Tarantino Admits to Knowing More

As more female victims come forward to describe Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment behavior, one male celebrity admits to knowing and doing not enough about it at the time. Director Quentin Tarantino said, "I knew enough to do more than I did," and "There was more to it than just the normal rumors, the normal gossip. It wasn't secondhand. I knew he did a couple of these things."

Tarantino cited incidents with women including his former girlfriend Mira Sorvino and also said, "I wish I had taken responsibility for what I heard," and "If I had done the work I should have done then, I would have had to not work with him."

The director regrets not seeing the larger pattern of abuse and demonstrates vulnerability when he admits, "Anything I say now will sound like a crappy excuse," and "I chalked it up to a '50s-'60s era image of a boss chasing a secretary around the desk," he said. "As if that's O.K. That's the egg on my face right now."

Unsurprisingly, Tarantino says others close to Weinstein also knew and did nothing to stop the abuse.

Above is a picture of Tarantino in the movie Pulp Fiction.

Image source.

Discussion:

• What's your reaction to Tarantino's statements?
• In what ways is Tarantino demonstrating vulnerability?
• Why do you think he's coming forward now? Why haven't other Hollywood men come forward? Should they?

Vulnerability and Humility PPTs

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Some Good News, But a Terrible Graphic

George Soros has given $18 billion to The Open Society Foundations, his grant-giving organizations. A spokesperson for the group said the transfer "reflects an ongoing process of asset transfer that has been underway for several years." She also said that Soros, "plans to leave the vast majority of his wealth to the Open Society foundations." His fortune is estimated at more than $26 billion.

The 87-year-old Hungarian has been criticized for aiding refugees and influencing local politics. On the website, The Open Society Foundations identify the mission and vision, including this first statement:

The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people.

The website also shows this graphic for expenditures.

Discussion:

• Should the organization say more about the money transfer? I don't see a statement on the website. Why do you think the spokesperson didn't provide a more extensive statement?
• I say the chart is "terrible." Do you agree? Why or why not? Which principles of visual communication are followed, and which are lacking?

Tweets About Hurricane Ophelia

I have terrible timing. Before a conference in Dublin, I'm visiting Caherdaniel, along the southwest coast of Ireland-during a category 3 hurricane. Tweets about the storm reveal the Irish sense of humor and perceptions of Americans.

It's not all bad: some memes are just funny, comparing Americans' reactions to Hurricanes to the Irish's reactions. The difference is understandable because obviously we have more experience, including recent Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico.

Other tweets portray Americans as gun bearers:

Many poke fun at drinking:

 

And still others reference having to work although all public schools in Ireland are closed:

Commenting on employers' responses, one wrote, "An awful lot of people found out what companies really think of them."

Discussion:

• To what extent do you think the humor is cultural or based on a lack of hurricane experience? 
• What's your reaction to these tweets and memes? Do you think they're funny, foolish, or something else?

Dove Takes a Hit for Ad Meant to Show Diversity

Dove has been touted for its "Real Beauty" campaign that shows real women, not models. But now the company is being criticized for an ad intended to show diversity. The ad includes women taking off a shirt to reveal another woman underneath.

The trouble is that the ad starts with a Black woman to reveal a White woman, implying to many critics that the Black person "got clean" and became White. In the ad, the White woman then takes off her shirt to reveal an Asian woman.

The company apologized and pulled the ad: "Dove is committed to representing the beauty of diversity. In an image we posted this week, we missed the mark in thoughtfully representing women of color and we deeply regret the offense that it has caused." A spokesperson also said the GIF, "was intended to convey that Dove Body Wash is for every woman and be a celebration of diversity, but we got it wrong and, as a result, offended many people."

Earlier this year, Nivea produced an ad, "White Is Purity." People didn't appreciate that one either.  

Discussion:

• Dove says it will review its editorial process for creating ads. What changes do you think they could make?
• Some say screenshots of the ad are taken out of context because only the first two women are shown. What's your view?

Toyota Ads Vary by Ethnicity

Toyota's new advertising approach is to tailor Camry commercials to people based on their assumed ethnicity. If your history shows that you watch Scandal or Sunday Night Football, you'll get a particular ad.

