Introduction by Thomas Fladung, Hennes Communications… In an era of unprecedented corporate involvement in sensitive, frequently controversial, social issues, a recent survey of American consumers provides some guidance. The takeaway is not that companies should avoid taking any positions on such issues but that they should choose their battles carefully and, crucially, pay more than […]
By Stephanie York, JD, Hennes Communications Quick – What’s the single highest priority for a superintendent, head of school or board president? It’s not education. It’s safety. And just one part of that safety net is making sure you have a pre-written crisis communications plan at your fingertips – or at least the phone number […]
Once again, Sterling Miller hits it out of the park with an article ostensibly written for in-house attorneys, but 100% applicable to anyone in a new position in any field. When it comes to “executive presence,” I now have the benefit of being older with more than a few gray hairs. As a result, a […]
From Jay Harrington writing for Attorney at Work…Here’s how to use Aristotle’s rhetorical appeals — ethos, pathos and logos — to be truly persuasive in your writing. In my work as a marketing consultant for law firms, few questions are posed more frequently than this: How can we write more persuasive, effective content for our […]
by Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications Let’s step away from talking about crises your company may face and talk about a personal crisis that millions of us face – the threat of job loss. With the COVID pandemic, job loss went viral. Millions of Americans lost their jobs to COVID. Most of us don’t have any control […]
There are scores of reasons why your district can be thrust into the news. Lawsuit…sports controversy…social media threats…active shooter… board-superintendent clash…criminal accusation…discrimination complaints…diversity issues…FERPA or HIPAA violation…fiscal mismanagement…protest… sexual misconduct…student newspaper story…challenging conversations… testing controversy…union grievance/strike… Suddenly, there’s a TV crew in the parking lot, your local newspaper is on Line One and the situation […]
Business leaders, who have increasingly waded into social issues like racial equity and voting rights, now face whether to comment on abortion. A recent New York Times story talks to corporate executives, business professors and others about that decision and provides examples of what some businesses are choosing to say. From Emma Goldberg, Alisha Haridasani […]
From Lindsey Ellefson, writing for lifehacker… Uh-oh: You have to go to court. Whether you’re a plaintiff, defendant, lawyer, or witness, the results of your trial might depend, at least in part, on how you conduct yourself in that stress-inducing room. As anyone who’s been tuning into the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial knows, courtroom behavior […]
Cleveland-based Fortress Security Risk Management is on the front lines of the cybersecurity wars with the goal, as Fortress puts it, of “protecting companies from the financial, operational, and emotional ravages of cybercrime.” As Forbes reported earlier this year, businesses suffered 50% more cyberattack attempts per week in 2021 and they are accelerating in 2022. And not […]
From Alexandra Reed Lajoux, writing for Directors&Boards… Corporations have the right to free speech. Should they exercise that right? Should corporations take public stances on social issues? Should they make contributions to political action committees or political parties? Under what circumstances do such actions create issues for corporations and their boards? These questions are timely […]