The death of George Floyd and the massive uprising of protests have left many businesses speechless and uncertain about how to proceed.
Profound social issues, specifically Black Lives Matter and equitable practices toward people of color, are now important to every company’s stated code of ethics and bottom line. Firms that remain silent, formerly considered the safe course, now risk the backlash of their inaction.
This week, an Edelman poll of 2,000 found that 60% want to know where businesses stand on Black Lives Matter and 63% expect brands to back their statements with concrete action to avoid being seen as exploitative or opportunistic. They are highly suspicious of companies that fail to comment. Brands that do speak up are much more likely to gain trust than to lose it.
As business leaders, we are now expected to step in and lead by example. But these are perilous times for companies, and the corporate playbook of crisis management is being rewritten every day. The new expectations take guts, social awareness, and the recognition that communication that compromises is likely to backfire. Phrases to avoid:
- “All Lives Matter” – No, the issue today is African American lives and the history of abuse at the hands of power. Ducking the issue is transparent to all.
- “Blue Lives Matter” – That phrase has been adopted by extremists and is a euphemism for the justification of brutality. Police chiefs marching with protesters disavow the expression.
- “We’re going to review our policies across the board.” – In the public mind, no promise guarantees less.
What’s expected of businesses is citizenship and awareness. The new rules reward taking a stand. The reward is customer trust and starts with forthright statements such as:
- The killing of black people by police has to stop, period.
- We stand with you.
- We will support you.
- We will fight for you.
- We will not let this continue.
- We will lift you up when someone knocks you down.
- We will serve on juries against racism.
- We will use our skills and money to help.
- We will vote with you and for you.
- We will support Black Lives Matter.
- We will protest publicly and to authorities in our communities when we hear of abuses.
- We will bear witness and take actions.
When Matthew McConaughey asked how he could do better as a white man, former NFL player Emmanuel Acho said that the first step was to acknowledge and dispel implicit bias.
We should stop trying to make people feel comfortable when we feel uncomfortable. Savvy businesses already know never to minimize the experience of victims, never to allow alternative truths or caveats and never to offer disingenuous connection by “personally understanding.” Instead, businesses need to lead in ethical policies. We will continue to learn, speak out, and not see our customers as numbers, profiles or targets.
To survive under the new normal of crisis, businesspeople must now show what kind of people they are and strive to be.
These are complicated and treacherous waters to navigate. We’re here to help you pause, reflect, find your authentic voice and get it right.
