August 7, 2025
In this week's edition: owning the room in the age of AI, clarity by substraction, genes, memes and manufactured dissent, the authority gap, when a company should speak out, and much more...
Owning the Room in the Age of AI - “When making a presentation, a strong, knowledgeable presence is what builds trust — no matter what channel that presentation is happening in.” (MIT Sloan)
Recommitting to our why, what, and how - Microsoft’s CEO rationalizes recent layoffs in a publicly-shared email to employees. It’s an intriguing read. (Microsoft)
Yet another reason nobody loves the tax man - “‘The ATO (Australian Tax Office) focuses on what it wants to say, not what the taxpayer needs to know, without thinking about how the letter will be read or interpreted,’ the Ombudsman reported. ‘The ATO assumes the reader has good technical tax knowledge, proficiency in English, and understands the terms they are using, which often is not the case.’” (Managing Outcomes)
Speaking of clarity, Clarity by Subtraction: Why the Smartest Move Might Be Saying Less - “Most people are drowning in updates and starving for direction. Here’s the underrated leadership move that actually changes things.” (Paul Brown)
The Contradictions Are Catching Up to Us - “AI tools, journalists, advocacy groups, and even search engines can now uncover contradictions in seconds that used to take days. But your internal processes weren’t built for that speed—or scrutiny. And so the contradiction sits. Unnoticed. Unresolved. And when it surfaces, the whole organization acts surprised.” (OCR)
Genes, memes and manufactured dissent - “The story of a Gen Z backlash that never was, a right-wing backlash that eventually was, a left-wing-influencer-academic backlash that definitely was, and a raging culture war that maybe isn’t.” (Thoughts on Writing)… more from the Drum: The data is in: what Americans really think of American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney ad.
Recovering from crisis: Interview with Novelis Europe’s Emilio Braghi - “As we dealt with the crisis, we knew that full transparency and early engagement were key. We focused on clear and open real-time communication with employees, customers, suppliers, partners, and local government leaders.” (McKinsey)
When Should a Company Speak Out? A Framework for Communicators - “Communicators guide their organizations best through clear frameworks, consistent messaging, and a strong sense of purpose, not performative statements or one-off campaigns. They also need to know when not to speak, especially if the issue is outside the company’s sphere of relevance or if stakeholder reactions are likely to do more harm than good.” (Page Society)
AI: The Hand That Gives and Takes from the Newsroom - “The Digital News Report 2025 dropped earlier this month, and with it the understanding that the way people find and trust information has fundamentally changed. Again.” (The AI Marketeer)
Jim Acosta Just Interviewed an AI Version of a Parkland Victim - “AI-generated Joaquin Oliver, which was created by his parents, discussed gun-control measures and movies in a new interview.” - What’s next? AI versions of CEO’s who can take interviews in place of the real thing? (Rolling Stone)
Using ChatGPT to generate responses to PR callouts isn't just embarrassing; it's terminal to your business - Ouch! (Chris Stokel-Walker)
The Authority Gap: Why Your Best Expertise Isn't Building the Influence You Deserve - “Here's what I've learned from working with communications leaders: Earned Attention solves the measurement problem without addressing the bigger strategic challenge. You can successfully earn attention, generate quality engagement, and even drive behavioral responses while still failing to build the systematic authority that creates a lasting competitive advantage.” (Dan Nestle)
Reddit wants to be a search engine now - “CEO Steve Huffman says that the company is ‘concentrating our resources on the areas that will drive results for our most pressing needs,’ including ‘making Reddit a go-to search engine.’” (The Verge)
Tuning into YouTube: UK’s media habits revealed - “YouTube is leading the charge in the streaming takeover of TV sets, with the service now the first place younger viewers go as soon as they switch on, according to Ofcom’s annual report on the nation’s media habits.” (OFCOM)
26 LinkedIn Statistics to Know for 2025 - “LinkedIn has the highest engagement rate of any major social platform. Buffer’s 2025 engagement data shows that LinkedIn leads all major platforms in average engagement rate — clocking in at 6.50%.” (Buffer)
No, attention spans are not declining - “Direct evidence now confirms a moderate upward trend in adult sustained attention performance from the 1990s to today. At the same time, youth sustained attention abilities have remained remarkably constant in recent, suggesting that younger generations are no less capable of concentrating than their predecessors.” (James Hurman)
And finally, the most popular article from the last edition was FT x IPA | Bridging the Trust Gap by the Financial Times. It’s (um) good to be back!