A New York Times article shows the differences for African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American, and "Transcultural Mainstream."

A group vice president for Toyota explains the strategy, "if a person of any group is looking for communication that is like them, that looks like them specifically, the good news is because of the breadth of something like a Camry campaign, they can find it." The NYT article explains more detailed strategies for eight ads targeted to ethnic groups.

Discussion:

• One argument against the tailored ads is that the U.S. is quite diverse, and people expect to see different ethnicities in ads anyway. What do you think? 
• Read the strategies for eight examples in the article. Some, of course, are built on stereotypes. Is this wrong or a good marketing approach?

Harvey Weinstein's Plea

Harvey Weinstein may have worsened his case by sending emails to friends asking for their defense. After several allegations of sexual harassment and at least two charges of assault over decades, the Hollywood producer's board of directors was getting ready to fire him from the company. Not willing to go quietly, Weinstein emailed people, including Jeffrey Katzenberg, the chairman of Walt Disney Studies. But he didn't get the response he was expecting.

Weinstein's email is below. He demonstrates some vulnerability but fails to take full responsibility, instead saying "a lot of the allegations are false as you know":

My board is thinking of firing me. All I'm asking, is let me take a leave of absence and get into heavy therapy and counseling. Whether it be in a facility or somewhere else, allow me to resurrect myself with a second chance. A lot of the allegations are false as you know but given therapy and counseling as other people have done, I think I'd be able to get there. 

I could really use your support or just your honesty if you can't support me. 

But if you can, I need you to send a letter to my private gmail address. The letter would only go to the board and no one else. We believe what the board is trying to do is not only wrong but might be illegal and would destroy the company. If you could write this letter backing me, getting me the help and time away I need, and also stating your opposition to the board firing me, it would help me a lot. I am desperate for your help. Just give me the time to have therapy. Do not let me be fired. If the industry supports me, that is all I need. 

With all due respect, I need the letter today.

Instead, Katzenberg emailed Weinstein and made his response public. In part, he says, "You have done terrible things to a number of women over a period of years," yet Katzenberg calls him a friend and offers his help.

An interesting part of this story is the criticism of men who have come forward with a preface such as, "As a father of two daughters." A writer for Vulture explains this perspective.

Image source.

Discussion:

• What's your view of Weinstein's letter to his friends? What other approaches could he take knowing his board is planning to fire him?
• How do you assess Katzenberg's response and his choice to make the email public? Is he a bad friend? What is he trying to accomplish for himself and for Weinstein in his response?
• Finally, what's your view of people referencing their wives and daughters? Is the Vulture writer's perspective spot on, too harsh, or something else?

Pro-Life Congressman Resigns

We might expect a congressman who serves on the U.S. government's House Pro-Life Caucus to be against abortion in his personal life. But Representative Tim Murphy reportedly suggested that his girlfriend get an abortion if she is pregnant.

A women who says she was having an affair with Murphy went public with text messages:

She: "...zero issue posting your pro-life stance all over the place when you had no issue asking me to abort our unborn child just last week when we thought that was one of the options."

He: "I've never written them. Staff does them. I read them and winced. I told staff don't write any more."

Curiously, he didn't dispute her allegation about the abortion request. Pro-life advocates criticized Murphy for his "hypocrisy."

Although the woman wasn't pregnant, Murphy resigned from his position. House Speaker Paul Ryan announced the decision, saying "I think it's appropriate he move on to the next chapter in his life." Murphy said he'll "take personal time to seek help as my family and I continue to work through our personal difficulties." 

Murphy also posted a statement on his website:

Statement From Congressman Tim Murphy

For Immediate Release: October 4, 2017
Contact: Carly Atchison 202.225.2301

WASHINGTON, DC - Today Congressman Tim Murphy (PA-18) released the following statement:

"After discussions with my family and staff, I have come to the decision that I will not seek reelection to Congress at the end of my current term.
 
"I plan to spend my remaining months in office continuing my work as the national leader on mental health care reform, as well as issues affecting working families in southwestern Pennsylvania.
 
"We have accomplished much in the past year through the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act and there is much work yet to be done.
 
"In the coming weeks I will take personal time to seek help as my family and I continue to work through our personal difficulties and seek healing. I ask you to respect our privacy during this time." 

