President Addresses Charleston Shooting

President Obama held a news conference to address the tragic shooting at a Charleston, SC, church. Nine people were killed at a black church by a white man. The President said a hate crime investigation will begin.

Much of the news conference focused on gun control:

"We don't have all the facts, but we do know that once again innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun. Now is the time for mourning and for healing, but let's be clear: At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries.  It doesn't happen in other places with this kind of frequency."

The President also discussed our nation's history:

"‘The fact that this took place in a black church obviously also raises questions about a dark part of our history. This is not the first time that black churches have been attacked, and we know that hatred across races and faiths pose[s] a particular threat to our democracy and our ideals.'"

Discussion Starters:

• Critics say the President didn't say enough about the hate crime. What's your view?
• How well did the President address reporters' questions at the news conference. What advice would you give him for future sessions?

NY Governor Responds to Prison Break

Governor Andrew Cuomo is on the hot seat responding to a prison break in Upstate New York. Two convicted murderers obtained power tools and escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, NY. 

A New York Times article says Cuomo sees the situation as a political "opportunity": 

"Mr. Cuomo canceled a trip to the Belmont Stakes on Saturday so he could rush to the prison. In photos shared over social media, he peered into jail cells and climbed metal ladders in the belly of the 19th-century penitentiary.

"Television anchors invited Mr. Cuomo to narrate photographs and video of his visit to the prison and pressed him to sketch out the latest theories as to how the escape unfolded."

The end of this video shows Governor Cuomo touring the facility. 

At a news conference, after officials describe the escape, Governor Cuomo confirmed what was said and asked for help from New Yorkers to find the convicts.  

The Governor has the news and this photo under the "Pressroom" section of his website.

Discussion Starters: 

• How well did the three men do in the news conference? As a member of public, did you get the information you need? 
• Assess Governor Cuomo's part. What value did he add to the conference? 
• How well did the men answer the questions (which are difficult to hear)? Pay particular attention to word choice and tone. When the Governor added on a response, was it valuable information? 

FIFA President Announces Resignation

As the FIFA corruption scandal continues, the soccer organization's president was re-elected for a fifth term but then resigned. Although he wasn't one of the officials arrested, Sepp Blatter will be the focus of the U.S. investigation. The strategy is to pressure those indicted to reveal wrongdoing at the most senior levels in the organization. 

In a resignation speech, which The New York Times reports was given to "a mostly empty room at FIFA headquarters," Blatter explained his decision: 

"While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football-the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA."

Blatt leaves after serving 17 years at the organization. 

On its website, FIFA quoted Blatt about "reform work."

"I had a good, constructive meeting with Mr. Scala to establish a framework for action and a timetable. I am pleased to take advice and guidance from Mr. Scala. I want a comprehensive programme of reform and I am very aware that only the FIFA Congress can pass these reforms. Furthermore, the Executive Committee has a particular duty to share the responsibility of driving this process."

Discussion Starters: 

• Did Blatt make the right decision? Why would he run for re-election and then resign shortly after getting the job for a fifth term? 
• What else should FIFA communicate at this point? How can the organization repair its image throughout the world?

FIFA Responds to Accusations

FIFA officials, who run the international soccer association, have been accused of corruption.

In a presentation to FIFA Congress, president Sepp Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term of office, referred to "unprecedented and difficult times." Although he admitted, "The events of yesterday have cast a long shadow over football," he tried to separate himself, football, and FIFA, from the "actions of a few": "We cannot let the reputation of football, and of FIFA, be dragged through the mud." 

Seven FIFA senior managers were arrested. The US Justice Department has accused 18 people total of accepting more than $150 million in bribes, which were handled as cash through three British international banks. 

Blatter said he could "not monitor everyone all the time." But not everyone is convinced Blatter didn't know about the corruption. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has called for his resignation, "the sooner, the better." 

FIFA's governance page provides additional statements about the situation. 

Discussion Starters: 

• Review information on FIFA's governance page. How well do you think the organization is handling the news? 
• Do you buy Blatter's argument that he's not involved in the scandal? What convinces you either way? 
• Should Blatter resign? 

2015 Commencement Speeches

The lists and commentary are coming in. CNN and The Hollywood Reporter published their top picks of 2015 commencement speeches, and The New York Times and The Washington Post published advice to future speakers. 

