Is It Worth It For Entrepreneurs To Make a Statement During Turbulent Times?
*This article was originally published on LinkedIn
If COVID-19 weren’t enough, leaders the world over have been stretched even farther by civil rights protests speaking out against police brutality and for racial equality. Disney, Netflix, Bank of America, and Peloton are only a few of the companies that have made statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, and millions of dollars have been pledged to protester bail funds.
But if you’re an entrepreneur, you might feel lost in the shuffle between recovering from COVID-related shutdowns, supporting the few employees you may still have, and feeling pressure to make a statement to your community. How can you communicate most effectively in these turbulent times? Should you make a statement at all? Ask yourself the following questions.
“What are the values my company espouses?”
Do not even consider making a statement aligning with any cause if your company cannot back it up with its values. Consumers respond well to statements in support of equal rights for common sense reasons, but if your business says one thing and does another, you should prepare for backlash. For example, when the Washington Redskins blacked out its team’s Twitter profile photo during the #blackout, comments on the change far outnumbered likes, as controversy around the team’s name made the action ring hypocritical.
“What are my personal values?”
The strongest leaders live from a deep set of core values that drive everything they do. They are anchored in these values when times get rocky, and they have confidence because they are secure within themselves. Before making a statement on behalf of the company, assess your personal core values—what do you believe in? What drives you? If you’re driven by compassion, generosity, integrity, and other noble values, you should have no trouble speaking fearlessly.
“Why do I feel compelled to make a statement?”
Don’t make a statement just because everyone else is doing it. If you say something out of an obligation, your words will lose their power en route from your mouth to the ears and eyes of your audience, and the hollowness will be remembered. But if you genuinely believe in the cause, and you know it is important to your employees, customers, and community, speak from your heart. People will feel the authenticity of a statement made from your values. Not only will they will appreciate what was said, they are more likely to be loyal because of it.
Between the impact of COVID and the fervor of protests, entrepreneurs have been given a unique opportunity to assess their strengths and weaknesses, not just in the industries in which they function, but as members of their communities. The businesses that survive will be the ones whose leaders usher their communities the most authentically.