Authentic or Not?

Built to Deceive: When organizations intend to mislead us

October 14, 2010

What would you think about an organization that intentionally mislead its potential clients? – That advertised itself as providing a range of products or services, when in fact it only offered one? – That presented itself as being here to “help you”, when in reality its sole purpose is to fulfill its own mission, regardless [...]

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3 Dangerous Assumptions in Corporate Work-Life Policy

October 12, 2010

Isn’t Corporate Work-Life policy great? Here we have a progressive set of programs and strategies that: Acknowledge that every employee is more than a worker, Recognize that she or he is also a ‘whole person’ with a life that extends outside the workplace, and Demonstrate that employees’ full lives should be respected and maybe even [...]

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Target: Why Organizations Should Boycott Target but Individuals Shouldn’t Bother

August 26, 2010

I’m a supporter of LGBTQx rights and of organizational diversity. As an individual, I’m not likely to do much to boycott Target in response to Target’s $150,00 contribution to an anti-gay, pro-bigotry gubernatorial candidate. But, if I were Target’s business customer, business supplier, stakeholder, or other important large stakeholder, I would make a bit deal [...]

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Target Misses the Mark on Diversity: Corporate Donation equals Corporate Homophobia

July 28, 2010

How do you know whether an organization is racist, or sexist, or homophobic? You can use my 6 Degrees test, or you can use an even simpler method: You can watch where they put their money. Target has put its money behind the campaign of a homophobe who’s against same-sex marriage. This single action casts [...]

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Changing the CEO at BP: It won’t make a difference, except where it will

July 27, 2010

For the past 90 days and counting, we knew this day was coming. You didn’t need an Irish bookmaker to tell you that Tony Hayward’s tenure as CEO of BP was coming to a close. Any organization facing a crisis like the BP Oil Spill would be likely to replace the guy at the helm. [...]

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Only A Cosmetic Apology? MAC’s Juarez Controversy & Fauxial Awareness

July 23, 2010

There are apologies that are superficial and apologies that reflect genuine remorse.  There are apologies that demonstrate regret and apologies that initiate restitution. And then, there is the apology that MAC Cosmetics has offered for its offensive Juarez Makeup Collection. [Note, added later: Be *sure* to read the followup post:  MAC’s Apology for Juarez Makeup [...]

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Should Non-Profits Buy $800 Chairs?

July 12, 2010

During a meeting in a downtown conference room at a non profit a few weeks ago, I noticed we were all sitting in Aeron chairs. These are geeky-stylish, ergonomically adjustable office chairs that retail for about $800 a pop. There were 12 of us in the conference room, sitting on a total of about $9,600.00, [...]

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BP’s Beyond Petroleum: Hypocrisy, or caught in the act of learning?

June 17, 2010

Some people actually believe(d) that BP was making an authentic effort to move “Beyond Petroleum”. I was quite surprised to discover this early in June, in conversation with an organizational change consultant who specializes is sustainability change. This consultant explained that, in contrast to other energy companies that he had worked with, BP was making [...]

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Authentic CSR: Should Dawn publicize its involvement in Oiled Bird Rescue?

June 10, 2010

Procter & Gamble and its Dawn Dishwashing Liquid are the targets of criticism and cynicism for their efforts to help the International Bird Rescue Research Center save birds who have been wounded by BP’s Oil Spill. While I’m quick to criticize any organization that promotes its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts when all they care [...]

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Is Authenticity the key to being “Meaningfully Different”?

May 20, 2010

If organizations are going to be successful at attracting good members and good clients or customers, they have go beyond showing how they are different from other, similar organizations. They have to take that extra step, and demonstrate why these differences are meaningful. “Meaningful difference” “Meaningful difference” is an important concept in both organizational theory [...]

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