech overall.”

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Discussion:

• What’s your view of Twitter’s actions? Why do you think the company began labeling President Trump’s tweets now?

• Should Facebook follow suit? How might each company’s mission play a role in its actions?

A Leader Example in My Book Is Charged With Conspiracy

I was sad to see that Paul Kruse, former CEO of Blue Bell Creamery, has been charged with covering up the listeria breakout in 2015. In my book, Building Leadership Character, Kruse is a positive example of a leader who demonstrates vulnerability. His 2016 video announcing employee layoffs after the breakout was emotional and authentic.

Prosecutors say that Kruse delayed recalling tainted products, instructed employees to tell customers that product delays were caused by mechanical problems, and failed to take other appropriate action.

Blue Bell agreed to pay $19.5 million to the Department of Justice and posted a statement on its website, which focuses more on the future than on the past.

Discussion:

• Can you reconcile both perspectives of Kruse as a leader? Could he be someone who covers up listeria and someone who gets emotional when talking about employee layoffs?

• Assess the company’s statement. Who are the audiences, and what are the communication objectives?

United Airlines Message

The COVID-19 messages keep coming from airlines and other companies. Here’s one from United Airlines, encouraging us to fly by offering flexibility and promising cleanliness.

Dear Amy,

As we all adjust to this new normal, my thoughts are with you and your families and I hope you're staying safe and healthy. The last several weeks have been emotional and trying for all of us, but I continue to be inspired by the goodness in people and the genuine acts of kindness, large and small, that I see every day. These gestures of warmth, strength and caring give me the confidence that in time, we will emerge more United Together than ever before.

It's in that spirit that I wanted to share with you some good news about what the 100,000 family members of United Airlines have been doing for you as we tackle the biggest and most disruptive crisis we've faced in our 94‑year history.

Good news as you're making travel plans

Life is unpredictable in lots of ways right now. We know many of you started the year planning to fly with us to visit family, go to a game or concert, attend a trade show or just get away. And you might be feeling anxious about what to do about your upcoming travel plans. That's why we've waived the fees to change or cancel any trip with us through the end of 2020, including travel that was already planned as well as trips that you're hoping to take in the future. Every customer now has until May 31 to make changes to current reservations or book new flights that can be changed or canceled without a fee, and you'll be able to reschedule your trip for anytime in the next 12 months. So take the next few weeks and do what's best for you, your family and your work.

Good news for when you choose to fly

Safety has always been our top priority, and because of that, the social distancing and cleaning procedures that have become a way of life for all of us are now staples of the way we run our airline. When you're ready to fly, you'll see that a lot has changed at the airport and on board our aircraft. We're boarding fewer customers at a time and starting from the back of the plane to avoid crowding in the gate area, on the jet bridge and in the aisle. We're automatically blocking middle seats to give you enough space on board, requiring all our employees on board, including our flight attendants, to wear masks and, in early May, making masks available to our customers. Of course, these measures are in addition to our state‑of‑the‑art sanitization procedures like cleaning our aircraft with electrostatic sprayers, and extra precautions like taking our employees' temperatures before they start work to protect the well‑being of our customers and colleagues. Find a complete overview of what's changed at United to adapt to this new normal.

Good news for our communities

While we wait to welcome you back, we've been using our time and resources to do our part and support those on the frontlines of this crisis as well as the millions of families who have been affected by the most dramatic disruption of the labor market since the Great Depression. Leveraging the full power of our airline to do the right thing, we've flown more than 1,000 medical volunteers for free; donated 170,000 pounds of food; and used our fleet to get close to 20,000 stranded people home and medical supplies to the places that need them most. Here are just a few examples of how we're contributing in the fight against COVID‑19: 

I'll end where I started: I hope you and your family continue to be well. This crisis has revealed a great deal about who we are as people and I'm moved by your continued resilience and resolve. We look forward to welcoming you the next time you take to the friendly skies.

Stay safe and be well,

Toby Enqvist
Chief Customer Officer
United Airlines

Discussion:

• What principles of business communication does the United message follow? What could be improved?

• How does this message compare to others you received recently?

• After reading the Morning Consult report about messaging during COVID-19, what recommendations would you make to United?

Employees Seek Better Benefits from Applebee's and IHOP

Employees of Applebee’s and IHOP are asking for better benefits from the restaurants’ parent company, Dine Brands.

The group’s website, Applebeesisrotten, paints a dire picture of the impact of the pandemic on restaurant workers and asks people to sign their petition for “comprehensive paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and income relief to all works.”

A tweet posted on April 22 indicates that company executives haven’t responded to the group’s demands.

