Oura CEO says he ‘lurks’ on internal channels; Tim Cook’s 50th anniversary memo

Greetings, comms pros! Let’s take a look at a few news stories from the past week and see what we can learn from them.

1. Oura chief says he hangs around Slack, calls out ‘great work’

During an episode of the Sequoia Capital podcast, Oura CEO Tom Hale said that he sits in the background of the company’s internal messaging chats and offers praise on good work when he sees it.

“So, I can’t drop by your office, but you know what I can do, I can kind of lurk in your Slack chat, and if I see some really great work, I’m going to comment directly right on that,” Hale said during the podcast appearance.

He added that communication should flow in both directions. “Creating a non-hierarchical culture that’s not bound by time, or geography, or role is really powerful,” he said.

Hale’s framing of his observation is interesting, as he said that he only interjects when he’s able to “add value” and that he doesn’t want to contribute to noise on internal channels. He positions leadership as an ever-present part of the workflow for employees at Oura instead of something separate that oversees the work. One thing to note is that this could make leadership comms less omnipresent there aren’t structured updates from Hale that also call out good work. His observation tactic can make employees feel that leaders have an eye on their achievements, but some might view it as an overstep and surveillance that goes too far, despite that not being Hale’s apparent intent. Instead, it seems Hale just wants to be able to give his employees their proper shoutouts, and that’s always a welcome comms news tidbit.

2. Apple CEO Tim Cook thanks employees in 50th anniversary commemoration memo

Apple chief Tim Cook sent a memo to employees recognizing the 50th anniversary of the founding of the influential tech company. Obtained by MacWorld, the note focused on the original mission of Steve Jobs, the future that lies ahead, and the importance of collaboration among the company’s people.

We come here to do the best work of our lives, and to reach beyond what any of us could do alone. To be part of a culture that asks us to stay curious, to collaborate deeply, to demand excellence of ourselves and the people around us, and to believe — genuinely believe — that we can do the impossible.

Across our teams and across generations, we’ve been united by a simple belief: the future isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you build. And it is staggering to think of everything we’ve built together.

Cook’s memo does a deft job of expectation setting in an anniversary memo. He clearly states that excellence is and has been the standard at Apple and will continue to be. But by sharing this expectation alongside the idea that achievement is collective, Cook encourages employees to consider that Apple’s many accomplishments over the decades have been the result of people working together rather than individual work. Cook’s note does a lot more than just serve as a nice message at a notable company occasion. It makes expectations for employee excellence clear while also looking forward to the future.

3. Report: Professional services employees lack transparent communication about AI

A recent report from Thomson Reuters Institute found that around 40% of professional services employees stated that they’d gotten conflicting guidance on AI use from their clients and leaders. Additionally, half of the respondents said that AI adoption conversations haven’t happened at all. =

Without a shared understanding and clear communication of how AI should be used in an organization, employees are going to fill in the gaps themselves. Organizations need aligned standards on risk and guardrails to ensure that AI use is safe and ethical. If there are no clear expectations or conversations happening, decentralized AI rollouts will happen among employees, creating a situation that can be hard for companies to control and manage.

4. How about some good news?

• A bill to fund wildlife crossings in Colorado cleared its first obstacles.
• A new drug is showing potential to help children with drug-resistant epilepsy.
• A diver in Israel found a 900-year-old crusader sword in the sea, marking the second time he’s found a centuries-old sword in five years.
• Ragan Training is an excellent place for communications professionals to find inspiration and valuable resources.
• You should be rewarded for your work. Find out how to earn an award here!

Have a great weekend comms all-stars! 

Sean Devlin is an editor at Ragan Communications.