Perhaps the most talked about speech so far is from actor Robert De Niro at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts if not for the content than for his use of the "F-word." He warned graduates that their career choice may be a tough one: 

"You discovered a talent, developed an ambition and recognized your passion. When you feel that, you can't fight it - you just go with it. When it comes to the arts, passion should always trump common sense. You aren't just following dreams, you're reaching for your destiny. ... You're an artist - yeah, you're f-d. The good news is that's not a bad place to start."

Other notable moments include Ed Helms' criticism of Rolling Stone's retracted story about rape at the University of Virginia: " 

"It has been said that a rolling stone gathers no moss. I would add that sometimes a rolling stone also gathers no verifiable facts or even the tiniest morsels of journalistic integrity."  

For more, Graduation Wisdom has compiled a list of speakers through June and offers "sketchbooks" of previous speeches: infographics if you don't want to listen to them on YouTube.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of Robert De Niro's use of an obscenity during his speech: offensive, funny, or something else? 
• How do you think Ed Helms handled the University of Virginia controversy? If you were part of the university's administration, would you worry about his portrayal? Do you think the university pre-screened his speech? Do universities typically review speeches before they're delivered?

McDonald's New CEO's Video Isn't a Hit

Was Steve Easterbook, McDonald's new CEO, too honest in his video message? Easterbrook outlined a turnaround plan and admitted, "The reality is our recent performance has been poor. The numbers don't lie."

After the video was released, S&P downgraded McDonald's credit rating to A-, and the stock took a 1% hit in early trading.

A Mashable author calls the presentation a "passionless video pep talk." Seth Fiegerman said the video didn't reflect the promised "brand excitement":

"Excitement - or emotion of any kind - was, however, conspicuously lacking from Easterbrook's even, careful speech. For 23 minutes, Easterbrook talked at the screen, staring straight ahead, rarely blinking and gesturing blandly with his hands while only occasionally raising his eyebrows for emphasis. He stood in an empty, beige McDonald's hallway decorated with generic artwork. The camera kept locked on Easterbrook's face, only breaking away to show a gray slide deck with numbers from time to time."

Ouch. To be fair, Easterbrook is in a tough spot. The company clearly isn't doing well, as shown in this bar chart.

Image source.

Discussion Starters:

• Watch Easterbrook's video. What's your assessment?
• Are authors like Fiegerman being too hard on Easterbrook?
• What do you identify as McDonald's key strategies for turning the business around? Which do you find most and least compelling?

Laughs at the Correspondents' Dinner

As is the tradition, the President of the U.S. gave an irreverent speech at the Correspondents' Dinner, an annual event for journalists covering the White House (and other celebs).  

Here are a few highlights: 

• He said his new strategy was something that rhymes with "bucket list." He repeated "bucket" after mentioning several initiatives, such as immigration. 
• Referring to people still believing he's a Muslim, he said he's been so busy "all while finding time to pray five times a day."
• Admitting that some people still think he's "arrogant and aloof," he said, "Some people are so dumb."
• About Hillary Clinton, he said the economy is so bad, "I had a friend, just a few weeks ago, she was making millions of dollars a year, and now she's living out of a van in Iowa.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's the real value of the Correspondents' dinner?
• Is it surprising to hear President Obama speak in this way? Did he cross the line in any way? 

Dr. Oz Responds to Criticism

In a video on his website, Dr. Oz responds to criticism that he promotes products for the advertising income. Ten doctors have called for Oz's removal from the faculty of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where Oz is the vice chairman of the surgery department. 

In a letter to the dean of medicine, the doctors questioned Oz's credibility. 

Lee Goldman, M.D.
Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine
Columbia University

Dear Dr. Goldman:

I am writing to you on behalf of myself and the undersigned colleagues below, all of whom are distinguished physicians.

We are surprised and dismayed that Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons would permit Dr. Mehmet Oz to occupy a faculty appointment, let alone a senior administrative position in the Department of Surgery.

As described here and here, as well as in other publications, Dr. Oz has repeatedly shown disdain for science and for evidence-based medicine, as well as baseless and relentless opposition to the genetic engineering of food crops. Worst of all, he has manifested an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain.

Thus, Dr. Oz is guilty of either outrageous conflicts of interest or flawed judgments [sic] about what constitutes appropriate medical treatments, or both. Whatever the nature of his pathology, members of the public are being misled and endangered, which makes Dr. Oz's presence on the faculty of a prestigious medical institution unacceptable.

