The Flack

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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Taliban Fights Trust Deficit With PR Blitz — Since taking Kabul, the Taliban have been working hard to convince the world they are not the same Taliban that killed tens of thousands and severely limited women’s freedom. These days Taliban soldiers are posing for selfies, smiling at reporters and even sitting down for interviews with female journalists. So is this really a new Taliban or is it just a ruse? Al Jazeera digs in.

The Rise Of The American Gun Logo — In recent years you may have noticed an uptick in company and brand logos featuring guns. Black Rifle Coffee Company is one of the more recent examples of a company building a multi-billion-dollar brand with a logo featuring a firearm even though their product, coffee, has nothing to do with firearms. Black Rifle Coffee is not alone. Data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office shows in recent years there’s been a surge in firearms imagery in company logos. Marker takes a look at what’s behind this growing trend.

Johnson & Johnson And Tesla Show Importance Of Restoring Public Trust After A Crisis — Crisis communications is about identifying vulnerabilities and preparing for each scenario that could damage an organization and its brand. Earlier this year Johnson & Johnson had to manage blood clotting linked to the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, while Tesla had a fatal accident in one of the company’s self-driving cars. Crisis communications experts weigh in and discuss the four essential skills you need to bounce back.

With Nielsen Under Scrutiny, NBCU Wants To Build New Measurement System — Nielsen Ratings seem to have been around forever, and they often decide the fates of programs and, at times, careers. Nielsen Media Research was founded in the 1920s. The company released its first radio ratings in 1947 and its first TV ratings in 1950. But media and how it’s consumed has changed drastically over the years, and many feel the Nielsen system is obsolete and inaccurate. NBCUniversal believes it has a solution. Variety digs into the future of audience measurement.

Microsoft Word Spell Check Problems: 8 Tips And Fixes — Thanks to technology –  and spell check specifically – we are now raising generations of children who’ve never felt obligated to hone their spelling skills. And it’s understandable, as the software will fix everything. Until it doesn’t. Microsoft Word can have glitches, and spell check is not immune. If you’ve noticed issues, these tips can quickly get you back to forgetting how to spell.

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An Obit Worth Reading:  Charlie Watts, Drummer for the Rolling Stones, Dies at 80

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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Cuomo’s Resignation Provides 7 Crisis Management Lessons — The recent resignation of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was huge news and, to many, long overdue. Cuomo, who had been governor for more than a decade, resigned Tuesday following an investigative report that found he had sexually harassed multiple women. Forbes provides seven crisis management lessons business leaders can learn from this story.

Meet the Woman Behind Every Emoji You Use — Smiley face, thumbs up, high five — many of us use emojis every day in our communication with friends and colleagues. Today, there are more than 3,500 emojis, and the list seems to grow larger every week. But did you ever wonder where emojis came from? The Spinoff takes a look at the history of emojis and the woman behind them all.

How Major Media Outlets Screwed Up the Vaccine ‘Breakthrough’ Story — A few weeks ago The Washington Post landed a huge story. The paper had acquired an unpublished presentation from the CDC that suggested the Delta variant spreads as easily as chickenpox and that vaccinated people who become infected may be able to pass it on in the same way unvaccinated people can. Unfortunately, the story lacked some crucial context. And more unfortunately, many other reputable media outlets ran with the story without confirming the facts. The Columbia Journalism Review takes a deep dive into what happens when speed trumps accuracy.

A Better Approach to Group Editing — Anyone who writes for a living has experienced the challenges of group editing. Track Changes and other tools have revolutionized writing/editing, and we should all be thankful for these time-saving innovations. However, these electronic editing tools — which allow for multiple editors — can often result in a document that doesn’t resemble the original or meet the objectives of the author. The Harvard Business Review has a solid process to make group editing far more effective and less painful.

The Vaccine Cards Are The Wrong Size — As millions of people receive COVID-19 vaccinations, a common problem has emerged: the vaccination card won’t fit into a wallet. The unusual size of the card has left the vaccinated fuming and fumbling as businesses and events begin to require proof of vaccination for entry. The Atlantic takes a deep look at this major design flaw.

