· 2 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Wall Street Journal or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: Ford Motor executive Mike O’Brien, who recently retired after 32 years, left behind an unusual legacy: a meticulously kept spreadsheet of thousands of verbal gaffes made by colleagues during meetings
• These included mixed metaphors and malapropisms such as “too many cooks in the soup”
• His farewell email sharing the compilation amused hundreds of coworkers
🔭 The context: O’Brien began documenting linguistic slip-ups more than a decade ago as a light-hearted way to stay engaged during corporate meetings
• He eventually filled six whiteboards with entries, turning it into an internal company tradition
• Though informal, the collection became a beloved part of Ford’s workplace culture
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: While this story doesn't directly link to environmental themes, it reflects the human side of corporate culture—an important element when fostering collaboration in companies also addressing ESG priorities
• A positive, engaged workplace culture can influence team cohesion and innovation, including in areas like sustainability
⏭️ What's next: O’Brien’s collection may live on as an internal Ford tradition, offering a humorous reminder of the quirks of corporate communication
• As Ford accelerates its shift to electric vehicles and sustainability goals, maintaining employee engagement could prove critical
• The episode also hints at the value of storytelling in shaping institutional memory
💬 One quote: "Too many cooks in the soup." – one of the many verbal flubs recorded by Mike O’Brien
📈 One stat: O’Brien documented a few thousand verbal violations over more than a decade
See here detailed sustainability performance of companies like Porsche and Ford Motor Company
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