Welcome to Skipco! Here’s your desk, laptop, and work assignments. My door is open and I’m happy to help you succeed. However, if you could please keep all discourse to work-related topics, we would appreciate it. We have a strict ‘no personal opinions’ policy here. We have found controversy to be unproductive.
Feeling ‘on board’ yet?
I’m fascinated by the corporate responses to social movements.
- JPMorgan will spend $30 billion on banking for Black and Hispanic communities (it’s about time they took action).
- Whole Foods employees walked out after being told they could not wear #BLM masks.
- Starbucks barred #BLM-wear before reversing course and providing everyone with #BLM t-shirts.
- And Coinbase will thank you to say absolutely nothing at all about diversity
WHAT?
In a dramatic flip flop, the CEO was criticized for not voicing a clear message of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. So he did. And then he didn’t.
Backing away from that position, CEO Brian Armstrong declared that Coinbase would be an apolitical company, updated the mission statement to spurn all political discussions, and offered severance for anyone who wasn’t on board. In a classic negative option total jerk move, the offer stated that anyone who didn’t take the offer would be assumed to be in full support of the new mission.
It’s not only appalling, it’s absolutely ridiculous. The justification sounds logical: Discussion of politicized movements create divisions. Yes, they do, but discouraging discussion doesn’t mean the divisions will go away. They get worse. We polarize.
The best way to create change is to engage in open dialogue. Education changes perspectives. When we discourse, we learn.
The Edelman Trust Barometer clearly indicates employees are looking to their leadership to help make societal change. We cannot remain neutral. We have a duty to our communities and country.
Thoughtfully yours,
Jeff