Image source.

Discussion:

• Assess Murphy's statement. How well does his address the situation? What else, if anything, could he say, or what could he say differently?
• In what ways is this situation an issue of integrity? Do you see a contradiction, or do you believe Murphy's political stance and personal stance may differ?

Pronouns Matter on Earnings Calls

A study by researchers at Tulane University found that CEOs who use "self-inclusive language" on earnings calls leave more positive impressions. Self-inclusive language means using first-person pronouns that include the speaker, and they can take singular or plural forms (for examples, "I", "we," "us," "my," "our").  When executives didn't use pronouns (for example, "Webtex's managers" or "Webtex management"), investors reacted less favorably to disclosures, whether positive or negative. The study  script is below.

In addition to the experimental study, the article includes results from text analysis of more than 50,000 earnings calls. Correlating language used in the calls with market reactions, the authors confirm results from the experiment.

A Wall Street Journal article quotes James Pennebaker, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin about the study: "The way I interpret it is that the manager's coming across as more human." Pennebaker is referring to authenticity, and that likely is part of the explanation. Another possibility is that executives sound more accountable, which might also cause investors to respond favorably. In the article, the authors also hypothesize:

"When news is positive, investors react more positively to managers' use of SIL
because they infer managers are more likely to have high ability. When news is negative,
investors also react more positively to managers' use of SIL as it appears that managers are more in control of the situation."

Image source.

Discussion:

• You just read a few interpretations of the study results. What do you think could explain the results?
• To what other types of messages could this research apply?

How Bad Was Theresa May's Speech?

The Telegraph calls it a "car crash" and "one of the most disastrous conference speeches in history." British Prime Minister Theresa May faced three problems in front of the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.

First, a protestor interrupted the speech to hand her a "P45," which is a document used to fire workers in the U.K. (Sounds like a "pink slip" in the U.S.) The prankster was escorted out, and May recovered by making a joke: "I was about to talk about someone I'd like to give a P45 to, and that's Jeremy Corbyn," who is the leader of the Labour Party. 

Then, she had a coughing fit and had to drink a glass of water, some of which seemed to spill into her hand. (Here, I'm reminded of Marco Rubio's odd sip of water.)

Finally, captions dropped a letter, leaving "for" as "or." The Telegraph and other media outlets reported this mishap as "the stage falls apart," but I would say that's quite an exaggeration.

Discussion:

• I think the media outlets were too harsh. Do you agree? Why or why not?
• This is a humbling experience for May. How well did she recover?
• What lessons can you take for your own presentations?

Equifax Visits Congress

Former Equifax CEO Richard Smith admitted failures during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing. Smith had already apologized in a video statement, but during the hearing, he mentioned his personal accountability:

"The criminal hack happened on my watch. I am truly and deeply sorry for what happened."

Yet critics say that Equifax is still not taking full responsibility. A TechCrunch article highlights Smith's testimony blaming one person: 

"The human error was that the individual who's responsible for communicating in the organization to apply the patch, did not."

The TechCrunch writer seems to think this is ridiculous:

"The notion that just one person didn't do their job and led to the biggest breach in history is quite an amazing claim and shows a fundamental lack of good security practices. But that's what Smith says led to this disaster."

Smith and Equifax's CIO retired from the company after the news became public, which took a while: executives apparently knew about a software issue back in March, but the company didn't announce the breach until September.

A Wired article cites "6 Fresh Horrors from the Equifax CEO's Congressional Hearing." In addition to the delayed admission, the article attack's Equifax's technology, including inadequate patching, failure to encrypt data, limited security reviews, and insufficient website capabilities.

Another twist is this case is why three top people in the company sold $1.8 million in stock around the time they would have learned of the breach. Smith denies questions of integrity:

"I've know these individual for up to 12 years. They're men of integrity. I have no indication that they had any knowledge of the breach when they made this sale." 

Image source.

Discussion:

• Assess Smith's testimony. What parts do you find most and least convincing? 
• What else, if anything, should Equifax do now to rebuild trust?
• In what ways is this case an issue of integrity?

