News & views.
A collection of stories about data, public opinion and politics and news about our firm.
Beware of our own biases
In a polarized environment, we’re all drawn to information that confirms our beliefs. For campaigns and political observers, this creates a risk of tunnel vision, ignoring the broader electorate’s realities.
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.
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.
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.
How Business Leaders Can Navigate Roe and Other Matters
Our view is simple: when you see a gap between public opinion and government action – even when the gap is not as stark as the below graphic – step into that void. That's a safe space to raise your voice.
Our Latest Favorite Podcasts
Podcasting's golden age has continued through the pandemic. Seventy-eight percent of Americans are familiar with podcasting – up from 22 percent in 2006 – and more than 40 percent of Americans report having listened to a podcast in the past month.
Four more years for New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell
It affirms one's belief in democracy when voters reward public officials for leading with character and making decisions without regard for political cost. Such is the case for New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who was re-elected last month with a solid 65 percent of the vote.
Mayors on the Frontline
Mayors are at the leading edge of the most important social and economic issues of our times: coordinating response to COVID-19 in the country's hardest hit places; engaging with a new movement for racial justice which is as impassioned as any we've seen in a generation; and balancing budgets that demand painful choices.
What the New York Times Democratic Primary Endorsement Got Wrong
The New York Times editorial board came under criticism for its dual endorsement of senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. What bothers us about the editorial has nothing to do with their choice, but with an introductory statement that suggests the board misunderstands public opinion research and its value. Amber's letter to the editor breaks it down.
The Power of Listening
"It is only by listening that we engage, understand, empathize, cooperate and develop as human beings," writes journalist Kate Murphy in a recent op-ed, distilling the key points of her new book, You're Not Listening.
When writing reveals character
We can learn a lot from Eisenhower's writing, which is spare, concise and stripped of the passive voice. Even his edits are instructive. He assumes responsibility for the campaign and uses language that ordinary people can understand. "This particular operation" becomes "my decision to attack."
Why is Everyone Running for President and not Mayor?
Most American mayoral elections feature a single candidate, running unopposed, says Melissa Marschall of Rice University, who studied a cross-section of 2016 municipal elections. How do we explain this lack of interest in managing cities, especially in a time when American mayors are leading on critical issues like climate change?
A Climate Change and Leadership Breakthrough in New Orleans
Times are changing, and the case is growing that mayors should be at the center of all decision-making for their constituents. Cities should control their own destinies, goes the argument – and Mayor Cantrell is making a compelling case.
Can Public Service Be Good Politics Again?
Can a call to public service once again make for good politics? Not since President Kennedy in 1960 has a national candidate put service and civic responsibility at the strategic core of a campaign. Savvy candidates in both parties should consider doing so in 2018 and 2020.
Introducing Lighthouse
Lighthouse compares a company's strengths with the public's priorities to clarify the landscape of opportunities and risks.
“I want to go to the great battlefields of Hue.”
Lamb: “How long will you stay [in Vietnam]?” Caro: I don’t know. That I can’t tell. We stayed in the Hill Country until I felt I could write about the Hill Country…”
What can President Trump Learn From Governor Brown?
The Sacramento Bee published the latest collaboration by David Beier and Andrew Sullivan May 28. In this article, the David and Andrew argue for several categories of Brown lessons for Trump, including vision and values, goal-setting, consistency, mastery of detail, management and delegation.