Corporate Courage or Cowardice?
I live in the Bay Area, at the nexus of Silicon Valley and San Francisco. Though I like to make it clear that I live in the East Bay. Much like our stereotypes of the rest of the country — things are more subtle, more complex than easy geographic attributions.
But here goes. Here in the Bay Area, we have many assets, many strengths, many passionate people driven by values. We also like to look in the mirror a lot and like what we see. We can be self-congratulatory, arrogant and ignorant of the nation beyond our bubble.
We also have many companies that proclaim and then claim that they have disrupted this, reinvented that. Hype and hokum can be blended in a dangerous mix of venture capital and smart technologists to serve up messy mixes of medicine for illnesses that do not exist.
Corporate leader as brave trailblazer? Now is the time to prove it. Typically, you have enough money to pay your lives, live in a house, feed your family, manage your health, fund your kids’ education. What are you worried about, why won’t you speak your conscience. Are you keeping track of your social status and afraid you might move down a notch. Are you frightened to be vulnerable. Most of us, not living in privileged conditions have had moments of ethical challenges, moral dilemmas.
Some of us have spoken up and been fired. I worked in a version of a “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” mental health institution, saw a staffer beat down a client and reported him. We were in a locked unit with big men, with dual diagnoses (psychoses and developmental delay) and yes, we did have to restrain folks. I did it myself. But we did not have to beat a client. Guess what, during the weeks of the investigation, no one watched my back during various difficult client interactions. It sucked, it was frightening. Most blue collar Americans have had some issue happen at work and navigated it.
But with great privilege and rewards, comes great responsibility. Wealthy people have a wealth of opportunity to make a difference.
Lions, tigers, bears and honey badgers. Courage, anyone?
