The Strategy Behind When to Take a Stand

Blame it on the rise of social media, more socially conscious consumers, or perhaps even the 24-hour news cycle, but never has there been more pressure on companies to weigh in on controversial topics trending in the mainstream consciousness. These topics are often centered around real-time crises—everything from war to social injustice to political upheaval and traumatic events.

News topics of the day are no longer something to only be discussed and debated at the dining room table. In a world driven by consumer perceptions, where brands and businesses alike are expected to be transparent in everything from who they do business with to what causes they champion, there can be a great deal of pressure for corporate leaders to issue formal statements or to show support or dissent on any number of sensitive topics. Cancel culture peddles in the extremes, and sometimes it’s only in hindsight that we realize an individual, an idea or an organization was treated unfairly.   

Navigating this very tricky environment, and knowing how and when to do something can be debilitating. In many cases, you run the risk of offending just as many people as you are trying to support. Legalities come into play, as you carefully sidestep the minefield of how to share views on a personal level without it being mistaken for your company’s policy, a mistake that companies like Goya or Wells Fargo have experienced firsthand.

Not every topic warrants action, but it is important to know not only which ones matter for your business but also what your position will be. When considering just how to weigh in, here are four questions that can help guide your strategy:

Are you ready?

Major decisions should never be made in haste, and that includes deciding when and how to respond to a sensitive topic. Multiple stakeholders must be involved, including company leadership, legal counsel, public relations experts, and, when possible, voices that are directly impacted by the topic at hand. Allowing multiple people to consider a position from every side helps to reduce the risk that your actions or statement could be seen as performative rather than authentic. 

International law firm Perkins Coie offers a great checklist to review before making a politically-charged statement. It highlights some of the legal issues a corporation must consider as well as how to establish a framework for determining the kinds of topics where you want your company to have a voice.

Is your message meaningful?

Are you saying something that will matter to your customers, your partners and your employees, or are you just adding to the noise? Is there a deeper purpose behind your message and can you point to what the company is doing outside of just the words you are sharing? Words without action come across as inauthentic.

When weighing how impactful your message might be, it’s helpful to consider the other option. How loud is your silence? You may find that in some cases, adding your voice to the discussion has little effect and is superfluous to those individuals or organizations who have a bigger stake or better insight. Conversely, you may determine that saying nothing, because you fear saying the wrong thing, could be far more damaging. 

There are too many issues for any one organization to comment on them all. To do so would take you away from running your business. You know best which issues matter most for the organization and the people you serve, but consistency is key.

Are you prepared for the fallout that comes from taking a side?

Companies have long weighed in on tricky social matters but rarely in a public way. Typically, these conversations have taken place in the form of lobbying government officials or regulators for the express benefit of the organization. Today, there is a much higher demand for acting benevolently, doing things because it is the ‘right’ or ‘socially acceptable’ thing to do rather than because it serves a self-serving purpose. 

Few leaders have to be convinced of the value of doing the right thing. The challenging part is to know exactly what the right thing is, especially in the face of issues that are highly nuanced, with strong feelings and emotions on both sides of the argument. For example, how do you decide who you champion and who you offend?

While there are never easy answers to these questions, it can help to lean on your own company’s culture and values. What issues speak to those values? Where are you ok to dig in your heels because you feel it is essential, even if it means losing some of your customers? When an issue is truly important, it’s easier to draw the lines and risk the backlash. It’s important first, however, to consider the fallout and be willing to accept the consequences of your actions. 

Can you stand by your conviction for the long term?

Consumer sentiment is an ever-shifting element. Just like any good politician will tell you, don’t get too caught up in the polls. If you take sides on tricky issues because you’re swayed by the court of public opinion, be prepared for the pendulum to swing in a different direction, one that could put you and your company squarely outside of what’s popular.

Instead, make decisions that you can stand by even if the winds of change blow in a new direction. Certainly, as Maya Angelou so aptly said, when we know better we do better. You can always improve on your position over time but shifting with every prevailing wind leads to a sense that your organization is disingenuous. If you don’t feel comfortable weighing in on a sensitive topic because it isn’t something you can hold your team or your business accountable for, it is better to not weigh in at all.

The world continues to present highly controversial situations that test the neutrality of even the most magnanimous leaders. There isn’t always an option to sit on the sidelines, and in some instances, it’s absolutely critical to add your voice to the conversation. Seek to find solutions that are thoughtful, that allow multiple stakeholders in the organization to weigh in, and that remain both sensitive and open minded to each audience you have. This approach is the best way to foster an inclusive company culture and create a legacy built on transparency and authenticity.