As a compliment to the first story, it's time for CEOs to return to the bully pulpit, according to the Wall Street Journal. A recent article bemoaned the fact that many "strong-willed chairmen and CEOs fear saying anything controversial in public."

Instead of telling it like it is, too many of today's CEOs fill speeches with insubstantial clichés. The article encourages corporate leaders to bring "more of their backstage feistiness into public view" and get rid of the layers of advisors that encourage them to be "risk-adverse."

"If bosses can't define the agenda with words that delight and startle, someone else will," according to the article. Today's coy CEOs are subject to attack by bloggers and social network citizens, while those that take matters into their own hands are more likely to acquit themselves favorably in the court of public opinion.

Just as important as telling the truth and taking an aggressive posture is the way that CEOs make their remarks. For example, couching a criticism in a sly joke or using a left-handed compliment can be much more effective than outright brashness. In other words, speak the truth but do so in a way that makes a point without seeming petty or hypocritical.

Some of the current chieftains regarded as examples of plain speaking are Berkshire-Hathaway's Warren Buffett, Microsoft's Bill Gates, Disney's Bob Iger and Apple's Steve Jobs. It is possible that Jobs' trashing of wireless carriers led Apple to cut a sweet deal with AT&T to provide service for the iPhone.

Steve Lipin, a Wall Street Journal alumnus and now corporate communications expert, told the Journal that "offense is the new defense" for CEOs.