In his rebuttal, Oz questions the doctors' ethics and stands by his approach:

"Figuring out how to talk about your health and how to talk to you about it can be difficult, and there's been a backlash to my approach in some parts of the medical community," Oz said. "The 10 doctors who attacked me got what they wanted: sensational headlines and soundbites. I've long believed that doctors should never fight their battles, or each other, in public. But now I believe that I must."

It doesn't help Dr. Oz's case that his 2:20 video starts with a 30-second commercial for Nasacort.

Oz also wrote an opinion piece for Time, defending alternative medicine: 

"My exploration of alternative medicine has never been intended to take the place of conventional medicine, but rather as additive. Critics often imply that any exploration of alternative methods means abandoning conventional approaches. It does not. In fact, many institutions like mine use the names 'complementary' or 'integrative' medicine, which is also appropriate."

Discussion Starters:

• Assess the letter and Dr. Oz's video response. Which are the strongest and weakest arguments of each?
• If you were the dean, what would you do? 

Marco Rubio: "Yesterday Is Over"

In a speech at Miami's Freedom Tower, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio announced his run for president in 2016.  

Under a banner that reads, "A New American Century," Rubio positioned himself as the young candidate with new ideas. He is 43 years old, while Hillary Clinton, who announced her plan to run yesterday,  is 67.

Rubio is the third Republican to throw his hat in the ring along with U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul. The New York Times identifies nine others as probable Republican candidates.

If nothing else, he learns from his mistakes. His water bottle became a joke after his speech following President Obama's State of the Union Address in February 2013.

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess Rubio's announcement: tone, organization, messages, and delivery skills. If you were  a speech coach, what advice would you give him for the rest of the campaign?
• Which rhetorical devices do you hear in this segment of Rubio's speech?

Hillary Announces Her Campaign for President

In a YouTube video, Hillary Clinton announced she will run for president in 2016.

The video is a fresh approach, but it's getting its share of criticism. A Washington Post article described the strategy:

"Notably, all the people in the video express cautious optimism about the next chapter in their lives. The key here is the tone. Over the weekend, the New York Times reported that Clinton's advisers, after pondering how to handle GOP efforts to link her to Obama, had concluded that her best bet is not to distance herself from Obama's record, but to praise the economic progress he has made, and promise a 'new chapter' designed to build on it, one focused on giving those "everyday Americans" a better shot at getting ahead."

Some see the video as too "corporate" and unclear. Others are surprised that she doesn't mention foreign policy, particularly because she was Secretary of State for five years and has plenty of international experience.

Her logo isn't going unscathed either. Critics say it looks like it was designed by a third-grader or in MS Paint. Others say it's reminiscent of a hospital sign or FedEx's logo.

Comparing her announcement for 2016 to 2008, we see clear differences in style and focus. Some contrast her focus on domestic issues now with the Iraq War in 2008. At the time, she was criticized for initially supporting the Iraq War, and some speculate that caused trouble for her in the race against President Obama. 

Discussion Starters:

• How would you describe the key messages of Clinton's 2016 campaign video?
• What's your view of the video? Assess the content, tone, graphics, and so on?
• What other differences between these two videos do you find relevant?

PowerPoint Karaoke

A Wall Street Journal article described several PowerPoint shows that challenge performers to incorporate PPT images into an impromptu presentation. Called "PowerPoint karaoke" or "battle decks," the fun happens at Twitter, Wal-Mart stores, Abode, Zynga, and other companies.

At Adobe, an employee is given a topic, such as whales, 30 seconds before she gets up to speak for nine minutes. While speaking, she and the audience see random photos, such as bare-chested men, which she tries to incorporate into the presentation. 

Sammy Wegent started a company called "Speechless" to host similar PowerPoint events. Employees from Google, Adobe, and Airbnb have competed. The improv events provide levity to office workers who often have a love-hate relationship with the software.

Image source.

Discussion Starters: 

• In some respects, these presentations having nothing to do with PowerPoint. Do you see my perspective? 
• These events are just for fun, but what skills could employees build by participating? 
• Can you imagine yourself participating in one of these events? What would be easy for you, and what would be challenging?

Facebook's Community Standards

Facebook provided more detailed "Community Standards," which include the social network's approach to government requests. Requests for data and to restrict content were up to 35,051 in 2014.

The new guidelines specify what's acceptable and unacceptable in four categories:

• Keeping you safe (e.g., self-injury, bullying and harassment)
• Encouraging respectful behavior (e.g., nudity, hate speech)
• Keeping your account and personal information secure (e.g., authentic identity, fraud and spam)
• Protecting your intellectual property.