Discussion:

• Analyze the group’s use of persuasive strategies on the website. How well do they balance logic, emotion, and credibility? What suggestions for improvement would you offer?

• The petition shows less than 7,000 signatures as of today. What, if any, effect might this have on the executives’ response.

• Should the executives respond? If so, how?

Avoid Trite Customer Service Expressions

Consultants in online communication advise writers to avoid standard customer services phrases that could be off-putting during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• “We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.”

• “Well share your feedback with the appropriate department.”

• “[Insert topic] is extremely important to us.”

• “Our records show…”

• “As per your request…”

• “Is there anything else I can help you with today?”

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Discussion:

• I would argue that these expressions should be avoided any time. What are your thoughts?

• Do you find any of these particularly annoying?

• What could you say instead of each of the above?

Judge Requests Professional Attire

I’ll admit it: I’ve been wearing leggings or jeans for the past five weeks. I’m guessing that’s common, but some people are taking attire for online meetings to an extreme. Stories of people showing up shirtless or in bed for Zoom meetings are causing leaders to provide more guidance for what to wear on video.

A judge in Broward County, Florida, ordered lawyers to dress for video meetings as they would in court. Judge Dennis Bailey laments the current attire and attitude:

“It is remarkable how many ATTORNEYS appear inappropriately on camera. We've seen many lawyers in casual shirts and blouses, with no concern for ill-grooming, in bedrooms with the master bed in the background, etc. One male lawyer appeared shirtless and one female attorney appeared still in bed, still under the covers. And putting on a beach cover-up won't cover up you're poolside in a bathing suit. So, please, if you don't mind, let's treat court hearings as court hearings, whether Zooming or not.”

The judge also offers advice for Zoom hearings, which he says take longer and require more planning to present exhibits.

In response, the chief judge for the district sent his own letter, softening the tone and direction:

“As Chief Judge I was unaware of this letter going out until I started to receive inquiries. As far as decorum in zoom hearings we have not seen the need to establish hard and fast rules. We certainly appreciate everyone being polite, professional and not disruptive during the hearings. Please remember most all of these hearings are open to the public and thus everyone, including judges and general magistrates, should dress and behave accordingly.“

Judge Bailey image source. Zoom in bed image source.

Discussion:

• Read the full original letter and the chief judge’s response. How do the messages compare in terms of audience analysis, tone, content, and organization?

• What’s your view of Judge Bailey’s letter: appropriate, off-base, or something else?

• What do you observe on Zoom meetings? Are people presenting themselves less professionally? What’s your perspective on this topic?

What Not to Say

An article posted on Medium, “11 Things Socially Aware People Don’t Say,” offers good advice during this crisis—and for other times. Michael Thompson suggests avoiding the following: “I told you so,” “I know how you feel,” “Good luck with that,” “It’s not my fault,” “It’s all in your head,” “That was stupid,” “You always/You never,” “Everything happens for a reason,” “As I said before,” and “With all due respect.”

I would add one: “Frankly” or “Honestly.” When people introduce a statement this way, I find myself disbelieving them and questioning what they say typically. Without the preface, I’ll assume you’re speaking frankly and honestly.

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Discussion:

• Many of these phrases have a positive or harmless intent, but how could the impact be harmful?

• What could you say instead of these expressions?

• What would you add to this list?

Governor Cuomo's Leadership

A Wall Street Journal article analyzes NY Governor Cuomo’s leadership during the coronavirus pandemic. Crisis communication experts conclude that, although he’s not a naturally gifted orator, he is doing what the public needs now.

People appreciate the governor’s focus on facts and his direct style as well as his discussions of emotion and his brother’s illness, which “humanize” him.

The article sites Cuomo’s current popularity: “Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s job-performance rating soared in March to its highest level ever, according to a poll conducted by the Siena College Research Institute.”

Performer Randy Rainbow produced a funny video, “ANDY!” to the tune of “Sandy” from the musical Grease about his appreciation.  

Discussion:

• Read the article for other conclusions about the governor’s leadership style. With which ideas do you agree and disagree?

• What other examples have you seen of people stepping up when the situation required them to be leaders? How did they do?

WHO Official Bungles Interview

World Health Organization (WHO) senior adviser Bruce Alyward wanted to avoid a reporter’s question about Taiwan becoming a member of the organization. A video of the interview shows an awkward exchange, with Alyward remaining silent (but we still see him moving and hear sounds), saying “Sorry, I couldn’t hear your question,” asking the reporter to move onto another question, and then, finally, ending the call. During a follow-up call, Alyward refers to China and then abruptly ends the call.

