Mixed Messages and Second Takes

In this episode of Communication Breakdown, hosts Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine Microsoft’s response to a White House attack on its immigration practices, followed hours later by presidential recognition for CEO Satya Nadella. They debate whether the company’s restrained rebuttal served its audiences and how political access should translate into results for employees. Craig introduces “disdirection,” describing how contradictory signals undermine a company’s ability to understand which relationships and commitments it can rely on. Then, they revisit Cornell University’s handling…