This 1 Word Makes Others Think Less of You, and You Probably Say It at Least 8 Times a Day
From Inc.: How many times a day do you use the word “sorry”? Statistics on Americans are hard to find, but the BBC reports British people say it at least eight times a day, and some say it as often as 20 times a day. And informal research supports what many people have observed: Women say “sorry” much more […]
Journalism & Storytelling
If you’ve ever attended any of our training seminars, you know we often talk about how reporters are often storytellers, often using familiar tropes and archetypes, accompanied by all their embedded values. On that subject, here’s writer Jeff Jarvis, writing for BuzzMachine on this topic: In journalism, we think our job is to “get the […]
Why the Lawyers Always Win
From a colleague of ours, Michael Maslansky: A crisis hits and the internal kabuki dance begins. The CEO. The lawyers. The communicators. And as if scripted in advance, the drama frequently plays out in a predictable way. The CEO wants to fight back against the unfair criticism. The lawyer, preparing for coming litigation, doesn’t want […]
The Tweeting Cow and the “Streisand Effect”
From Matt Cavanaugh at McDonald Hopkins: Earlier this week, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-California) sued Twitter, Liz Mair (a republican strategist), and two obvious parody Twitter accounts: “Devin Nunes’ Mom” and “Devin Nunes’ Cow.” A copy of the complaint is available here. Nunes claims that tweets by Mair and the parody accounts were defamatory and “fighting words” and that Twitter was negligent for […]
Want to Make a Great First Impression? A Princeton Psychologist Says Be Aware of 3 Snap Judgments People Make
We often tell clients that it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. And first impressions do count. Here’s what Scott Mautz, writing for Inc., had to say on the subject. Impressions make quite an impression on us as we’re so eager to manage them. I’ve written about how to overcome a bad […]
You Can’t Spin Your Way Out of Bad Behavior – Boeing & Wells Fargo
By Bruce Hennes, CEO, Hennes Communications On September 11, 2001, the world changed. The terrorist attack on the U.S. altered American politics and propelled us into a foreign war, changing government surveillance, our travel habits and even the architecture of our buildings. On a micro-level, it also changed Hennes Communications. For the previous 12 years, […]
The Fight to Be a Middle-Aged Female News Anchor
From our colleague, Ginger Casey, commenting on a recent piece in the New York Times: Age discrimination has never been an issue for the men in a television newsroom – they age and become more ‘credible’. Women age and get replaced. And the ones who are left are under relentless pressure to stuff themselves into […]
Thom Fladung, Managing Partner of Hennes Communications, Talks On-the-Record
Hear Thom Fladung, managing partner of Hennes Communications, talk to the Portage County Safety Council about crisis management here. Hope you agree it’s worth the listen.
When an Alumnus With a Mike Says Something Offensive
Cornell University officials acted instantly when an honoree at an event used a word considered by many to be offensive. Many present were upset but praised the university for not ignoring what happened. The article below, from Inside Higher Ed, details steps taken by the university to address the issue. We believe you’ll also find […]
Why We Should All Avoid the Jussie Smollett-Style Rush To Judgment
From our good friend and colleague, Richard Levick: We still don’t know all the facts surrounding Jussie Smollett – so let’s not rush to condemnation with the same fury his supporters rushed to judgment about his “attackers.” As troubled as he may be, he is entitled to due process. The latest evidence presented by the Chicago police, however, points […]