Today’s business press reports that a lawsuit filed last week on behalf of Johnson & Johnson shareholders accused the company’s directors of ignoring “red flags” foreshadowing product recalls and government probes of manufacturing defects and marketing practices. The lawsuit alleges that while J&J once set “the gold standard for integrity and excellence,” the directors’ “utter …

ARE WE CREATING A GREAT DIVIDE? (Those who are establishing their SEO brand online and those who aren’t.)

As the New Year approaches in less than two weeks, it is a great time to review and reflect the previous year while preparing for the year to come. This is a ritual in which I have participated since my early career days in retail management. It was motivating to reflect on the accomplishments of …

If you don’t know where you’re going, any place and no place, will do. Make sure your career is not stranded on an island called, “Someday I’ll…” If you want something, don’t just think about it or talk about it. Figure out a way to make it happen. The first step is goal setting. What …

Lists and more lists should be on every PR person’s list right now because end-of-year lists are cropping up in the media like crab grass (or whatever it is that grows) on a Chia Pet stocking stuffer. It’s List-o-mania, baby! Do you have a client who would quality for a Best Of list this year? …

“Eighty percent of life’s satisfaction comes from meaningful relationships.” – Brian Tracy You can’t have spirituality if you don’t have a relationship to share it with. Let’s look at three different relationships that are important to fostering our spirituality. Relationship with your higher power Many studies state that those who are passionate and believe in …

Communication is important in a crisis, but say the wrong thing and it can quickly backfire Foxconn, the Taiwan-based manufacturer of devices for Dell, Apple, and several other high-end electronics companies, has been facing criticism and protests following the ninth worker suicide at its southern Chinese factory. The company has been failing spectacularly at crisis …

(First in a series on Fundraising & Social Media) There’s no such a thing as an “email fundraising campaign.” “Wait,” you say. You’ve heard of lots of nonprofits that are raising money with email. “How can there be no such thing…?” That’s because a typical email just doesn’t have the technical power to get the …

There’s still time to pick up some holiday gifts that also help social enterprises. If there’s a restaurant or coffee shop in your town that’s a social enterprise (and the odds are there’s more than one), give them a call to see if you can purchase a gift certificate. Many of them will let you …

A guest blog from Carter McNamara. What Is Empathy? Why Is It So Important? Empathy is the ability to accurately put yourself “in someone else’s shoes” – to understand their situation, perceptions and feelings from their point of view – and to be able to communicate that understanding back to the other person. Empathy is …