News & views.
A collection of stories about data, public opinion and politics and news about our firm.
AI and the Pursuit of Ethical Clarity
Some may still argue that such lofty concepts are inconsistent with the fast pace of AI development and a highly competitive market environment. That it’s too much to ask of highly competitive companies in a fight for talent and market share; their leaders do not have time for abstraction and existential thinking.
In response, I would suggest the incongruous Jesuit watchword of “contemplative action” as a guiding principle. Discerning leaders engage their intellects as they go about doing their work, even when crises press upon them. It’s a high bar to set—Kennedy level leadership—but the challenge of artificial intelligence demands it.
How Good is Your Eye? Discernment in Politics
While discernment originates from a spiritual context, it applies to other areas, especially politics. And that’s why assessing a political leader’s ability to discern—how good is her eye?—can help us better understand the thought process that sets apart our most skilled politicians.
Storytelling and leadership amid uncertainty
A new article from the Harvard Business Review emphasizes the central role that vision and storytelling play in asserting leadership in the face of uncertainty.
Artificial Intelligence and a Return to Human Interaction
When you can't trust what you see online due to AI hallucination, deepfakes and rampant misinformation—you have no choice but to go back to the basics.
Ray McGuire's Take on the Global Landscape
In a fireside chat with Bloomberg last week, Lazard president Ray McGuire outlined five trends shaping the world today: generative AI, the energy transition, de-globalization, aging and cyber security.
Patagonia and Brand Politicization
How do we reconcile conventional wisdom about the risks brands run when they take a political position with the news that Patagonia is America's best-loved corporate brand?
The Power of an Apology
The New York City Transit Authority used to punctuate subway delays with an automated announcement telling riders, "we apologize for this unavoidable delay." It was an excuse masquerading as an apology, and an unintentional reminder of the low quality of service riders should expect.
Communications and the Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
It takes time and careful analysis to isolate causes in a crisis as complex as SVB's. That's vital work for policymakers, especially those willing to eschew the hot take in search of lasting solutions to this crisis and the next.
A New Era for American Energy
The goal of the Permian Energy Development Lab, which launched last month, is to speed up the development of advanced, clean energy systems, educate the next generation of energy professionals and support energy-intensive communities and the natural resources they depend on.
The Why of the Midterms — and What's to Come
We wrote last summer that while Roe v. Wade might not have been settled law, it was indeed settled public opinion, with decades of broad and stable support. Admittedly, we took a wait-and-see attitude on the impact of the Dobbs decision on the midterms, but as devotees of behavioral economists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, we should have known better.
What's Missing from Today's News?
Author and journalist Amanda Ripley has a secret – she actively avoids the news and has been doing so for years. She's not alone. Data from the Reuters Institute tells us the United States has one of the highest news-avoidance rates in the world. Four in ten Americans sometimes or often avoid contact with the news. Why? It's dispiriting, repetitive and of questionable credibility, according to Reuters' survey data.
What We Impose on People with a Stutter
This New York Times opinion video deepened our understanding of what people who stutter have to contend with in daily life. It reveals a society largely unprepared or disinclined to accommodate them, but also points to ways non-stutterers can alter their behavior in helpful ways. It's worth a view.
The Risks of a Big Product Reveal
Experience teaches us that top-tier outlets like The New York Times will nearly always produce feature stories with a narrative arc. When a story is compelling, that narrative arc includes a "tear" – the words of one film professor – an event that operates as the engine of the story. In the case of Cruise, that event was the vehicle pulling over unexpectedly and ending the reporter's ride, shaping the story and others to follow, no doubt.
Florence Nightingale, Visual Storyteller
A new book on Florence Nightingale reveals how the 19th century nurse, social reformer and statistician made the case for health reforms in the British Army. Author RJ Andrews describes how Nightingale "designed graphics to attract attention and engage readers in ways other media could not."
Axios and the Business of Shallow Thinking
Axios is not the cause of our distracted mindset, but they have built a business upon it. In pushing us toward facile summaries, Axios weakens our ability to make the tough tradeoffs complexity requires.
Progressive DAs and a San Francisco Misread
The ever-incisive reporter and political strategist Gil Duran points out that Boudin was a scapegoat for a complex set of problems cities across the country are confronting. His recall reflects San Franciscans' anger over homelessness, mental illness and visible poverty – but not their opposition to justice system reform.
Communicating in a Time Like No Other
We’ve compiled a checklist of questions for engaging the public in our present, chaotic era.