I have always been reasonably politically and socially aware, with a strong “justice sensitivity” streak.
I got embarrassed at a party in high school once because a former 4th grade classmate couldn’t recall my name but remembered me as “that petition girl.” (Cringe, but the shoe fit. I think I circulated half a dozen petitions to the school administration about perceived grievances and oversights in the one year I went to that school.)
The moment I started leading a small business, though, I stopped saying most of my political opinions out loud.
Some of our employees took issue with this and asked why I didn’t publicly take a stance on [insert relevant news headline or popular movement of the day].
The real answer? I was scared of collateral damage to the team.
When I was a solo actor, I didn’t particularly care if someone disliked what I had to say. If I were an uncancelable billionaire (plus or minus a few hundo mil), you couldn’t shut me up.
The middle feels messier, somehow. Your voice is still too small to make big waves for good, but big enough to have blowback that hurts other people.
If clients canceled contracts or we lost the support of partners because of one of my personal opinions? I wasn’t sure exercising my freedom of speech was worth that tradeoff for my team.
It wasn’t that I was particularly worried about the personal or financial consequences of sharing a controversial opinion, especially in support of a cause I believed in. I was afraid of putting our ability to make payroll at risk because I felt compelled to run my mouth about something outside my scope of expertise or influence.
Still, I believe entrepreneurs and small business owners have an important role to play in the fabric of social good. They create jobs and opportunities, and they have the ability to build really great work environments. That impacts individuals, families, and communities in a very direct and personal way.
We can be the change we want to see in the world by creating little microcosms of good within the things we can control. So, for most of the last 8 years, I focused on where I could actually move the needle and put my overt activist hat on the back burner.
To be clear – I’m not saying business owners should be politically neutral. I’m saying that choosing not to make a public statement is not the same as not caring, and public statements aren’t the only way to make a difference.
Of course, silence has its own costs, too. That’s part of what makes this balance so difficult.
Anyway, I wanted to say all of this out loud for two reasons:
- To explain myself to anyone who was disappointed. I know there were moments when some people wished I’d spoken up, and I understand why. We care about many of the same issues, and I hope you know my silence never came from a place of apathy.
- To ask other CEOs and founders who are grappling with this same balance: What works for you? I’m not convinced I got it quite right, and I’m still searching for that sweet spot as I think about starting my next thing.
PS: While I’m between roles, expect the filter to be a little thinner. Gotta get all these pent-up hot takes out on the table. 😉
PPS: GO VOTE! Early voting starts next week in many places. It matters.