Tag Archives: messaging

Lee Carter on the effect of labeling the opposition: Opinion piece on Foxnews.com

October 30, 2025

Every few election cycles, America rediscovers an old political pastime: name-calling dressed up as moral clarity. This year’s favorite epithet is “socialist.” But when we label something, we often fail to see what’s really resonating. Republicans warned Barack Obama was a socialist. He won twice. In 2016 and 2024, Democrats branded Donald Trump a fascist. He still won. The pattern is clear: moral name-calling doesn’t persuade. It polarizes. It makes us feel righteous but sound out of touch. In this thought-provoking opinion piece for FoxNews.com, Lee Carter suggests that when everything becomes an “-ism,” we stop listening for the “why.”

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Three Seismic Shifts in Consumer Expectations—and How Your Business Can Survive the Age of Rage 

October 28, 2025

There are moments in history when the ground beneath us moves and everyone feels it. Today, we’re living through one of those moments. Outrage is everywhere. It’s not just on the news or in your social feeds. It’s on the checkout line. It’s at the customer service desk. People aren’t simply disappointed. They’re angry. And the target of that anger is no longer just politicians or Wall Street “fat cats.” It’s any company, in any industry, that fails to measure up to a new, higher standard: fairness. Our latest research reveals three seismic shifts you need to know about what Americans expect from the companies they do business with.

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From Goodness to Fairness: A Wake-Up Call for Corporate America

October 16, 2025

We all feel it: anger, frustration, the sense that something fundamental is broken. People aren’t just upset today. They believe the system is rigged against them. They don’t just doubt companies, they expect to be taken advantage of. That’s the reality we face today. The rules of engagement have changed. And it’s vital for companies to start rethinking how they engage with consumers in the world we’re operating in. In this new era, every business must view its actions and words not through their own efforts at goodness, but through the lens of fairness.

In this powerful episode of HearSay, Lee and Michael will help you understand the context that we’re living in and why people are so angry, so you can begin to communicate, resonate, and engage more effectively. They’ll help you find a path forward by thinking differently about where your customers are, so you can meet them there… talk to them and engage with them in different ways… to reduce that anger and begin to rebuild trust.

This is critical listening for anyone who’s responsible for shaping messages, building trust, or protecting your brand.

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Calming the Chaos: Communicating to Win in Today’s World

September 24, 2025

Today, one misstep in communication can cost you trust, customers, and credibility. Whether you’re navigating the unknowns of AI, political upheaval, or global market shocks, the difference between chaos and clarity comes down to one thing: how you communicate when it matters most.

On this episode of HearSay, we talk with Michelle Russo, EVP and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, about “Calming the Chaos.” Michelle has spent her career turning uncertainty into opportunity—and she shares some real-world communication strategies to help businesses not just survive, but win in this environment.

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It’s not fair: how ‘sludge’ and ‘enshittification’ are fueling rage against big business

September 23, 2025

Consumer rage is surging. Customers feel betrayed–and people are reaching a breaking point. Across the country, once-trusted brands are raising prices, shrinking products, and making customer service harder to access. Playing short-term games with customer trust is a dangerous gamble. Michael Maslansky shares three principles to help companies do better by treating customers fairly.

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Find Your Winning Corporate Narrative

September 18, 2025

Every day, in boardrooms, break rooms, and across the internet, people are shaping their own version of your company’s story—whether it’s accurate or not. Here’s the hard truth: If you don’t own your narrative, someone else will. And when that happens, you can lose control—not just of your story, but of your brand, your reputation, and your future.

On this episode of HearSay, we dive into a critical question every business leader should be asking: Do you have a corporate narrative that truly defines you—or are you letting the world fill in the blanks? Join us, because the answer could be the difference between leading the conversation and being left behind.

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