Must Reads
There is so much to read, so much to know, so many sources to follow. And the volume of news and information just keeps growing exponentially. How to keep up? Even more, how to rediscover the serendipity of learning something new and interesting for its own sake?
Here, for your enjoyment and interest, are the articles Temin and Company considers “must reads.” They are primarily on the topics of reputation and crisis management, the media, leadership and strategy, perception and psychology, self-presentation, science, girls and women, organizational behavior and other articles of interest.
They are listed below with the most recent articles first, and to the side, by category.
We hope you enjoy them and would appreciate your comments. And whenever you have any favorite articles for us to add, please let us know so that we might include them for other readers to enjoy.
There is so much to read, so much to know, so many sources to follow. And the volume of news and information just keeps growing exponentially. How to keep up? Even more, how to rediscover the serendipity of learning something new and interesting for its own sake?
Here, for your enjoyment and interest, are the articles Temin and Company considers “must reads.” They are primarily on the topics of reputation and crisis management, the media, leadership and strategy, perception and psychology, self-presentation, science, girls and women, organizational behavior and other articles of interest.
They are listed below with the most recent articles first, and to the side, by category.
We hope you enjoy them and would appreciate your comments. And whenever you have any favorite articles for us to add, please let us know so that we might include them for other readers to enjoy.
Crisis of the Week: OSI Fights Back In China
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, February 8, 2016
Food processor OSI Group is this week’s crisis candidate, as it has taken an aggressive stance to fight a court ruling in China finding the company sold “inferior products” to fast-food chains. U.S.-based OSI called the ruling inconsistent and said the charges against it were part of a “smear campaign” by the Chinese authorities. OSI, by going public with its criticism of the Chinese justice system, is going against the norm for how western companies solve disputes in China.
Saying it can “no longer accept injustices against our people and our reputation,” the company said in a statement it is considering an appeal of the verdict. The company also is considering legal action against Dragon TV, which it said made “false and incomplete accusations” against the company.
Using only the statements made by OSI since the verdict was announced, the crisis experts evaluated the decision to challenge the government publicly—is it one they would have advised the company to take? Did the company’s response strike the right tone? If not, how could it have been better? What are the next steps you would advise the company to take?
Davia Temin, president and chief executive, Temin and Co.: “Occasionally you have to fight back. That is where OSI finds itself–and with good reason. There is a formula that has emerged among non-Chinese companies accused of wrongdoing in China, whether with or without reason: First you apologize, then you negotiate, then you make reparations, you make some changes and then come back gingerly from the brink. Companies privately bridle at needing to give in to what they see as blackmail to retain operations in the country but they do it anyway.
“OSI is different in several ways. First, it is private and thus has more financial latitude. Second, 10 of its people have been jailed or sentenced to jail, some for up to 17 months, with more jail time to go. This can be life-threatening. Third, it tried the formula and it hasn’t worked, so what option is left when the company feels it was set up, unfairly accused and unfairly judged? Either capitulating totally or fighting back. They have, courageously, chosen to fight.
“Its press statement is very well done–strong, clear, unequivocal. OSI doesn’t repeat the allegation, nor does it seem unreasonable or overly emotive. It just will not accept proceedings they find seriously wanting. In so doing, it is raising an issue that really must be raised. OSI is doing every company doing business in China a favor–it is taking on the fight, publicly. And the timing may just be right to see some kind of positive result.
“While there are some crisis counselors who believe that an organization’s first response in crisis should always be to fight back, that is not my belief. I believe response needs to be based on the circumstance. In this one, OSI has shown it will no longer be backed into a corner, docilely. It is doing the right thing, and in the right way.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Advice To Martin Shkreli: 9 Ways To Stop Being The Most Hated Man On The Planet
Leadership, “Reputation Matters” Forbes, February 8, 2016
We all have a little Martin Shkreli in us. That unrepentant 2-year-old voice we’ve spent a lifetime burying deep within, every so often comes screeching out: I won’t be good; I don’t want to do what everyone tells me to do; Nobody understands me; I won’t be quiet or go to my room, I’m just going to wail – so there.
And we all, occasionally, wish we could let our worst natures out at work: Congress, you’re imbeciles; Boss, you’re wrong – and a jerk – and I quit; Colleagues, stop pandering to the boss and get a life; Shareholders, you are SO gullible…
Perhaps this is why we are so fascinated by Shkreli’s shenanigans – if you can call moves to raise a life-saving drug from $13.50 a pill to $750 a shenanigan. But he’s young and a little cute, and we keep feeling that, unlike Donald Trump, there may be some hope left for this guy if he can just get his head on straight. […read more]
For Interim CEOs, a Job Full of Pitfalls
Rachel Feintzeig and Joann S. Lublin, The Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2016
It’s hard being the in-between boss. The temporary chief executives of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc. are currently getting a taste of the challenge while the firms’ full-time leaders are undergoing medical treatment.
Few management assignments hold as many pitfalls as that of the interim boss, say those who advise and research such leaders. Temporary leaders must show strength and rally the troops during uncertain times, but they also can’t make bold changes or act like they will run the place long-term.
“It’s a short runway,” says Davia Temin, CEO of Temin & Co. “An interim CEO will rarely be able to change the culture.” […read more]
How can directors address reputational risks?
Elizabeth Judd, Corporate Secretary, April 21, 2015
With three-quarters of companies naming reputational risk as a top risk concern, directors are increasingly seeking methods of risk oversight that are independent of management.
