Good Morning
intelligence briefing
Monday, September 7, 2026
Workplace news you didn’t know you needed.
HBR
Harvard Business Review 56 min ago

The Art of the Curveball Question

HBR examines how leaders handle unexpected questions with credibility and composure.

WSJ
The Wall Street Journal 5h ago

Chinese Company Draws Fire for Laying Off 100 Grads a Month After Hiring Them

Chinese firm's mass layoff of new grads one month in triggers reputational firestorm worth studying.

HBR
Harvard Business Review 7h ago

AI Can Enhance Every Stage of Teamwork—Under Two Conditions

HBR identifies two specific conditions under which AI meaningfully improves team performance.

HR
theHRDIRECTOR 9h ago

Almost all businesses are failing to “put people first”

New research finds nearly all businesses fall short of stated people-first commitments employees expect.

F
Fortune yesterday

Like Jamie Dimon, AT&T CEO says if you attend a meeting, you need to show up prepared—he ‘craves’ people who don’t just sit back and observe

AT&T CEO models meeting culture where preparation is non-negotiable, echoing a growing C-suite standard.

FT
Financial Times 9h ago

How carrots became the answer to Gatorade’s RFK Jr problem

Gatorade's pivot to carrots shows how brands reframe ingredients to dodge spokesperson controversy.

FC
Fast Company yesterday

5 ways leaders can harness brain chemistry for happier and more productive teams

Leaders can use neuroscience-backed behaviors to drive measurable team morale and productivity gains.

i
Inc. yesterday

A New Employee Was Reprimanded for Drinking 1 Cup of Coffee a Day. An Expert Says the Drink Isn’t the Real Problem

Workplace overreaction to minor employee behavior signals how petty management norms erode trust and morale.

A
Ask a Manager 5d ago

how can I encourage my staff to bring me complaints?

Ask a Manager offers concrete tactics for creating the psychological safety employees need to surface complaints.

FC
Fast Company 5d ago

A comedian’s viral joke about Lovesac’s 24-box couch assembly wasn’t the problem. The company’s response was

Lovesac's response to a viral joke became the real crisis, illustrating how brands amplify minor moments.

WSJ
The Wall Street Journal 3d ago

Former Labor Secretary Oversaw a ‘Toxic, Intimidating’ Workplace, Report Finds

A government workplace toxicity report illustrates how leadership behavior becomes a public reputation crisis.

SR
MIT Sloan Mgmt Review 7d ago

A Compelling Story Can Disarm Even a Skeptical Negotiator

Research shows a compelling narrative can shift even resistant negotiators, a direct executive skill.

M
McKinsey 10d ago

The new management playbook for AI: How to move faster and create more value

McKinsey's new AI management playbook outlines how executives can accelerate value without losing control.

i
Inc. 15d ago

The Conversation Your Team Is Avoiding Could Be Costing You Your Best People

Avoiding hard team conversations drives out top performers — a direct warning for executive communicators.

SR
MIT Sloan Mgmt Review 20d ago

What Gets Your Best Employees to Stay

MIT Sloan research identifies what actually keeps top employees from leaving, with direct retention implications.

FT
Financial Times 56d ago

Employers pushed staff to use AI more. That has backfired

Pushing employees to adopt AI without support is backfiring, damaging morale and productivity.

HR
theHRDIRECTOR 17d ago

5 Ways to Make Office Days More Meaningful for Employees

Research-backed strategies help executives make in-office days genuinely worthwhile rather than obligatory and resented.

PR
PRWeek 20d ago

How QVC kept its cool after a live TV mishap

QVC's live TV mishap response offers a replicable model for calm, credible crisis communications in real time.

A
Ask a Manager 33d ago

telling two employees they didn’t get a promotion but their coworker did

Handling promotion denials well requires specific messaging discipline that most managers underestimate.

M
McKinsey 38d ago

Is the AI productivity story at a turning point?

McKinsey examines whether AI productivity gains are finally materializing at organizational scale.