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Feed Your Head:  64 Weak Words and Expressions That Clog up Your Writing

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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A Closer Look at the PR Feud Between Liberty Oilfield and The North Face — “That North Face puffer looks great on you. And it was made from fossil fuels.” That’s the tagline from an ad campaign by Denver-based Liberty Oilfield Services. The company’s CEO was miffed when he learned the outdoor brand would not make a co-branded jacket for one of Liberty’s competitors, Innovex, because it’s an oil and gas company. Outside magazine takes a look at one of the more interesting corporate PR battles in recent memory.

This Will End With President Tucker Carlson — The United States has been the beneficiary of many imports from the United Kingdom. From the British Invasion of the 1960s, to punk rock, to the growing popularity of soccer, Americans owe quite a bit to Mother England. However, with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof considering a run for Governor of Oregon in 2022, Americans may want to proceed with caution. The U.K. has a history of journalists entering politics, and the results have often been less than ideal. This quick read from The Atlantic looks at the dangers of journalists becoming politicians.

How Amazon Bullies, Manipulates and Lies to Reporters — Corporate Communications departments vary wildly. Some are organized resources to help members of the media access information and make their jobs easier. Others are decidedly less so. Reporter Ali Breland from Mother Jones takes a deep look at Amazon’s questionable corporate communications practices and aggressive tactics with journalists that affect the information you receive.

Trust in Media Varies by Political Party — According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March, Americans have more trust in their main source for political news than they do in the news media more broadly. It would seem the term “mainstream media” can impact one’s views on the credibility of a particular news source, depending on their political affiliation. Not surprisingly, Democrats and Republicans have very different views. Dig into the data.

Why Doesn’t Ted Lasso Come Across as a Complete Creep? — “Ted Lasso,” which started as a marketing campaign for NBC Sports, has turned into one of the biggest TV hits in years. The show recently earned 20 Emmy nominations, making it the crown jewel of Apple TV+. Vanity Fair sat down with the program’s showrunner, Bill Lawrence, to talk about how the show is written and why fans become more addicted with each episode. Spoiler Alert: It’s not about soccer.

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Feed Your Head:  10 Wrong Grammar Rules Everyone Knows

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

************************

Sometimes The Best Response Is No Response at All — Earlier this month, a New York Times article took a critical look at the leadership style of Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The reporter interviewed several Google execs who took issue with some of Pichai’s business and personnel decisions and pointed out the departure of 36 VPs in the past year. Google declined to make the CEO available for comment. Inc. takes a look at why it was a savvy decision.

How The Pandemic Has Transformed Journalism — COVID-19 has affected many aspects of our lives. In addition to the obvious changes we’ve all gone through, the pandemic impacted journalism more than most realize. This quick read (or six-minute listen) takes a look at how journalism (and how we consume it) has changed.

Want to Sound Smarter? Avoid These Overused Words and Phrases — We all have filler language and crutch phrases we use in conversation. Some can be harmless, but some expressions have become so ubiquitous, many don’t stop and think about how unnecessary, redundant or meaningless they are. Here are 24 common expressions to avoid.

Have You Ever Forgotten a Word? The OneLook Reverse Dictionary Can Help — Have you ever been in the middle of writing a document when suddenly you can’t think of a common word? You know it; you’ve used the word many times; it’s on the tip of your tongue. But you still can’t come up with it. If so, the OneLook Reverse Dictionary can be a life saver. For example, search for “barrel maker” and it will immediately pull up “cooper” and “gunsmith.” It’s a good tool to keep in your hip pocket. 

Why Colleges Are Recruiting Student Athletes With Personalized Logos — College athletics is big business, and the NCAA and universities are struggling to preserve the pretense of amateurism that keeps athletes from being paid. However in June the NCAA announced it would now allow athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness in ways previously prohibited. One surprising result is universities are now designing logos for individual athletes. Marker takes a look at this emerging trend.

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Feed Your Head:  State of The News Media

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

************************

How to Judge a Public Apology in The Age of Cancel Culture — Last week it was Lin-Manuel Miranda apologizing for featuring light-skinned Latin actors in The Heights. The week before, actor Ellie Kemper apologized for being crowned queen at a debutante ball 22 years prior. Are they really sorry, or are they just kowtowing to the social media mob in hopes of getting out of the spotlight as soon as possible? This article from The Week suggests that to determine the sincerity of these apologies, we can start by asking three questions.

