In the Age of Outrage, How to Decide to Take a Stand on an Issue
By Tony Jaques, Director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd.
Outrage moves faster than facts. And “just stay silent” is rarely neutral. This article offers a practical way to decide whether to speak on contentious issues and, more importantly, how to make that call without sounding performative or losing trust. It lays out a shared-values framework plus real-world criteria to help any organization choose words, actions or restraint strategically.
There is no shortage of opinions about WHETHER corporates should wade into contentious social issues. But a key question is HOW you should make that decision.
There are widely diverse viewpoints about the advisability of corporates entering debate about contentious issues, ranging from “63% of corporate executives agree unequivocally that companies should speak out on social issues” (Brunswick Group survey) to “Corporate Leaders Need to Keep Their Mouths Shut” (Anthony Casey and Tom Ginsburg at the University of Chicago).
Plus seemingly endless contradictory surveys regarding consumer and stakeholder expectations. For example, within one YouGov study in the US, more than half of millennials supported brands taking a stance on social issues, while almost two thirds of adults said they would boycott a brand if they disagreed with its public position on a particular issue.
Clearly there is no right, one-size-fits-all, answer. In fact one writer recently coined the useful term: “The corporate speech dilemma”. And commentator Ben Berkley has asked the question: “Does every societal conflict really require a corporate statement?”
Yet, while pundits argue about whether to speak out, there is not so much informed discussion explicitly about how organisations should decide.
Two American academics at Temple University recently proposed what has been described as “new rules” to help organisations think it through. Greg Feistman and Heather LaMarre developed the “Shared Values Model” to guide leaders and communicators deciding on speaking out.
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Tony Jaques is a seasoned crisis communications specialist, located in Australia. His advice and counsel is always top-notch, thoughtful and strategic. He can be contacted at tjaques@issueoutcomes.com.au or www.issueoutcomes.com.au
Content is copyright of Issues Outcomes Pty Ltd, used with permission.