The news that Soccer United Marketing (SUM) president Kathy Carter is likely to run for president of the US Soccer Federation — and that incumbent president Sunil Gulati likely will not run — adds a twist to an already interesting race for the top office in soccer’s governing body in the United States. First reported by Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, Carter’s candidacy…
Breaking Up is Hard to Do – A parasocial explanation for why we care about media scandals
We care more about Matt Lauer being a creep (at best) than the thousands of managers at IT companies because we know Matt. We have breakfast with him every morning. Those other guys are just other guys, but he’s our Matt. Odds are good that someone who works at your favorite pizza joint, the hardware store, or the grocery…
A Political take on the Politics of Soccer
The failure of the US men’s national soccer team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup has upended a lot of things, including the US Soccer Federation presidential election. I often suggest lessons managers and organizations can learn from soccer. The upcoming Federation election offers a rare opportunity to do the reverse. I’m a…
Lessons for Organizations from Soccer: The myth of the magic bumper sticker, and execution matters.
“I think the task [of improving the success of the US men’s national soccer team] is a lot more complicated than people want to give it credit for. People want to believe it’s simple. It’s been a failing at U.S. Soccer that we’ve always had this attitude that if we just discover the one thing…
Lessons for Managers and Organizations from the US Men’s National Soccer Team
There are a number of lessons for managers and organizations can take away from the United States Men’s National Team’s appalling defeat to Trinidad and Tobago, a loss that means the US will not qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986. The US Men’s National Team faced two critical games in a week,…
Strategic Political Communication Syllabus
Syllabus: Strategic Political Communication Fall 2017 DRAFT v.1 – Updated 8/1/17 “The world is still in want of clear-headed citizens, tempered by historical perspective, disciplined by rational thinking and moral compass, who speak well and write plainly.” Lee Pelton, President of Emerson College Logistics Grading Short essays: 10% each, total of 40% (details below) Final Exam: 25% (details…
Language and Politics Syllabus, Fall 2017
Syllabus Language and Politics SMPA 3459 Fall 2017 Weds 6:10 – 8:40 pm, SMPA 308 Instructor: Peter Loge Office: SMPA 431 ploge@gwu.edu (202) 994-7835 Office “The world is still in want of clear-headed citizens, tempered by historical perspective, disciplined by rational thinking and moral compass, who speak well and write plainly.” Lee Pelton, President…
Bet on a Government Shutdown
The odds of a government shut-down at the end of the fiscal year (midnight on September 30) are extremely high. A shutdown is all political upside for the President, mostly political and policy upside for the Democrats, and a mixed bag for Republicans in Congress. On Tuesday the Republican President announced he would shut down the government if…
If those who work in politics have an ethical responsibility, to whom do they have it?
Earlier this year I tried to open a can of worms by asking what if any ethical responsibilities do I have as a political professional and an associate professor in the School of Media and Public Affairs at The George Washington University? That question in turn begs the question: if I have a responsibility, to whom or what do I…
Now What? Some quick thoughts.
Absent political costs for failing to oppose a President who is advancing policies (if not rhetoric) with which Republican elected officials agree, it is unlikely that Republican elected official behavior about Trump will change. It is up to those on the left and right who find Trump loathsome to make it more politically costly to…