Taiwan has had good success in controlling COVID-19, and the government claims to have warned the WHO back in December 2019 about the contagion.

As of today, Alyward’s name is removed from WHO’s website listing advisers to the organization.

Discussion:

• What is a better way for Alyward to have handled the reporter’s question?

• Why do you think the WHO ignored warnings from the Taiwanese government?

Marriott CEO Demonstrates Authenticity

A Forbes article calls him an “authentic leader” and applauds his video about the business. Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson begins by talking about his appearance: he is undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Sorenson gives the bad news directly: the company hit from COVID-19 is worse than the impact from 9/11 and the 2009 financial recession combined. He compares the worst quarter in the company’s history—about a 25% revenue decline—to the almost immediate 90% decline today.

Towards the end of the video, Sorenson is visibly emotional as he talks about employees losing their jobs.

Discussion:

• What principles of delivering bad news does Sorensen use in the video?

• How well does Sorenson balance emotional appeal, logic, and credibility in this message?

• In addition to authenticity, what other leadership character dimensions does Sorenson demonstrate?

Too Many COVID-19 Emails?

A Fast Company article criticizes brands for sending emails without real connections to customers. Consumers are getting annoyed at seemingly random emails from companies that happen to have their email. The author offers this advice:

The best way that brands should be responding is if they actually have something to say or contribute. Our patience for marketing fluff is low at the best of times, but now it’s positively toxic.

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Discussion:

• Think about the emails you have received recently. Which were more useful or meaningful to you than others? Why is that the case?

• What advice do you have for companies debating whether and what types of emails to send?

FreshDirect Message

FreshDirect CEO David McInerney sent a message to all company “team members, suppliers, and customers.” Primarily, the purpose is to express gratitude. Assess the message, particularly in light of the Fast Company article about brands sending too many emails.

Dear FreshDirect Team Members, Suppliers, and Customers,

In the past few weeks, our community has come together in an extraordinary way as we navigate this ‘new normal’ of everyday life for the foreseeable future. Our team members, our suppliers, and our customers are all part of this evolving conversation so I thought it appropriate to address everyone together.

Thank you, first and foremost, to our remarkable FreshDirect employees who are receiving, preparing, packing and delivering food during this extremely challenging time, and working around the clock to serve even more customers. Your dedication and perseverance is inspiring, and I’m privileged and proud to be on your team. You are true heroes.

Thank you to all of our suppliers, particularly our food suppliers on farms, boats and ranches, who, even with their own challenges, tell us that they will stop at nothing to not let us down. Grocers are now being called heroes, but know that we consider all of you heroes as well – boots on the ground, ensuring that the quality food that you grow continues to roll.

Thank you to our loyal customers, for trusting us to serve you and your family during this unimaginable time, and for continually asking about our team members, sharing encouragement and appreciation for all they are doing to provide food. The shift of virtually all food consumption into the home has strained the entire food industry, and we are all working tirelessly to address the resulting shortage in time slots.

Together, as a community, we are going to be doing even more to help others.

In just the last 10 days, the FreshDirect customer community has donated over $75,000 to the NY Common Pantry, an organization that for years has been helping others and now needs a helping hand. The FreshDirect employee community continues to support them as well, by packing and delivering thousands of boxes every week.

And this week, we are launching a new public/private partnership with the five NYC Borough Presidents, which we’ve dubbed Operation 5 Borough Food Drive. Starting Tuesday, the FreshDirect team will be donating and packing 2,000 boxes of food staples each weekday. These boxes will be delivered at the direction of each Borough President to those in need, free of charge, thanks to the generosity of our suppliers.

Thank you, and stay healthy and strong.

David

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Discussion:

• Analyze the message: the audiences, communication objectives, and so on.

• What works well, and what could be improved?

• How do you assess the message, given criticism of the Fast Company article?

Disney Names New CEO

After 14 years as CEO, Bob Iger will be replaced by Bob Chapek, who has led the company’s parks and resorts division. The Wall Street Journal reports that insiders didn’t see the change coming.

A press release states that Iger will stay on as executive chairman through 2021. The release includes the typical quotes from the exiting and incoming leaders, and both men are complimentary toward each other and the company. But this release also includes a rather lengthy quote from Susan Arnold, the lead director of the Disney Board. She begins by describing the board’s process:

“The Board has been actively engaged in succession planning for the past several years, and after consideration of internal and external candidates, we unanimously elected Bob Chapek as the next CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “

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Discussion:

• Analyze the press release: audiences, communication objectives, organization, content, and writing style.

• What are the main points you take away from reading the release?

• Assess the quotes, particularly the ones from Arnold. Why do you think the company is emphasizing certain points?