Harvey Weinstein Apologizes for Sexual Harassment

Revered Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been accused of sexual harassment, and he has apologized. A New York Times article cites "decades" of sexual harassment, including regular reports of women seeing Weinstein partially or fully naked. Women also report being asked for massages and other sexual activities, but few reported them at the same.

He submitted a written apology that meets many of the criteria for a good apology, yet a reporter on The Daily described a different conversation with Weinstein. She indicated that, over the phone, Weinstein's response was more "complicated." She says that he denied some aspects of the accusations, and indeed, his attorney has said, "he denies many of the accusations as patently false."

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Discussion:

• Read the NY Times article. How credible do you find the women's reports? Which are more credible than others?
• To what extent do you find Weinstein's written statement credible? How would you explain some of the contradictions between the statement and the quotations from him and his lawyer? 
• In part, Weinstein describes another time, when his behavior was considered acceptable. (Think Mad Men.) Do you buy this argument? Why or why not?

Wells Fargo on the Hot Seat Again

Again, Wells Fargo executives faced angry lawmakers, and again, Senator Elizabeth Warren encouraged the CEO to leave. This time, she told CEO Timothy Sloan, "You should be fired." Last year, around this time, she told former CEO John Stump, "You should resign." She also referred to Stumpf's actions as "gutless leadership."

Senator John Neely Kennedy had tough words for the CEO too:

What in God's name were you thinking? I am not against big, but with all due respect, I am against dumb. I am against a business practice that has puts Wells Fargo first and customers second.

Sloan defended the board and his leadership by saying that a "throughout, independent investigation" has been made public. He said that he's "been making change at this company for 30 years," his actions have resulted in "fundamental change at the company," and that he has "the support of 270,000 people."

Image source.

Discussion:

• How convincing do you find Sloan's testimony? Should he continue at Wells Fargo or leave the company?
• Analyze Elizabeth Warren's arguments. Do you find her criticism too harsh, on point, or something else?
• From this longer video segment, do you believe Sloan is holding himself accountable? What tells you he takes responsibility, or what else would he need to do to convince you?

NBA Reinforces Rule: Stand for the Anthem

The NBA is speaking out about the controversy over whether players can "take a knee"-or kneel-during the national anthem, which NFL players have been criticized for doing. In a memo from deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, the message is loud and clear-but hidden towards the end:

"...players, coaches and trainers stand respectfully for the anthem. The league office will determine how to deal with any possible instance in which a player, coach or trainer does not stand for the anthem. (Teams do not have the discretion to waive this rule)."

Most of the memo avoids the issue entirely and instead encourages players to continue to be active within the community.

TO: NBA BOARD OF GOVERNORS, TEAM PRESIDENTS,GENERAL MANAGERS
FROM: MARK TATUM, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER &CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
CC: LEAGUE OFFICE
DATE: SEPTEMBER 29, 2017
RE: NEXT STEPS: BUILDING STRONGER, SAFER COMMUNITIES

As a follow-up to our discussions at this week's Board of Governors meetings, this document outlines suggested steps each team could take as we prepare for the start of the season and continue to develop impactful community programs.

I. ENGAGING PLAYERS AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP

If you have not done so already, we suggest organizing discussions between players, coaches, general managers and ownership to hear the players' perspectives.

One approach would be for team leadership to review existing team and league initiatives and encourage players to share their thoughts and ideas about them. Following those conversations, teams could develop plans prior to the start of the regular season for initiatives that players and senior leadership could participate in, such as:

- Hosting Community Conversations with youth, parents, community leaders and law enforcement about the challenges we face and our shared responsibility to create positive change.

- Creating "Building Bridges Through Basketball" programs that use the game of basketball to bring people together and deepen important bonds of trust and respect between young people, mentors, community leaders, law enforcement and other first responders.

- Highlighting the importance of mentoring with the goal of adding 50,000 new mentors to support young people through our PSA campaign.

- Engaging thought leaders and partners. A variety of experts, speakers and partner organizations are available to players and teams as you continue these conversations and develop programming.

- Establishing new and/or enhancing ongoing team initiatives and partnerships in the areas of criminal justice reform, economic empowerment and civic engagement.

