Latest news with #Edelman
Entrepreneur
5 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Cancel Culture Isn't Going Anywhere — Here's How Smart Leaders Respond
Cancel culture can derail B2C and B2B thought leadership efforts, as public scrutiny gets amplified by social media. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Today's leaders are expected to speak up — not just for business, but for society. According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, 73% of people believe CEOs should step in when governments fail, and 68% feel empowered to pressure organizations into change. This isn't just about leadership — it's about leverage. Public expectations are high, and the cost of silence or missteps can be steep. Thought leadership now exists in a landscape of hypervisibility. Social media amplifies every comment, every slip. There are no warning shots — just consequences. So where does that leave leaders? Caught between the demand to lead and the fear of being "cancelled." This article explores how cancel culture is reshaping the rules of engagement—and how modern leaders can navigate it with clarity, credibility and confidence. Related: Cancel Culture Is Lazy. We Need Revision Culture Instead. Understanding cancel culture At its core, cancel culture is amplified public accountability. It's the collective decision to disengage from individuals or organizations seen as offensive or unethical. Social media often fuels the outrage, which can quickly damage reputations and opportunities. Some see it as justice. Others, as mob rule. A 2022 Pew Research Center study revealed a divide: 58% believe calling out others promotes accountability, while 38% see it as unfair punishment. It's a tense environment for leaders. Share an opinion and risk backlash. Stay silent and risk irrelevance. That hesitation is reshaping thought leadership—and not for the better. Leadership voices on thin ice Public sentiment shifts fast. What's acceptable today might spark outrage tomorrow. That unpredictability keeps leaders in the crosshairs. As a result, many opt for silence —but that's risky too. Diluted ideas turn thought leadership into thought followership: safe, bland and forgettable. The real risk isn't saying the wrong thing. It's saying nothing at all. Modern leadership requires clarity, conviction and the courage to speak from a foundation of values and insight—even as the ground shifts beneath you. Cancel culture and B2B: the hidden impact Cancel culture headlines usually spotlight consumer brands, but the effect in B2B is quieter and more insidious. Imagine this: Business A approaches Business B for a promising deal. Then, Business A backs out over a years-old tweet from Business B's founder. No press, no hashtags — just a lost opportunity behind closed doors. This is micro cancel culture. And for smaller companies without the PR or legal teams to manage reputation risks, it creates serious vulnerability. The result? Companies start choosing "safe" over smart. Innovation suffers. Integrity is replaced with risk aversion. Related: Here's the No. 1 Thing Brands Can Do to Avoid Public Outrage and Cancel Culture Cancel-proof thought leadership strategies In today's climate, it's not just what you say — it's how, when and why. Here's how to lead with courage and credibility: Embrace a micro-program strategy: Skip rigid campaigns that age fast. Break bold ideas into short, agile pieces that can evolve with current events. Test messaging early and often. Stay true to your values: Speak up only on issues that align with your mission. A 2023 Weber Shandwick study found one-third of consumers believe companies should only take stands when it's relevant to their business. Balance instinct with inclusion: Speed matters, but so does perspective. Build diverse voices into your decision-making process and vet your partnerships carefully. Use research as a shield and spotlight: Data makes bold ideas harder to dismiss. Root your opinions in real-world research and trend analysis to shift the conversation from emotion to evidence. Own your mistakes—fast: Perfection isn't required. Accountability is. PwC reports 38% of consumers will forgive a brand that apologizes and takes action. Act quickly, correct transparently and move forward. Final thoughts Cancel culture isn't going anywhere. Public expectations around business responsibility are only rising. The real challenge for leaders isn't avoiding controversy — it's staying relevant and trustworthy in a shifting world. Let values guide your message. Let data back it up. Let courage drive it forward. Cancel culture can feel like a threat — but it can also serve as a filter that pushes leadership toward greater clarity, integrity and long-term credibility. The goal isn't to dodge scrutiny. It's to build a brand that can withstand it. Ready to break through your revenue ceiling? Join us at Level Up, a conference for ambitious business leaders to unlock new growth opportunities.