MLB Players Dispute Response to Cheating Scandal

Several players have criticized how Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred handled the recent cheating scandal. Calling the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing “the biggest scandal in the sport since the steroid era,” an ESPN writer concludes that “fallout continues.”

In an interview, Manfred explained the decision to recall the Astros’ 2017 World Series title and how the first apology didn’t go over very well. Manfred referred to the World Series trophy as a “piece of metal.” Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels spoke against Manfred’s reference:

“For him to devalue it the way he did [Sunday] just tells me how out of touch he is with the players in this game. At this point, the only thing devaluing that trophy is that it says ‘commissioner’ on it.”

Manfred has since apologized:

“In an effort to make a rhetorical point, I referred to the World Series trophy in a disrespectful way, and I want to apologize for that. There’s no excuse for it. I made a mistake. I was trying to make a point, but I should have made it in a more effective way.”

NBA star LeBron James weighed in on Twitter, encouraging the MLB to “listen to your players speaking today about how disgusted, mad, hurt, broken, etc etc about this.” As expected, some appreciated his perspective, while others didn’t.

Manfred image source .

Discussion:

• What’s your view of the controversy? Are you also critical of Manfred’s handling of the situation?

• How well did Manfred handle the criticism of his “piece of metal” comment?

• Should LeBron James have entered the debate, or should he have avoided it, as some suggest? Why or why not?

Quantifying a Tweet

When someone in an organization goes rogue and sends a tweet, what’s the potential damage? The NBA found out the hard way that the financial impact could be significant.

In October 2019, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey supported Hong Kong protests in a tweet. As a result, Chinese advertisers pulled their ads and broadcasters wouldn’t air games. Now, NBA commissioner Adam Silver admits the loss will total “hundreds of millions” of dollars and “probably less than $400 million.” Silver expanded on the damage:

“It’s substantial. I don’t want to run from that. We were taken off the air in China for a period of time, and it caused our many business partners in China to feel it was therefore inappropriate to have ongoing relationships with us. But I don’t have any sense that there’s any permanent damage to our business there.”

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Discussion:

• Review the situation from October. What lessons can managers learn?

• What’s your view of Silver admitting the loss? What are the arguments for and against his honesty?

Kids and Email and Phone Etiquette

A Wall Street Journal article tells us what we probably already know: kids could improve how they email and talk on the phone. Referring to email as seeming like “an ancient craft” and “so last century,” the author gives examples of missing subject lines and salutations.

An HR manager sees issues when young people are in the workplace and blames changing technologies:

“You can graduate high school without hardly ever having made a call. You can do everything online—book reservations, book an Uber. Teens aren’t hearing their parents make calls either. When I was younger, my parents did all of that out loud and I was learning by listening. You’d pick up all that etiquette.”

College students seem to have trouble with the phone as well. Employers tell me students are uncomfortable leaving voice mails and taking their calls.

The article lists basic etiquette guidelines for email from The Emily Post Institute’s Daniel Post Senning.

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Discussion:

• What guidelines would you add to the email etiquette list?

• How did you learn email and phone manners? Or are you still learning?

• How can you help your young siblings or other young people prepare for the workplace?

Barnes and Noble Changes Course on Black History Month

To celebrate Black History Month, Barnes and Noble bookseller altered classic book covers with people of color. Reactions were not positive. The author L.L. McKinney explains her position:

“They're essentially just slapping a cover on it to 'celebrate diversity.' But a lot of us felt that you're just trying to cash in on the fact that it's Black History Month, and now all of a sudden, black faces and brown faces will sell books. Just maybe one, two years ago, people were saying in meetings, 'Yeah, you can't put black people on covers. It's not going to sell the book.'“

Discussion:

• What’s your view of the original campaign? How would you describe the backlash?

• Assess the statement from Barnes and Noble. How well did the company address and respond to concerns?

Communications About Kobe Bryant

NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and seven others died in a helicopter crash, and many are mourning the loss. At the Emmy’s, celebrities paid tribute to his life, and the NBA postponed a Lakers—Clippers game.

The helicopter company, Sikorsky, owned by Lockheed Martin, posted two tweets and a short statement on its website:

We extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by the January 26th Sikorsky S-76B accident in Calabasas, California. We have been in contact with the NTSB and stand ready to provide assistance and support to the investigative authorities and our customer.  Safety is our top priority; if there are any actionable findings from the investigation, we will inform our S-76 customers.

Discussion:

• Analyze the Sikorsky messages. Who are their primary and secondary audiences? What are the communication objectives, and how well did the company achieve them?

• Have you seen other communications from Sikorsky? Should the company do or say more? If so, what?