Jeremy Lin’s story is fascinating on many levels. But what intrigues me most is how so many basketball experts – coaches, scouts, writers, etc. – failed to spot Lin’s professional potential, especially in a sport where promising talent is scrutinized from junior high school on. How and why did this happen? And are there any lessons here for the business world? Continue reading
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation reversed field today and announced that it would continue to fund breast cancer screening programs run by Planned Parenthood and its affiliates.
But the firestorm sparked by the Komen foundation’s initial decision to yank funding has people wondering why some organizations – especially the largest not-for-profit groups and corporations – are decidedly partisan when they serve a diverse group of stakeholders whose political views and religious affiliations span the full spectrum. What compels these organizations to overlook or assume such risks? Continue reading
For those who want to take a deep dive into the field of communications, I highly recommend The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations and Integrated Marketing Communications.
Edited by Clarke Caywood of Northwestern University, the second edition of this tome just hit the bookstores. The blurb on the inside flap calls this “the most authoritative, comprehensive resource of its kind” – and based on length alone (900+ pages), I don’t doubt that. Continue reading
Is “happiness” an emerging social trend and business priority?
I’m seeing it more often these days, sometimes in surprising places. Why is that, and what does it mean? Continue reading
There’s a lot of talk right now about Mitt Romney’s authenticity – how warm, personable, in-touch and likeable he is. Romney’s comment a while back that “corporations are people” added to questions about his true nature and personality.
I raise these points not to judge Romney, but because they got me thinking about authenticity in the corporate context: what does corporate authenticity look like, and why does it matter? Continue reading
Several issues threaten to dent and possibly damage corporate reputations in 2012. Here are five I plan to watch closely: Continue reading
With crystal ball fired up and tongue planted firmly in cheek, I now step far out on a limb and offer five bold predictions for 2012: Continue reading