Fast Company
23-07-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
How to perform well if you're disengaged
Let's face it, work can be a slog. And while you might be struggling to engage personally, there's also evidence that you're in good company. All over the world we're more disengaged than we've been in years. But even as you're not inspired, motivated, or energized, you know you still have to show up and perform well. So how can you be effective when engagement eludes you? There are some unexpected, but powerful strategies that can help you through. WE ARE DRAGGING Evidence from Gallup shows engagement is at a 10-year low, globally. In fact, only 31% of employees say they are engaged. These are the people who feel enthusiastic about their work. Only 42% say they know what's expected of them at work. And 17% of people are actively disengaged, meaning they feel negative and resentful about their work. It's reasonable that we're not jumping out of bed every morning to show up in the office or onscreen. We're overwhelmed and fearful, and this can make it difficult to throw ourselves fully into our work. In a survey of 32,000 people in 28 countries Edelman found that 88%–61% of people were afraid of everything from inflation and economic concerns to climate change, nuclear war, or information war. In addition, there's a lot of uncertainty today. According to DDI, which studied 11,000 leaders, fully 42% of CEOs were concerned about uncertainty. Moreover, in a GlobeScan survey of almost 30,000 people across 31 countries, 78% said they felt that things were changing so fast, they couldn't cope and struggled with anxiety as a result. It's tough to stay engaged when we're feeling overloaded, disoriented, or disheartened by so many stressors, but there are ways we can overcome the challenges and bring our best to our work. THINK LONG TERM One of the best ways to perform well, despite feeling disengaged, is to keep the long term in mind. Today's environment might not be great, but doing your best will pay off for a better future. When you perform well, others will notice, and you'll be more likely to be selected for the exciting new project or be on the radar when promotion opportunities emerge. In addition, tough times can be great for learning. If you have a subpar manager, you can observe, reflect, and cement your opinions about how not to lead (or how you'll lead better someday). Or if your work doesn't fully consume your capacity, you may have extra time to take a class or join an association. You can look at challenging times as opportunities to build your knowledge and resilience for the next phase. Focus on how the work and learning you do today will be an investment in your future. LINK WORK TO YOUR IDENTITY Another lesser-known way to enhance your performance is to link your activities to your sense of yourself. It's healthy to get a sense of identity from your work. In addition to your family, friends, volunteer activities, and personal pursuits, work is one of the ways you express your talents, make a contribution, and reinforce what makes you unique and important. By focusing on who you are, you can find more meaning in your daily tasks. You don't have to do the project just because your boss said you must, you're completing it because you're a brilliant performer. You don't show up for the meeting just because you're on the team, but because you're an innovative thinker and they need your ideas. Thinking of who you are and linking it to why you're taking action, can help you feel motivated by what you value, the value you deliver, and who you are. CULTIVATE A SENSE OF TEAMWORK Another way to increase your motivation to perform well is to remind yourself of how your work impacts others. It's one thing to complete a task and check it off your list, but knowing how it will feed others' work can be make a difference to your morale. Even if your responsibilities are largely individual, all work includes some aspects of interdependence. Your coworker is waiting for output from you so she can take the next step. Your colleague needs your input to work on his project. Or there's a customer down the line who will benefit from your portion of the process. We all have an instinct to matter, and knowing we have obligations to others can be motivational when we consider our impacts. MANAGE YOUR WORKFLOW You can also ensure you perform well in the face of less-than-ideal engagement by using tactics that make the work seem more manageable. For example, you can break down a larger responsibility into smaller tasks. Instead of simply telling yourself you have to write the report, consider sub tasks that you'll need to accomplish. Give thought to how you'll need to research the key topic, summarize the primary ideas, write each chapter, and create recommendations. By separating work into components, you'll make it feel less daunting and more doable. You can also be sure that you're focusing on one thing at a time. We lose a lot of time with pings, dings, and interruptions, because multitasking creates the need to reset repeatedly as we shift from one thing to another. But if you can, turn off notifications or change your status to 'do not disturb,' for a period of time. Doing so will help you focus and get things done more effectively. Another surefire way to enhance performance is to plan your tasks based on your own rhythms. Many people are better at analytical or detailed work at the start of their day, when they're fresh. And then they are stronger with creative or divergent work in the afternoons when they've been at it for a while. Consider how you work and, as much as possible, plan your tasks based on your energy levels and your assessment of when you can do your best work. You can also boost your performance by taking breaks. Getting away from their desks or taking short brain breaks after finishing key tasks improved productivity for people in studies published in both the Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis and in the Journal of Applied Psychology. And breaks can also increase your energy and reduce fatigue, based on another study that was published in Psychological Reports. REDUCE THE PRESSURE Overall, we may put pressure on ourselves to be always-on and supereffective all the time, but we're wise to reduce the burden we impose on ourselves. No one is perfect, and it's unrealistic to think that we'll be constantly achieving. This expectation can cause us to feel trapped by unrealistic standards. But if you can remind yourself that no one is flawless, and that you'll have good days and bad days, it can help your mood. In addition, you can give yourself permission to do just enough during a period where your work is less engaging. There's an old saying that if you're trudging through a swamp, it's best to just keep going. Challenges with engagement are like this, too. There may be muck and mosquitos right now, but you can get through to the other side. Keep at it, validate your efforts, and team up with others to support each other. These will help you survive and even thrive.