Reputational risk can come in many guises, from cyber-security to environmental, human rights, regulatory compliance, product recalls, fraud, succession planning, quality and even cultural risks. Beyond known risks, there are the ‘known unknowns’, sometimes called ‘black swan’ events.
‘It’s very hard for directors of any organization to get a full handle on what the reputational risks are,’ says Davia Temin, CEO and founder of Manhattan- based reputation consultant Temin and Company. ‘While there are always predictable risks – airlines will have crashes, for example, while consumer goods companies will have fraud or security breaches – some of the worst crises are the ones that come from left field.’ […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Tesla Slams the Brakes on Seat Belt Problem
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, November 30, 2015
The crisis this week deals with Tesla Motor’s decision to recall all Model S cars—about 90,000 of them—because of a problem reported with a seat belt in one of the vehicles. The company said even though the car in question wasn’t involved in an accident, and no one was hurt—and the problem wasn’t found on 3,000 other vehicles it inspected—it decided to proceed with a full recall nonetheless. “We have decided to conduct a voluntary recall as a proactive and precautionary measure to inspect all front Model S seat belts and make absolutely sure that they are properly connected,” the company said in a letter sent to every Model S owner.
Using only the public statements made by the company, or the comments it sent to owners, we asked the experts to evaluate whether the company is doing the right thing with a total recall, or overreacting to a minor problem in one vehicle. Is there more to the company’s response than just dealing with a seat belt issue?
Davia Temin, chief executive, Temin and Co. says: “In this highly unstable world of social media–where anything can catch fire or be totally ignored–Tesla has wisely understood that overreaction can keep problems from going ballistic. Throw every wise solution you have at an incipient problem, especially if human life is at stake, and no one will ever doubt your trustworthy intent.” […read more]
Crisis of the Week: Tesla Slams the Brakes on Seat Belt Problem
Ben DiPietro, The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal, November 30, 2015
The crisis this week deals with Tesla Motor’s decision to recall all Model S cars—about 90,000 of them—because of a problem reported with a seat belt in one of the vehicles.
The company said even though the car in question wasn’t involved in an accident, and no one was hurt—and the problem wasn’t found on 3,000 other vehicles it inspected—it decided to proceed with a full recall nonetheless. “We have decided to conduct a voluntary recall as a proactive and precautionary measure to inspect all front Model S seat belts and make absolutely sure that they are properly connected,” the company said in a letter sent to every Model S owner.
Tesla’s stock price dropped following the recall announcement, which comes a few weeks after shares slid following a Consumer Reports story calling into question the reliability of the Model S.
Using only the public statements made by the company, or the comments it sent to owners, we asked the experts to evaluate whether the company is doing the right thing with a total recall, or overreacting to a minor problem in one vehicle. Is there more to the company’s response than just dealing with a seat belt issue?
Davia Temin, chief executive, Temin and Co.: “At last someone is finally modeling what great customer care looks like in the new, hyper-connected era. Tesla’s reaction to the seat belt connection problem found in one car in Europe could be called an overreaction by many. But in the face of the totally failed, less-than-truthful public strategies seen from Volkswagen, General Motors and Takata, what Tesla is really doing is setting a new–and much needed–standard for addressing product failures and recalls, especially in the automotive industry.
“Tesla has taken it very seriously indeed. Its voluntary action resets the norm for industry recalls, particularly around issues that could cause loss of life. Tesla’s apparent ‘zero tolerance policy’ is even more powerful because it could have gotten away with doing nothing. Compared to VW, GM, or Takata, certainly the seat belt problem of one Model S does not seem that grave. But Tesla’s reaction shows trustworthy business practices in action.
“In this highly unstable world of social media–where anything can catch fire or be totally ignored–Tesla has wisely understood that overreaction can keep problems from going ballistic. Throw every wise solution you have at an incipient problem, especially if human life is at stake, and no one will ever doubt your trustworthy intent.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
“Crisis of the Week: Tesla Slams the Brakes on Seat Belt Problem”
“At last someone is finally modeling what great customer care looks like in the new, hyper-connected era. Tesla’s reaction to the seat belt connection problem found in one car in Europe could be called an overreaction by many. But what Tesla is really doing is setting a new–and much needed–standard for addressing product failures and recalls, especially in the automotive industry,” says Davia Temin. — The Wall Street Journal’s Risk & Compliance Journal […read more]
The cost of immaturity
The Economist, November 7, 2015
The average time between an attacker breaching a network and its owner noticing the intrusion is 205 days. Like most statistics touted by the cyber-security industry, it is little more than a guesstimate. But there is no doubt that criminals and pranksters are thriving by attacking computers and networks, that companies are struggling to cope and that businesses offering answers are charging fat fees. The penalties for getting cyber-security wrong are steep. Unsurprisingly, then, the cyber-security industry is booming. […read more]
Self-Flying Helicopters Are the Future of Rescues, Deliveries, and War
John Knefel, Inverse, November 6, 2015
Like self-driving vehicles, automated flying robots carry amazing promise – and serious ethical questions. This article takes a look at the pros and cons of fully automated weaponized and non-weaponized aircraft that require no human input. […read more]
Bonuses for Bank Executives Should Be Tied to Gender Diversity, Review Says
Chad Bray, The New York Times, November 4, 2015
The annual bonuses of financial services executives in Britain should be tied to targets to bring more women into senior roles, according to the preliminary findings of a government commission’s review of gender diversity in the sector. The preliminary findings also recommend that banks and other financial services firms in the City of London publicly report their gender diversity and that each business appoint an executive responsible for gender, diversity and inclusion. […read more]