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Torod Neptune

@torodneptune.bsky.social
361 followers 973 following 576 posts

Professor at @UNCChapelHill. Former Fortune 50 CCO. Founder, Neptune & Company. Writing about leadership, reputation, communications, AI, and what happens when practice meets academia! www.neptunecompany.co

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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Teaching students and advising organizations through complex situations have taught me the same thing: authenticity and accountability matter most when pressure hits. Reputation management is not about having the perfect playbook. It's about how people respond when the playbook no longer works.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Tomorrow I'm speaking to the Triangle Impact Lunch Bunch in Raleigh on building connections in a disconnected world. We have more ways to reach each other than ever, and less willingness to be reached. Let's talk about the courage to change that.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Gen Z is often labeled “hard to manage,” but I see a generation with a high bar for authenticity. They question outdated processes, ask for transparency, and speak up when leadership says one thing and does another. That can be mistaken for entitlement.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
What do CEOs need from communications now? I’ll tackle that question in my opening keynote at the Page Up Annual Conference in Atlanta on October 20. The opportunity for communications is bigger than supporting the business. It’s helping shape it. #Strategy #Communications #Leadership
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A year ago today, I stepped away from corporate leadership to enter the classroom and launch Neptune & Co. A year later, I’ve learned more about leadership, reputation, and crisis management than I expected. Teaching showed me where the old playbook falls short.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I will not be your parent. At 9:30 on a Friday night, my inbox was full of freshmen trying to swap classes after the deadline. My response was simple: this is where you learn to take ownership.
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Ezra Klein @ezrakleinbot.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | This Is What I Fear Most About A.I. (Gift Article)
Letting A.I. patrol its own frontier is like asking Jesse James to patrol the Wild West.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A thoughtful LinkedIn post from Steve Barrett about my @prweekus.bsky.social OpEd, plus some bigger questions about the #CCO role. Reporting structure. Generational change. The skills the next generation will need. What do you think the CCO role needs to become?
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Pew Research Center @pewresearch.org · 14/09/2026
Nearly half of Americans (45%) have tried to cut back on their smartphone use in the past 12 months. 📵 Of those who have tried to cut back on their smartphone use, a quarter say they’ve been highly successful.
Chart of Americans who have tried to cut back on smartphone use compared to a chart of those who have been successful at cutting back smartphone use. 
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
In the U.S., we live in a constant state of low-grade panic. Politics, outrage, and social friction are everywhere, and when you are immersed in it every day, it can be difficult to tell what is actually important and what is simply loud.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
What makes a C-suite seat durable? For communications, the answer may lie in evolving the function from managing messages to creating enterprise value. My latest for PRWeek: “No statute, no seat.”
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
great marketing read. @mrpibb-official.bsky.social > fastest growing AND most trusted. everything old really is new again @kristinam.bsky.social
marketingbrew.com
Mr. Pibb was the fastest growing brand of the year: report
In 2026, many household brands grew, according to Morning Consult, but it was a tough year for brand growth overall due to broader economic factors. “The universe of brands that we can consider kind o...
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The hardest part of taking five weeks off in Europe wasn’t disconnecting from Slack. It was dismantling some of my own assumptions.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Our profession has a structural problem hiding in plain sight, and I've just published data on it in PRWeek, “No Statute, No Seat" @prweekus.bsky.social #Leadership #CorporateCommunications #CSuite #CorporateGovernance #ReputationManagement #ChiefCommunicationsOfficer #BoardGovernance
prweek.com
No statute, no seat
No statute, no seat. From PR Week
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
AI is changing what we do, how we work and how quickly we can make decisions. But if AI can increasingly analyze information, spot patterns and help us make decisions faster, then competing with AI on speed and information alone is probably not where humans are going to have the biggest advantage.
thehrdirector.com
The Human Skills AI Can’t Replace: Leadership in the Age of AI | theHRD
As AI transforms the workplace, the most valuable leadership skills may be the ones technology cannot replicate. Discover why judgement, empathy, self-awareness and human wisdom will define the future of leadership.
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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 07/09/2026
A tale of two Labor Day messages today
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
We spend a lot of time talking about the future of work, especially as AI and automation continue to change how organizations operate.
We spend a lot of time talking about the future of work, especially as AI and automation continue to change how organizations operate.
