{"podcast":{"title":"Communication Breakdown","slug":"communication-breakdown-7019931","podcast_index_feed_id":7019931,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/6301456/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://ocrnetwork.com/podcasts/communication-breakdown","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/bb1654c4c2ff3f77a3c1f292f51b3d52.jpg","author":"Observatory on Corporate Reputation LLC","episode_count":86,"summary":"Communication Breakdown is a postgame show for PR pros. In each episode, hosts Craig Carroll (Founder of the Observatory on Corporate Reputation, Editor of the SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation, Lecturer at Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business) and Steve Dowling (former head of communications at OpenAI and Apple) discuss the strategies and tactics companies are using in high-visibility crises and PR initiatives, giving listeners unique insight into how key decisions are made. The podcast offers two unique perspectives on communications theory and practice, drawing on Craig’s research and teaching on reputation at USC Annenberg, UNC Chapel Hill, and universities worldwide, and Steve’s two decades of experience as a comms leader at some of the world’s most influential companies. Whether you’re a PR professional, marketing executive, or just curious about how companies make key communications decisions, you’ll find these discussions insightful and valuable.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-05T04:21:27.467075+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931"},"episode":{"title":"Minnesota CEOs miss the mark","slug":"minnesota-ceos-miss-the-mark","published_at":"2026-01-30T14:36:57+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931/minnesota-ceos-miss-the-mark","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/minnesota-ceos-miss-the-mark--69678500","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/69678500/ep_68_2_1_minnesota_ceos_miss_the_mark.mp3","summary":"In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll return to the topic of Minnesota to examine how corporate leaders responded after the killing of protester Alex Preti during federal immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities. They unpack the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s joint letter signed by 60 CEOs, a statement widely criticized for saying little when clarity and accountability were urgently needed. The conversation contrasts that response with more direct messages from University of Minnesota President Rebecca Cunningham and incoming Target CEO Michael Fidelke, exploring why empathy without action often fails in moments of public fear. The episode offers a sharp look at why strategic ambiguity breaks down in high-stakes crises and what effective leadership communication requires when safety, order, and trust are on the line. Takeaways Silence or vague statements after loss of life are read as distance or complicity, not neutrality. Strategic ambiguity fails when facts are clear and communities are experiencing fear. Leadership statements need at least one concrete, near-term action to move beyond posture. Empathy matters, but without operational clarity it does not restore confidence or stability. Topics Mentioned Crisis communication, strategic ambiguity, corporate silence, leadership messaging, accountability, empathy versus action, public safety, alignment signaling, corporate reputation Companies Mentioned 3M, Best Buy, Cargill, General Mills, Target, UnitedHealth Group Episode Hashtags #3M #BestBuy #Cargill #GeneralMills #Target #UnitedHealthGroup #CorporateCommunications #PublicRelations #CrisisManagement #Leadership #ReputationManagement #StrategicAmbiguity #CorporateSilence #Trust #ShawnPNeal #AdvoCast #OCRNetwor Comm…","meta_description":"In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll return to the topic of Minnesota to examine how corporate leaders responded af…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2051,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/communication-breakdown-7019931/episodes/minnesota-ceos-miss-the-mark/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/communication-breakdown-7019931/minnesota-ceos-miss-the-mark.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}