The Community Standards are particularly relevant this week, as a Penn State fraternity was suspended for having photos of nude women and other offensive images on "secret" Facebook pages.

Discussion Starters:

• What is the purpose of the Community Standards? Identify three or four specific communication objectives. Consider all of Facebook's many constituencies. 
• Which of the Standards do you find most and least clear? 
• Assess the video above. What's your view of the content and graphics?

Hillary Clinton Discusses Personal Email Situation

At a news conference, Hillary Clinton describes how she used her personal email account while she was Secretary of State, a position she left two years ago. Clinton says she used one account (one device) for all emails for "convenience."

Her view is that work-related emails were sent to .gov accounts, so they are saved. For others, she says she followed the federal guidelines that "for any government employee, it is that employee's responsibility to determine what's personal and what's work related."

Full news conference.

Clinton says she regrets not using two separate devices but is glad that her personal email will become public. She sounds confident that no wrongdoing will be uncovered. According to The New York Times, about 30,500 personal emails have been given to the State Department in December, but another 32,000 have been deleted.

The Times article also questioned her explanation of wanting to carry just one device:

"Mrs. Clinton's explanation that it was more convenient to carry only one device seemed at odds with her remark last month, at a technology conference in Silicon Valley, that she uses multiple devices, including two kinds of iPads, an iPhone and a BlackBerry. She said then: 'I don't throw anything away. I'm like two steps short of a hoarder.'"

Discussion Starters:

• How do you think this controversy might affect Clinton's pending candidacy for president?
• What's your view of The Times' criticism of her carrying just one device, although she says she doesn't throw old devices away. Is this the same thing?

Entertainment Weekly Ranks Oscars Speeches

Entertainment Weekly has ranked the Oscars speeches from best to worst. Garnering the top spot is Graham Moore, who won for the Best Adapted Screenplay, The Imitation Game. Moore's speech is a lesson in vulnerability, a topic that will be covered in the 10th edition of Business Communication.

Second best was J.K. Simmons' speech, accepting the award for Best Supporting Actor in Whiplash.

More speeches this year seemed to have a theme or message for us. These first did as well as the third and fourth ranked on ET's list:

• John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn, who won for Best Original Song for Selma, "Glory." Performer John Legend also said, "Selma is now, because the struggle for justice is right now."
• Patricia Arquette, who won for Best Supporting Actress for Boyhood. She said, "To every woman who gave birth, to every taxpayer and citizen of this nation, we have fought for everybody else's equal rights. It's our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America." Perhaps more notable than Arquette's words was Meryl Streep's reaction:
  

Discussion Starters:

• Read the rest of Entertainment Weekly's list, particularly the ones at the bottom. Do you agree with the order and comments? Too harsh?
• A few years ago, I remember people getting angry about winners using the stage to promote political and other agendas. Do you think that has changed? Or, what makes these speeches different?

Head of School's Snow Day Video Message

Wow, 2 million views for this headmaster's "School Is Closed" video on YouTube. A parody of Disney's "Let It Go" from "Frozen," the song is catchy and has attracted lots of attention. Time magazine tweeted the video, which could explain its popularity. 

A graduate of Moses Brown school, a 231-year-old Quaker school, Matt Glendinning has two young girls who affirmed the video. According to Glendinning, "They love it. That actually was my first big litmus test. After it was done, my 8-year-old said, 'That is awesome.' So I thought, 'OK, we're cool. We're going to be alright.'"

Discussion Starters:

• What risks did Glendinning take when making this video? 
• Do you find it funny, endearing, goofy, all of the above, none of the above, or something else?

AirAsia CEO Apologizes for Lost Flight

In a news conference, CEO Tony Fernandes apologizes to the families of victims of the lost AirAsia flight. Fernandes responds to questions about the cause and compensation generally, but promises not to "run away from our obligations or hide behind any conventions. We will be there for the staff. . . [correction] for the families, even after all of this is over." 

The Washington Post describes Fernandes as "a flamboyant Malaysian-born, British-educated former Warner Music executive, [who] had dreamed of operating his own budget airline since he was in school." He describes the lost flight as a "scar with me for the rest of my life."

The airline is suffering further embarrassment because of an in-flight magazine ad that bragged about the pilots' superior training: "well prepared to ensure [their] plane will never get lost." The article was published soon after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess the news conference. How well did Fernandes handle the questions? 
• At some point, he says that having families where they are trying to evacuate will "complicate" the process. What's your view of this statement?

