FORBES EDWARD SEGAL
LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES
WHAT CEOS SHOULD
CONSIDER BEFORE
SPEAKING OUT ON
HOT-BUTTON ISSUES
There are several factors and considerations that can influence whether and when CEOs and
other business leaders should speak out on the latest hot-button issues.
A lot can be riding on their decision, which could create a crisis for executives and their
organizations. That possibility could make corporate officials think twice about speaking up. For
example, in October, more than a third of surveyed business executives said they felt very or
somewhat uncomfortable going public with their views on government policy. Why? Because of
fears of the risks to their reputation or companies, political retribution, and harassment of their
employees. That’s according to a poll by Leadership Now.
Staying quiet can be as harmful as speaking out. “The risk of not speaking can be a loss of talent,
a decline in brand loyalty among younger demographics, and a vacuum where your brand’s
values should be,” Kimberly Morrison, a senior account executive at Tucker/Hall, a crisis
management firm, concluded.
There are increasing pressures for executives and their companies to take public stands. “The
business environment is changing at a rapid pace. Whether it be the speed of information or the
public calls to ‘do better,’ the global pressure on businesses to rethink their sociopolitical role is
simply undeniable,” Temple University professors Gregg Feistman and Heather LaMarre
observed in the introduction of their new book, “Raising Social Capital: Corporate Advocacy and
Impact in a Time of Social Change.”
Factors to consider
Executives should speak out on hot-button issues only when three conditions are met, according
to Stacey Cohen, an adjunct marketing professor at Fordham University. They include whether
an issue “aligns with the organization’s core values, it directly impacts key stakeholders, and the
leader is prepared to stand by the message even in the face of pushback,” she told me via email.
The blowback can be exacerbated if business leaders “react too quickly, communicate
emotionally without a plan, or misread how different audiences will interpret their words. CEOs
are not just spokespeople; they are brands in their own right. Effective leaders know when their
voice adds value, and when restraint is essential to preserve trust,” Cohen concluded.
Before going public with their views on controversial matters, CEOs should answer a
fundamental question. “Does this issue directly impact our mission, our employees, or our
ability to do business? If a leader speaks out on an issue that has zero connection to their brand’s
core values, they risk being labeled as ‘performative.’ Authentic advocacy only happens where
business interest meets public good,” Morrison of Tucker/Hall advised.
Strategic execution
Once executives decide to speak out about an issue, they should be strategic in their comments.
Morrison said that includes:
Listening First
“Understand the temperature of your internal stakeholders. Your employees are your first and
most critical audience. If your public stance contradicts your internal culture, the ‘blowback’ will
come from within.”
Having the right perspective
“Don’t just release a statement; explain the why. Connect the stance to the organization’s long-
term strategy.”
Preparing to pivot
“In public affairs, every action has a reaction. Leaders must be prepared for social media
scrutiny and potential political friction. Focus on ‘reputation management’ as a proactive shield,
not just a reactive bandage.”
The ultimate question
Another consideration to take into account is whether an executive’s positions, expectations of
stakeholders, and the nature of the issue outweigh the risks of speaking out. “That’s the ultimate
question you have to ask. Taking well-thought-out risks sets great companies and great leaders
apart. It’s important to also account for the fact that there is risk in inaction as well as in action.
Employees especially often hold higher expectations for companies and leaders to weigh in on
certain hot-button issues, and employees make choices about where they go and stay on the
basis of that,” Adams of APCO pointed out.
For company officials, the decision to speak—or stay silent—is as much about crisis
management as it is about expressing values and core principles. Either choice can carry
consequences. The goal is not to avoid backlash at all costs, but to anticipate it, prepare for it,
and communicate in a way that protects credibility with employees, customers, and other
stakeholders.