Blogs

Reading the press reports on the economy is mystifying.  Perhaps it was an April Fool's Day joke but contrast the headlines of Reuters business stories with those from the AP.

Here are Reuter's entries:
Wall Street rallies on manufacturing and homes data
US sees more job losses, factory contraction slows
US auto sales plunge, but bottom seen

Then there's the AP's take:
Dow closes on $16.5B buyout of Rogm & Haas
Jobless rates rise in all US metro areas in February
Glimmer of hope in March's steep auto sales drop

They agree on the auto sales picture, but, based on headlines alone the stock market was up for different reasons and there is or isn't good news tied to the job loss data.

It's not easy getting a complete picture from just the headlines.

Unfortunately, many people never get past the headlines.  We know that in our personal lives, but when it comes to business few may realize that most workers don't see pass the seeming inconsistencies on the surface, despite commonalities underneath it.  All of that may lead to the cynical attitudes many workers hold towards business ethics initiatives.

The next time we read a misleading headline, or see two headlines that don't agree, it's a good reminder to make sure that there is consistency in the messaging that comes out of the company in both words and actions.