McDonald's Latest Food Video

The latest McDonald's video describing how its food is made features Chicken McNuggets. Part of the series, "Our Food, Your Questions," the video shows the ingredients and process of making this popular McDonald's item.  

McDonald's sales continue to falter. Although better than some analysts' projections last month, the company has been losing revenue. This campaign is an attempt at transparency-to address customers' long-standing questions openly and directly. So far, the results are questionable.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the latest video? What is effective and what is ineffective in conveying McDonald's message? 
• How, if at all, does the video change your view of Chicken McNuggets? 
• What else could the company do to improve the image of its food?

Bill Cosby Falls into the Streisand Effect

Bill Cosby is having a tough month. Allegations of rape are haunting him, and he is trying not to respond. During a video interview with the Associated Press, the celebrity was put in a difficult position: He didn't expect questions related to these allegations, yet he got him. With his wife by his side, he gave few-word answers, sticking to his strategy of not engaging reporters' questions.

But then he made a fatal mistake, asking for the interaction to be cut from the published video. As crisis communication experts could predict, this made the clip far more alluring.

Cosby could use a lesson in the Streisand Effect. The phenomenon was named after the singer and actress Barbra Streisand filed suit against an organization that maintains photographs of the California coastline, which includes her Malibu estate. Rather than hiding the location, the suit had the opposite effect: People were increasingly motivated to find out where she lived and what he home looked like. Without the attention, experts say, few people would care.

During the interview, Cosby made such an issue of trying to squelch his non-response to the questions that the clip became newsworthy. He sounds silly and defensive-and we like that in a fallen star.

Discussion Starters: 

• What's your view of the interview? What could Cosby have done differently? 
• What other observations do you have about interactions during this segment?

Voice Tone, Perception, and Salary

Researchers at UCLA and Duke University's Fuqua School of Business are discovering how voice tone affects careers.

In a Duke study, researchers found, "Women exhibiting a lowtched, creaky voice known as 'vocal fry' are considered less competent, educated, trustworthy, attractive, and hirable."

In a UCLA study, researchers found that charismatic leaders use their voice to their advantage. While some characteristics of charisma are in-born, others can be developed.

Acoustic scientist Rosario Signorella, interviewed by in a Wall Street Journal article, emphasized a leader's ability to manipulate his or her voice:

"My research shows that charismatic leaders of any type in any culture tend to stretch their voice to the lower and higher limits during a public speech, which is the most important and risky context of communication for leadership. . . . The voice is a tool that can be trained. Singers and actors train their voices to reach higher or lower frequencies. A leader-speaker should do the same."

A related Duke study analyzed 792 male CEOs in major companies and found that those with lower voices made more money, managed larger firms, and stayed in their CEO positions longer.

Discussion Starters:

• Why would male CEOs with lower voices enjoy such positive career outcomes? What's at play here?
• The UCLA study and second Duke study included only males. What, if any, conclusions might be drawn for women?

Takata Answers Questions About Faulty Airbags

After weeks of recalls, airbag manufacturer Takata was pressed to answer questions at a Senate Hearing. Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance Hiroshi Shimizu apologized: 

"Even though millions of Takata air bags have inflated properly, saving lives and avoiding serious injuries in hundreds of thousands of accidents, any failure of an air bag to perform as designed in an automobile accident is incompatible with Takata's standards for highest quality assurance. We are deeply sorry and anguished about each of the reported instances in which a Takata air bag has not performed as designed and a driver or passenger has suffered personal injuries or death. Our sincerest condolences go out to all those who have suffered in these accidents and to their families."

Shimizu took the brunt at one point from Senator Dean Heller of Nevada: "I think there was something amiss in your testimony and that was that nowhere does Takata say they take full responsibility. Does Takata take full responsibility for this tragic defect?" With an explanation about anomalies, Shimizu responded, "Yes."

The airbags have caused at least five deaths and many injuries, and the problem seems to be dragging on. It could take years for the recalled bags to be fixed, and the company hasn't yet found a solution.  

Discussion Starters: 

• Assess the Senate Hearing questions and answers. What, if any, part do you think cultural differences play in the executive's responses?
• Why isn't the CEO, Shigehisa Takada, responding to questions? 
• What's the relationship between Takada (the CEO) and Takata (the company name)? (Hint: The explanation is similar for Toyota and its CEO.)