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Julian Edelman caught giving direct advice to one Patriots rookie
New England Patriots receiving legend Julian Edelman gave some tips to rookie wideout Kyle Williams when visiting during a team practice over the spring. Williams is a talented prospect who has received praise throughout the offseason. Former five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. even went as far as tweeting out that Patriots fans "got a real one" with the third-round draft pick. There is hope that he can make an impact on Day 1, serving as one of the team's top receiving options. No one knows about being a top receiving option in New England better than Edelman, who caught 620 passes for 6,822 yards and 36 touchdowns over a career that spanned 11 years. He initially came into the league as a former quarterback at Kent State and worked his way up to becoming one of Tom Brady's most reliable receiving targets. The former longtime Patriot was caught sharing the things he's learned with Williams during the most recent episode of the Forged in Foxborough docuseries. 'I just always leaned on like preparation. If I dropped a ball, I'd go catch 500 balls before or after practice until I didn't drop a ball," Edelman told Williams. Williams has the potential to be a productive receiver for the Patriots. His athleticism and ability to run after the catch make him a viable option to contribute in his first year. He was also viewed as one of the best pure separators in the 2025 NFL draft class. Taking advice from a soon-to-be Patriots Hall of Famer isn't a bad place to start for the former Washington State standout. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hotwire Names Charlotte Harvey as UK Managing Director to Accelerate Growth and Expand Market Leadership
Former Edelman and Amey executive brings award-winning track record and bold vision for the future of tech communications LONDON, July 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hotwire, the global communications and marketing consultancy, today announced the appointment of Charlotte Harvey as its new UK Managing Director, marking a pivotal step in the agency's UK growth strategy. A highly respected voice in the industry, Harvey brings more than 15 years of award-winning communications experience, from her early days at Edelman managing global accounts like Microsoft and P&G, to more than a decade at infrastructure giant Amey, where she was Director of Communications and Social Value. During her tenure at Amey, she repositioned the communications function from a tactical support role to a strategic driver of business outcomes, reporting directly to the CEO. Harvey later founded her own consultancy, supporting high-impact clients including Balfour Beatty, Mott MacDonald, Sodexo, and the Global Fund. She went on to hold senior leadership roles at Grayling and Good Relations, where she spearheaded corporate communications for major brands such as FedEx, GHD Engineering, and Airport Dimensions. "Charlotte is an exceptional leader whose ability to blend creativity with commercial focus makes her uniquely positioned to drive Hotwire's next chapter in the UK," said Laura Macdonald, Chief Growth Officer at Hotwire Global. "Her experience guiding complex organizations through transformation, along with her commitment to inclusive leadership, makes her a perfect fit for Hotwire's continued growth." As UK Managing Director, Harvey will lead Hotwire's UK business, overseeing strategy, client success, and team development. She will play a key role in expanding the agency's impact in the tech and innovation sectors, working closely with clients to unlock reputation, relationship, and revenue growth. A proud Trinidadian, Harvey is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion in the workplace and brings deep expertise in aligning communications with social value. "I'm joining Hotwire at a defining moment for the tech and communications industries," said Charlotte Harvey. "The UK has long been a hub for bold ideas and brave brands, and I look forward to helping our clients navigate what's next while building a culture where people thrive and do their best work." Harvey's appointment comes at a time of rapid growth and innovation for Hotwire, including the expansion of its global AI Lab. The Lab continues to develop AI-powered solutions like Hotwire Spark and Hotwire Ignite, designed to help clients unlock smarter insights and accelerate strategic decision-making. In the UK, Hotwire is strengthening partnerships with forward-thinking brands as demand grows for communications solutions that blend creativity with intelligence. The agency's investment in AI also extends across Europe, with Sven Winnefeld recently returning to Hotwire as Director, AI Lead Continental Europe, where he is leading the team's B2B practice and spearheading AI sector growth across the region. About Hotwire Hotwire is the tech PR, communications, and marketing consultancy. Globally, top technology brands partner with us for expert consultancy to scale and support their businesses. Found at the intersection of technology and humanity, our 400+ people in 11 countries weave global experience and local expertise to define, measure, and repeat success across reputation, relationship, and revenue campaigns. Follow us here to see how 20+ years at the forefront of communications and marketing help Hotwire make the technical, irresistible. View source version on Contacts Lakai Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