Stung by Media Coverage, Silicon Valley Starts Its Own Publications — Silicon Valley loves media coverage, unless the coverage is negative. Over the past few years, tech media have gone from being awed by the latest apps and innovations to addressing ethical questions and the impact technology can have on society, bullying and free speech. Now, tech companies and investors are attempting to take control of the narrative by launching their own news outlets. But is it news or marketing? NPR takes a look.

How Companies Cleverly Deploy Metaphors — Southwest Airlines likes to speak about love while Palantir Technologies is more focused on war. These companies and many others have used metaphors for decades to define their mission, establish their corporate culture and distinguish themselves from competition. Marker takes a look at the use of metaphors as simple, powerful and effective linguistic tools.

How Chicago is Reimagining The Future of Local Journalism as Newspapers Decline — Local daily newspaper, TV and radio news audiences decline every month. And studies have shown when communities lose access to reliable information about local and state government, the resulting void can fuel intense partisan politics, corruption and inefficiency. But Chicago is not taking it lying down. The nation’s third-largest media market has a thriving experimental news scene that is filling the gaps left by declining traditional media. The Guardian takes a deep look at how Chicago media is being reinvented.

The Science of Strong Business Writing — Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one.” And there’s a lot of truth in that quote. Strong writing takes time, discipline and practice. This Harvard Business Review article explains how to improve your writing and the science behind why these techniques work.

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Feed Your Head:  All About Transition Words

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

************************

How Twitter Turned Kimmy Schmidt Into a ‘KKK Queen’ — Today, with social media,  a good reputation can be damaged or lost almost instantly. And that’s exactly what happened to actor Ellie Kemper, best known for her roles on The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. On May 31, someone tweeted a photo of a 22-year-old newspaper clipping of Kemper being crowned the queen of a debutante ball in St. Louis, saying, “So was no one gonna tell me Ellie kemper aka kimmy Schmidt was crowned KKK queen in 1999.” And just like that, Kemper’s life and reputation changed drastically. Rolling Stone explains how it happened (from a technology standpoint) and how Kemper responded.

Our Digital Pasts Weren’t Supposed to Be Weaponized Like This — A celebrity or someone recently appointed to a prominent position is brought down by someone finding skeletons in their digital closet with increasing regularity. It could be a social media post or even a text from years ago. In May, Emily Wilder, who had just been hired by The Associated Press, was fired for what it said was her social media conduct while she worked for the media outlet. But many believe it was because of her pro-Palestinian social media posts from her days at Stanford. The New York Times takes a good look at the weaponization of social media and what it means moving forward.

Emotionally Intelligent People Embrace the 5-Minute Rule — Have you ever sat with what seemed like a huge task ahead of you, only to keep putting it off by watching YouTube videos or searching for things online? Most of us have. Starting to work on a large, complicated project can be difficult, and procrastination can seem inevitable. Emotionally intelligent people embrace the “Five-Minute Rule” to push past procrastination and stay productive. Learn how.

The Latest Victim of COVID-19: In-Flight Magazines — There are many things we take for granted and don’t appreciate until they’re gone. Earlier this month, American Airlines announced it would be joining Southwest and Delta by terminating its magazine, American Way. What will we flip through while waiting for the beverage cart (wait, has that vanished, too)? USA Today takes a look at the death of a media segment most hadn’t thought much about…until now.

Be Prepared for the Obvious (Albeit, Sticky) Question: Have You Ever Used Spider Tack? — It’s the midpoint of the 2021 MLB season, and the bats have been uncharacteristically quiet. Currently the league batting average is an absurdly low .232, and there have already been six no-hitters (the record for a season is seven). So why can’t batters hit the ball? Many believe pitchers are using Spider Tack, an illegal substance, which allows them to put more spin on the ball, thus making life very difficult for hitters. Last week, Yankees starter Gerrit Cole was asked point-blank by New York Post reporter Kevin Davidoff if he had ever used Spider Tack. Let’s just say, Cole was not ready for a very predictable question.

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Feed Your Head:  Why We, Um, Use Filler Language…and Why It’s, Uh, Not Always A Bad Thing

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

************************

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

Bill Gates’ Carefully Curated Geek Image Unravels in Two Weeks — Before the revelations about his divorce, dubious workplace behavior and ties to Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Gates was just America’s huggable billionaire techno-philanthropist. Things changed May 3, when Bill and Melinda Gates announced they were splitting up after 27 years of marriage. Details quickly emerged, including reports Bill had an extramarital affair and pursued other office romances. In a divorce filing, Melinda said their relationship was “irretrievably broken.” Time will tell whether Bill’s reputation is, too.