II. OPENING WEEK

As we approach opening week, each team could explore ways to use their first home game as an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to the NBA's core values of equality, diversity, inclusion and serve as a unifying force in the community, including:

- A joint address to fans featuring a player or coach prior to the National Anthem. This could include a message of unity and how the team is committed to bringing the community together this season.

- A video tribute or PSA featuring players, community leaders, faith leaders and team leadership speaking about the issues they care about and photos from past community events.

III. KEY MESSAGES

- These are difficult and nuanced issues.

- We support and encourage players to express their views on matters that are important to them.

- The NBA has a rule that players, coaches and trainers stand respectfully for the anthem. The league office will determine how to deal with any possible instance in which a player, coach or trainer does not stand for the anthem. (Teams do not have the discretion to waive this rule).

- Our team's focus remains on unity and collective action that leads to meaningful change in society. The players have embraced their roles in those efforts and we are proud of the work they do in our communities.

- We believe sports are a unifier and this is an opportunity for the NBA to once again lead by its core values of equality, inclusion and unity and to bridge divides and bring people together.

In a video statement, NBA commissioner Adam Silver echoed Tatum's memo. Silver said he expected players to follow the league's rules of standing for the anthem. Although he encouraged freedom of expression, he also said, "It's my hope that our players will continue to use that as a moment of unity."

A writer for Yahoo sports argues that players should be able to take a knee. Part of his argument follows:

Let's be clear: Athletes are not possibly putting their careers at risk, opening themselves up to jeering fans in arenas and on social media, because they are anti-national anthem, anti-flag, anti-America, anti-military or any other "anti" that has been used to diffuse any honest discourse. That those arguments have distracted from the true purpose of this activism only goes to show why it is necessary. Change won't come if no one listens. It certainly won't come if a league that presents itself as progressive and forward-thinking discourages civil methods used to bring about awareness.

Image source.

Discussion:

• Analyze the NBA memo against principles of business writing. Who are the primary and secondary audiences? What are Tatum's objectives? How does he organize the memo?
• How well does the memo capture the league's perspective? How do you think players might have reacted? 
• Analyze Michael Lee's argument in the Yahoo article. What are his strongest and weakest arguments?

Passenger Is Escorted Off Southwest Flight

United is getting renewed attention-and not in a good way. This week, a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight was escorted off the plane. The situation is quite different: she is allergic to animals, and two dogs were on the flight. She complained but didn't provide documentation and refused to deplane.

Video shows a rough scene, with two police officers and passengers encouraging her to walk, and the woman saying that she can't.

Nothing about the incident appears on Southwest's otherwise active Twitter feed or its website. But the airline did submit statements to Business Insider:

"Our policy states that a Customer (without a medical certificate) may be denied boarding if they report a life-threatening allergic reaction and cannot travel safely with an animal onboard."

"Our Flight Crew made repeated attempts to explain the situation to the Customer, however, she refused to deplane and law enforcement became involved."

The airline later apologized:

"We are disheartened by the way this situation unfolded and the Customer's removal by local law enforcement officers. We publicly offer our apologies to this Customer for her experience, and we will be contacting her directly to address her concerns.

"Southwest Airlines was built on Customer Service, and it is always our goal for all Customers to have a positive experience."

Yet the woman is facing multiple charges, including disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and resisting arrest.

Image source.

Discussion:

• How well did Southwest address the situation?
• As the woman is walking/being dragged down the aisle, she says, "I'm a professor." Does this help or hurt her case?

Netflix's Funny Cease-and-Desist Letter

Netflix got high marks for a funny legal letter, which I realize is typically an oxymoron. A pop-up bar in Chicago showed Stranger Things, which is against Netflix's policy. In response, the company's lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter, giving the owners a generous six weeks before they need to stop playing episodes for customers.

This reminds me of the Jack Daniels letter in Chapter 5 of the book. Both show lawyers as human beings.

Discussion:

• What's the value of a more conversational legal letter? What are the downsides?
• The letter isn't perfect. Try to find the punctuation error.
• What makes this letter authentic?

Miracles Happen: An Apology from Uber

The typically non-apologetic Uber is apologizing. Two factors likely caused the company's change: 1) a new CEO, and 2) losing its operating license in London.