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New York Times Opinion @nytopinion.nytimes.com · 04/09/2026
“Today’s students are trying to work out what it means to be decent humans in world growing more heated, hostile and, sometimes, heartless,” Michael S. Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, writes. “We should cheer them on, for their sake and ours.”
nyti.ms
Opinion | This Is the Real Point of College
It’s all about the practice of freedom.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
People rarely leave a job because of one bad day. They leave because of patterns. That is becoming even more important as the workplace changes faster than ever. AI is changing jobs, expectations are shifting, and teams are being asked to adapt constantly.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
There is a lot of pressure right now to adopt AI, launch new tools, and show measurable results. But speed without the right guardrails can create problems that are much harder to fix later, especially when AI starts making decisions that affect customers, employees, or other important stakeholders.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Only 31% of C-suite leaders surveyed said their leadership teams had enough AI knowledge to understand the technology’s risks and opportunities.
hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com
The AI readiness gap isn’t about technology, it’s about talent & leadership
AI And Leadership: Explore the crucial leadership and talent challenges behind AI adoption in organizations, highlighting the importance of changing how work is done and decisions are made to truly become AI-ready.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
With AI changing jobs, teams adapting to constant uncertainty, and managers increasingly leading people they may rarely see in person, honest feedback has become more important, not less.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
The conversation around AI and the future of work often starts with the wrong question. Instead of asking, “Will AI replace jobs?” we should be asking, “How do we prepare people to work alongside it?”
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
The challenge is no longer simply measuring progress. It is making decisions when the path forward involves real tradeoffs.
bernama.com
- Why Compliance Isn’t Enough And Courage Is Everything In ESG
Let me start with a confession that most corporate leaders won’t make in public: ESG is making them miserable. Not because they hate the planet or don’t care about fairness. But because the job of leading on environmental, social, and governance issues has become an impossible tightrope walk.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Leadership conversations often focus on what leaders do. How they make decisions, manage change, improve performance, or drive results. But I think the more important question is why those decisions are being made in the first place.
hrzone.com
The leadership compass: Navigating today’s challenges with integrity
Karen Liebenguth asks how we can orientate ourselves and decide what is good and ethical.
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WIRED @wired.com · 12/08/2026
Last week, an AI newsroom beat mainstream journalists—including WIRED—to a story about OpenAI and hacking. It’s just the beginning. www.wired.com/story/ai-new...
wired.com
Oh Lord, AI Reporters Are Actually Breaking Big News
Last week, an AI newsroom beat mainstream journalists—including WIRED—to a story about OpenAI and hacking. It’s just the beginning.
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Fast Company @fastcompany.com · 11/08/2026
"These 21 women are inspiring, to say the least. They refused to allow an employer’s decision to become a permanent judgment of their true potential." f-st.co/inb6OkR
f-st.co
Meet 21 Black women who bounced back and are thriving after being pushed out of the workplace
Their reinvention stories are inspiring.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
We tend to think pressure creates greatness, but I think it does something much more revealing. It exposes the systems, habits, and culture that were already in place long before the high stakes arrived.
fsrmagazine.com
4 Leadership Habits That Build Sustainable Operational Standards
When I was director of operations for Lime Fresh Mexican Grill, we spent weeks preparing for certifications. Training store status. Compliance visits. Whatever the milestone was, the prep started long before the visitor showed up. Modules were completed. Boxes were checked. Signatures were collected. Sign-off sheets were laminated. Every training document had a name next […]
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EUwatch 🇪🇺 @euwatch.live · 05/08/2026
Portugal legend Luis Figo calls for Infantino to resign, saying he 'debased' FIFA presidency
euronews.com
Portugal legend Luis Figo slams Infantino and calls for him to resign
"It is too late to save his dignity but it is not too late to save football. He should go. Now," Figo wrote in a post on X.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
AI is changing the way we work, but I don't think it's replacing what makes great employees and leaders valuable. If anything, it's making those qualities even more important. That's where I think the future of work is headed.
inc.com
AI Is Making 5 Human Skills More Valuable Than Ever. Most Companies Are Investing in the Wrong Thing
After analyzing 1 billion job ads, PwC uncovered a surprising trend: The skills gaining the most value in the AI age aren't technical at all.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Great @planted-lifecoach.bsky.social read on embracing risk taking by identifying what inhibits it!
substack.com
Taking The Risk
Seven Myths & Facts to Help You Move Forward
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
The most meaningful progress rarely comes from one person. It happens when people with different perspectives, experiences, and expertise come together around a shared goal. That was my biggest takeaway from this article.
punchng.com
Why leadership is a team sport
Discover why leadership is a team sport, not a solo act. Learn how collaborative efforts drive sustainable reforms and achieve shared goals in any sector.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
When was the last time a corporate rebrand changed so little about the customer experience - and generated so much outrage? The Cracker Barrel saga is a fascinating case study in how #brand symbolism can overwhelm business strategy. #culture #identity #trust
cnn.com
What the Cracker Barrel rage spiral was actually about | CNN Business
A revealing detail came from Cracker Barrel’s announcement this week that CEO Julie Masino is stepping down soon: She’s leaving with company-funded security still in place from the public meltdown ove...