19 Commonly Misused Words and Phrases to Avoid — Using the right words matters. Using the wrong words can matter even more. When you’re trying to impart the seriousness of your message or make a great impression, it is important to keep the focus on the meaning of what you write or say, versus losing that focus because of how you say it. After all, even just one incorrectly used word can ruin everything. Here are some ways to make sure that doesn’t happen to you.

The Anxiety of Influencers — According to a poll released in 2019, 54% of Americans between the ages of 13 and 38 would become a social-media influencer if given the opportunity. Nearly 23% believed that this term already fit them. Once reserved for the likes of Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, influencing has become fully democratized. And it’s hard to deny the appeal. While the average college grad makes $50,000 a year, an influencer with more than a million followers could net that much in a month. And while virtually every other industry is shrinking if not flatlining, the influencer marketing industry is projected to be worth $15 billion by 2022 and currently accounts for roughly 15% of the total global ad spend. Harper’s takes a deep dive into the world of the influencer economy.

Every Company Needs a Narrative — Companies are missing a big opportunity – to craft an inspiring corporate narrative. Unlike stories, which have a beginning, a middle and an end, narratives are open-ended. Narratives contain a threat or opportunity looming in an unclear future. The resolution of the narrative hinges on the choices and actions of those involved, making it a potentially powerful call to action. A prime example is Apple’s “think different” slogan – a result of a well-crafted Steve Jobs narrative about needing to change people’s attitudes toward technology. Harvard Business Review takes a look at the power of good, strategic corporate narratives.

At a Small Maine School, Cursive Endures and Wins National Awards — As pens and notebooks continue to give way to keyboards and computer screens, the “art” of cursive handwriting seems to be on the brink of extinction. But at a small school in Maine, cursive handwriting thrives, with two students recognized in a recent national contest for their handwriting skills. The participants won awards in the Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest, which is open to students from public and private schools in kindergarten through the eighth grade. The students honed their skills at Woodland Consolidated School, which has a history of winning awards in the contest.

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Feed Your Head:  The Art of The TV Interview: Christiane Amanpour’s Top Tips

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

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University President Resigns After Plagiarizing Speech — May is commencement season. Unfortunately, that can also mean plagiarism season. Last week the University of South Carolina accepted the resignation of President Bob Caslen, who admitted he plagiarized part of a speech by the former head of U.S. Special Operations Command during a weekend commencement speech. In a letter Caslen said he was “truly sorry” for having shared a well-known quote by Admiral William McRaven, who oversaw the successful raid that killed Osama bin Laden. McRaven’s commencement speech has been viewed more than 13 million times on YouTube and years later is still an inspiration to viewers.

Facebook Wants to Make Sure You’ve Read The Article You’re About to Share — Have you ever shared an article via Facebook without reading it first? If so, you’re not alone, and Facebook wants to do something about it. The company announced on Twitter it will start testing a pop-up message that asks users if they’re sure they want to share an article they haven’t opened. The pop-up message will prompt users to read the article, but they can also choose to continue sharing it if they want. Facebook says the message is meant to help people stay more informed about the articles they share, likely as an attempt to combat the spread of misinformation the platform has struggled with in the past.

Follow The Rule of 3 Questions to Be More Likable — According to a 2017 Harvard study published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, asking a question and then asking at least two follow-up questions will dramatically increase how likable you are. The authors write: “We converse with others to learn what they know — their information, stories, preferences, ideas, thoughts, and feelings — as well as to share what we know, while managing others’ perceptions of us. When we ask more questions, we are perceived as higher in responsiveness, an interpersonal construct that captures listening, understanding, validation, and care.” This article from Inc. looks at the study and explains how asking three simple questions can vastly improve your conversations.

How ‘The Tipping Point’ Spawned a New Kind of Business Book — When The Tipping Point was published in 2000, it marked a sea change in the world of books. Selling over a million copies, Malcolm Gladwell’s “biography of an idea” convinced publishers that — told well — serious books about economics, social change, history, science and business could appeal to readers. A new genre of silo-busting, multi-disciplinary nonfiction was born. And even though it drew largely from academic research, it wasn’t stodgy, it was fun. And its central thesis: “there is a simple way to package information that — under the right circumstances — can make it irresistible,” was broad enough to talk about over a beer. Suddenly books about ideas were cool.