The new CEO has already demonstrated his vulnerability by talking about his emotions and showing us more of who he is as a person. An article in The Guardian explains why the city decided not to renew the company's license, which expires September 30:

TfL [Tranport for London] said last week Uber was not a "fit and proper" private car-hire operator and cited four areas of concern, including its approach to reporting criminal offences and carrying out background checks on drivers. But sources close to TfL indicated that a change of conduct from the taxi firm, the culture of which is being reformed by its new chief executive, could leave the door open to a fresh licence application.

The London decision is a blow for the ride-sharing company, and Uber is doing what it can to rebuild its image.

London Mayor Sadiq Kahn responded to the apology: 

"I welcome the apology from Dara Khosrowshahi, the Uber CEO. Obviously I am pleased that he has acknowledged the issues that Uber faces in London. Even though there is a legal process in place, I have asked TfL to make themselves available to meet with him."

Image source.

 Discussion:

• Assess Khosrowshahi's apology. What works well, and what could be improved? (Hint: What organization principles apply?)
• What is the value of an apology? In this case, how does Uber's apology help its position with London?

Chevron Announces New CEO

Just as Kellogg announced a new CEO, so did Chevron. John Watson is retiring from the oil company after 37 years, and he's replaced by an insider, Michael Wirth. Wirth also has a long history with Chevron: he started in 1982 and worked his way up through the executive ranks.

In the press release, Chevron compliments Watson's contributions to the company, providing a quotation from the lead of the board of directors and this statement from incoming CEO Wirth:

"Under John's leadership, we've developed legacy assets in Kazakhstan, Australia and the Permian Basin that will underpin our portfolio for decades to come. John will also be remembered for his plain-spoken and principled views on company business and energy policy matters."

Wirth's experience in refining now matches that of leaders of Chevron's competitors, Total and Royal Dutch Shell. Company shares rose slightly on the news. 

Image source.

Discussion:

• Compare Chevron's announcement with Kellogg's. What differences do you notice, and what could account for those differences?
• How well does the Chevron press release acknowledge Watson's history?

Kellogg Announces New CEO

After seven years at the helm, John Bryant will retire as CEO of Kellogg, and Steven Cahillane will replace him. Cahillane was most recently at The Nature's Bounty, a health and wellness company.

The company's press release includes a quotation from Bryant, which is typical when a leader retires, unless the retirement is forced because of impropriety:

"It has been my pleasure to serve as the CEO of Kellogg Company over the past seven years. I am even more confident in the future of our company today than at any other time in my 20 years with Kellogg. I've decided that the time is right to hand over the reins to a new leader who can continue the transformation of this great company."

Bryant goes on to compliment Cahillane's background, and the board chair adds more about his experience.

Also, as expected, the release includes a quotation from incoming CEO Cahillane:

"Kellogg is an incredible company with a rich legacy and iconic brands that are beloved around the world. It will be my privilege and honor to work with such a talented group of employees as we pursue the tremendous growth opportunities before us."

As a cereal company, Kellogg struggles with increasing focus on healthy eating and consumers' desires to avoid processed foods. As a result, the company's revenue and share price have been declining.

Image source.

Discussion:

• Information about Bryant is shorter than what I typically see in news releases announcing CEO changes. Any theories about this?
• Compare this press release to that of Chevron. What differences do you notice?
• Overall, how well does the press release meet its objective: to inspire confidence in the brand?

President Trump Criticized for Incorrect Country Name

In a speech during a lunch with African leaders, President Trump mentioned the African country "Nambia," but no such country exists. Critics took to Twitter and other social sites to slam the president for "inventing" or "making up" a country. The reference in this tweet to Covfefe is a word President Trump used in a tweet earlier this year without explanation; it was likely a typo.

Yet the president's facts were correct for Namibia, and rather than "inventing" a country, the president likely just mispronounced its name.

Critics also took issue with the president's characterization of Africa as a business opportunity: "I have so many friends going to your countries trying to get rich. I congratulate you, they're spending a lot of money."

Discussion:

• Are we too harsh? Should we overlook the mispronunciation, or should the president be more careful?
• What's your view of the president's saying Africa is a "tremendous business opportunity"?
• Should President Trump correct the mistake? How?
• How does humility factor into this situation-both the public's and President Trump's?