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MeidasTouch @meidastouch.com · 30/07/2026
UEFA nations will not participate in FIFA events until the investment deal is scrapped
meidasnews.com
Europe Announces World Cup Boycott Over FIFA Investment Deal With Kushner Family
UEFA nations will not participate in FIFA events until the investment deal is scrapped
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Leadership is not about having all the answers. It's about having the curiosity to understand, the courage to challenge assumptions, and the discipline to make decisions that move an organization forward, even when those decisions are difficult.
thecable.ng
The strategic impact of leadership in dialing up business performance
Stay connected via Google News Every organisation encounters challenges. Sometimes the challenges are so fundamental that they prompt…
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
According to Deloitte's 2026 State of Generative AI in the Enterprise report, while many organizations are seeing productivity gains from AI, only 34% are using it to fundamentally transform their business.
cio.com
AI won’t transform your business if you’re still running it the same way
AI transformation fails when companies use new technology to automate old processes rather than aligning incentives, management and workflows to the future.
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Pew Research Center @pewresearch.org · 22/07/2026
France has passed a new law restricting access to social media for anyone under 15. 📱 In the U.S., our spring 2026 study found that 56% of adults support a social media ban for those under 16.
Chart showing nearly 6 in 10 Americans support a social media ban for those under 16.
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MIT Technology Review @technologyreview.com · 26/07/2026
Today, an estimated 2.2 billion people still have either limited or no access to the internet, largely because they live in remote places. But that number could drop this year, thanks to tests of stratospheric airships, uncrewed aircraft, and other high-altitude platforms for internet delivery.
trib.al
Stratospheric internet could finally start taking off this year
High-altitude platforms could help connect over 2 billion people around the world who are still offline.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
I think HR is uniquely positioned to lead this conversation. AI isn't just another technology rollout. It's changing how work gets done, how teams collaborate, and what future talent will look like.
hr-brew.com
SHRM executives are optimistic about AI in the future of work
The HR industry’s biggest professional organization is pro-AI.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
The honest truth is IBM’s brand and reputation are unquestionably driving its valuation down 📉… Fact: reputation influences financial performance and market value
forbes.com
IBM Stock Fell 25% But The Brand May Be The Real Problem
IBM stock fell 25% after weak preliminary results. The deeper issue may be its brand, as investors struggle to understand what the modern IBM really is and why it matters
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Every organization is navigating constant change, whether it's AI, shifting markets, changing customer expectations, or evolving workforce dynamics.
success.com
Leaders: Stop Building “Tolerance For Uncertainty” And Do This Instead | SUCCESS
Stop trying to tolerate uncertainty—your nervous system sees it as a threat. Learn what effective leaders do instead to navigate ambiguity and thrive.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
National AI Day is a good reminder that the conversation around AI is no longer just about the technology. It's about whether today's workforce is prepared to work alongside it. AI is changing how we solve problems, make decisions, and create value across every industry.
National AI Day is a good reminder that the conversation around AI is no longer just about the technology. It's about whether today's workforce is prepared to work alongside it.

AI is changing how we solve problems, make decisions, and create value across every industry.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Corporate reputation isn't built the way it used to be. It used to be that companies could shape their reputation through press releases, marketing campaigns, and media coverage. Today, people are paying just as much attention to what companies do as to what they say.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
In a time when decisions are often made under intense public scrutiny, it can be tempting to choose the safest path or avoid difficult conversations altogether.
news.gallup.com
Americans Say Courage Is Declining Nationwide
Most Americans see courage as vital to America's future. Yet many say that it comes with costs — personal or political — for those who act on it.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
As a business leader in higher education, I've noticed a consistent gap in our pipeline: brilliant creative minds who don't always understand how businesses actually make money. That's a problem we can fix.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
"What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" This👇🏾
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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
“.. Members of the group Patriot Front ride the metro on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in Washington, D.C.” @reuters.com
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
The Fourth of July sits at an interesting point in the year, right when momentum is building and the second half is still ahead of us.
The Fourth of July sits at an interesting point in the year, right when momentum is building and the second half is still ahead of us.
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Torod Neptune @torodneptune.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
One of the most rewarding parts of my first year teaching has been realizing just how much I learn from my students.
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Nina Metz @ninametz.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
My thoughts The show always took its characters seriously, but was smart enough, at least at the outset, not to take *itself* too seriously. It lost that balance somewhere along the way and maybe it would have benefited from its own advice: To break patterns, we have to break patterns
chicagotribune.com
‘The Bear’ final season: Cloudy with a chance of cornballs
Season 5 closes out this Chicago story of a humble Italian beef sandwich shop turned fine dining restaurant.
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