REQUIEM FOR A [NEWS] LEADER?

Was Brian Williams’ demotion the death knell for anchorpeople?

Or does it symbolize (as we believe) how thin the claims of credibility and authenticity can be?

Think with us here.  Ever since Walter Cronkite earned the CBS anchorman sobriquet in the early 1950s, we used to regard our news readers as serious professionals, men (for the most part) who earned their authenticity in the trenches, reporting first-hand on serious and important stories.  That opinion continued to be fostered by the late Peter Jennings and the Huntley-Brinkley duet.  Fairly recently, though, the perception of anchor-folks waffled between entertainment and news; the buzz, in short, became more critical than the news.  And credibility zeroed out. 

In a sense, that TV contract of confidence between viewers and news readers is somewhat akin to the unspoken bond between employees and their corporate leaders.  Parallels abound:  Breaking news is a hard-won prize by skilled reporters.  Delivering information about workplace and corporate changes must also be a task assumed by the C-suite, provided straightforwardly yet with a sense of humane-ness.  Another:  We highly respect sector expertise, say, the political know-how of a David Todd or the late Tim Russert.  The same holds true for business chieftains who are not afraid to tell us the truth accurately, seriously, and relay what it means to us.

We could go on (and just might, later).  In your opinion, dear reader, which CEOs are today’s ‘most trusted (wo)men in America” – and why?

UN-SPINNING ...

Resolutions and a new year go hand in hand.

We’re bucking that trend in 2015. 

Instead, we’re more determined than ever to adopt a realistic state of mind.  Not optimistic.  But not pessimistic either.

Why the change?  Reading  umpteen surveys that show pessimists are likely to live longer, healthier lives than those wearing rose-colored glasses.  And then encountering caveats from research psychologists who note that every response is situational.  Their points:  Getting on the defensive, for example, helps lower expectations and anticipate what could go wrong.  [ Which many of us do for a living.]  On the other hand, those with positive outlooks might find a job more easily.

Our point of view? 

A balance between two extremes, sometimes difficult to maintain, is optimal.  In fact, many businesses could profit by learning that being realistic is the way to go.  Shareholders, employees, and other significant audiences aren’t necessarily fooled by cheery prognostications and smiley-faced quotes.  “Spin” doesn’t work in our transparent world.  Everyone is seeking the mean, an authentic picture of current events and a realistic perspective of what this all means in the future.

No less a promoter of positive psychology than the University of Pennsylvania’s Martin Seligman is, amazingly, modifying his own “gotta be upbeat” views.  To flourish, he says in Flourish, demands four attributes:  a positive emotion, engagement with what one is doing, a sense of accomplishment, and good relationships.  All of which result in a life of well-being. 

How are you un-spinning?