20-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Founders Can Become The Go-To Thought Leaders In Their Industry
Team reviewing thought leadership strategy together You've put in long hours to get your company off the ground, and now you're faced with the task of keeping the momentum going. Part of that journey, I've discovered, involves becoming a go-to thought leader in your industry. You not only want to share the lessons you've learned with others, but you also see the revenue-generating potential. Playing the long game, you know that thought leadership attracts like-minded people to your business. Becoming a trusted source for invaluable expertise builds a loyal following and distinguishes your business from the competition. But how can founders achieve this when they already wear so many hats? Here are some practical steps. Use Content To Engage When you first start creating content, it might feel like you're shouting into the void. If your sole focus is going viral, you may end up disappointed. Building valuable content is undeniably one of the pillars of thought leadership, but it demands patience and persistence. Having a clear strategy for the unique knowledge and voice you'll bring to the table is imperative. The goal for your content is to genuinely showcase how you and your company stand out. Your contribution could be a fresh way of looking at an industry concern, or perhaps an insightful new take on an existing debate that others have overlooked. Whatever niche you decide to run with, remember this. An Edelman report revealed that 75% of decision makers were influenced by a piece of thought leadership, prompting them to explore products or services they hadn't previously considered. Roughly two-thirds of these individuals even stated that thought leadership helped them realize they were missing out on something important. So whether you start creating content with a blog, a Substack, videos, LinkedIn articles or an email newsletter, the key is to get your voice heard. Reach Audiences With Social Media You've mapped out your strategy, determined your niche, defined your audience and created some content. Hitting the publish button on those pieces isn't where it ends, though. Even with the best SEO tactics, you can't assume your audience will just find you. Social media allows you to share and amplify your content, but these platforms also offer significant opportunities to join existing conversations within your industry. You can engage directly with the community, whether it's fellow thought leaders or potential leads actively searching for solutions. You might even find other experts to collaborate with, which opens up additional content opportunities. Since you've already defined your audience, focus your efforts on the platforms where they spend the most time. Check out existing thought leaders in your industry to see where and how they're sharing their content. Make a list of what's trending to see if you can add your voice to the conversation, and consider performing a gap analysis to determine what's not being talked about and if you could start a new trend. Collaborate To Expand Your Reach Thought leadership is about forming connections as much as it is about becoming a sought-after resource. Industry relationships not only get your voice and business in front of more people, but they also significantly boost your credibility. Collaborations show audiences you're willing to learn from others and are interested in moving industry topics forward. Collaborations may take many forms: podcast interviews, video conversations with audience Q&A, webinars, co-written articles, guest blogs, and conference presentations. Say a potential partner isn't ready for a full interview or content collaboration. See if they'd be willing to add a quote to one of your articles or offer valuable insights you could work in. You might even consider partnering with an outsourced CMO to gain strategic marketing expertise that can help you amplify your brand voice and extend your influence to new channels. You're not just engaging to promote your company, you're genuinely interested in what's at stake for the audience. Although you're mindful that other experts may offer competing products or services, you're not being cutthroat. The goal is to add value where you can, while simultaneously letting others do the same. Becoming A Go-To Leader Thought leadership has power. Media personalities like Oprah influence what books people read and provide professionals with platforms that launch careers. Becoming an international media powerhouse might not be your immediate goal, but you do want to be seen as a go-to leader in your industry. Engaging through content, leveraging social platforms and collaborating with your peers are steps you can take to achieve your goal.