To Understand Amazon, We Must Understand Jeff Bezos — Brad Stone’s new book, Amazon Unbound, takes an unflinching look at the company and its founder, Jeff Bezos. On its surface it’s a business book that seeks to explain the rise of America’s most important private enterprise, a giant company also notable for its opacity. In that sense, it is a sequel of sorts to Stone’s 2013 best seller, The Everything Store, which introduced Bezos and explained his relentless and single-minded drive to take over online commerce. Amazon Unbound is particularly valuable in explaining how the company makes money, and the day-to-day decisions that end up having a big effect on consumers: Is it worth it, for example, to sell pallets of bottled water, with their low cost and expensive shipping? Dig into this review from The New York Times.

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Feed Your Head:  How to Spot a Misleading Graph

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.

The Flack highlights changes and trends in the news, examples of communications practices, and content we at BYRNE PR thought you might find useful.

We hope you enjoy, and we always welcome your feedback.

************************

Why The New York Times Is Retiring the Term ‘Op-Ed’ — The first Op-Ed page in The New York Times greeted the world Sept. 21, 1970. It was so named because it appeared opposite the editorial page — not because it would offer views contrary to the paper’s. Inevitably, it would do that, too, since its founders were putting out a welcome mat for ideas and arguments to stimulate thought and provoke discussion of public problems. Today that important mission remains the same, but the editors decided it’s time to change the name. The reason is simple, there is no geographical “Op-Ed,” just as there is no geographical “Ed” for Op-Ed to be opposite to. It is a relic of an older age and an older, print-newspaper design.

Does Tesla Have a PR Problem? — It’s a debatable question. Tesla does not have a PR department or an outside agency. The company rarely responds to reporters, yet its founder, Elon Musk, seems to get upset about much of the media coverage the company receives. Consider the coverage of a fatal crash in Texas last month involving a Tesla that might have had the company’s driver assistance feature, dubbed Autopilot, engaged. Many auto makers offer similar features that help automatically regulate speed on highways and keep cars from drifting outside of lanes. After the accident, Musk lashed out at the media on Twitter and later during the company’s first-quarter investor call. But Musk isn’t sold on PR. He recently tweeted that Tesla should focus on the product, and that he trusts people will arrive at the right conclusions. The company’s stock is up more than 400% over the past year, so maybe Musk is right not to be concerned about PR. Barron’s looks at the issue.

Girl, Wash Your Timeline — It takes a long time to build a good reputation and just seconds to lose it. Rachel Hollis, the best-selling author and motivational speaker is finding out the words she chooses matter … a lot. In April, Ms. Hollis, the 38-year-old author of the New York Times best-selling books “Girl, Wash Your Face” and “Girl, Stop Apologizing,” posted a video to TikTok that jarred many of her devoted fans. She recounted that while speaking extemporaneously during a livestream, she mentioned her twice-weekly housekeeper who “cleans the toilets.” One commenter told Hollis she was “privileged” and “unrelatable.” That was bad. But Hollis then doubled down on her comments and compared herself to Harriet Tubman, Oprah Winfrey and others. That’s when things got worse.

How to Lead With Humanity Through Crises — It’s been more than a year since America plummeted into a web of overlapping crises — health, economic, political, caregiving, racial justice. As a result, “stay at home” categories, such as connectivity platforms, streaming sites and online retailers, have boomed financially. Yet, certain companies rose above the rest even within these industries. More surprisingly, some businesses have seen significant growth in revenue and public reputation, despite having offerings unconnected to or even disrupted by these crises. Business performance, in good times and bad, comes down to more than product offerings. It comes down to great leadership. What can we learn from looking back at leadership over the past year? Across industries, leaders at companies that have thrived actually had a lot in common. Inc. looks at the 5 key concepts these companies leveraged to be successful.

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Feed Your Head:  40 Ways to Improve Your Writin

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flack

noun

: one who provides publicity

flack

verb

: to act as a press agent or promoter for something

The word flack was first used as a noun meaning “publicity agent” during the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to a well-known movie publicist of the time, Gene Flack.