A CEO’s compassion? Or just doing it for the views?

[Geodude 🌻]

This morning, I stumbled across this article and many other media outlets have picked this up www.newsweek.com/ceos-linkedin-crying-selfie-about-layoffs-backlash-1732677

I do agree that CEOs are people and people have the right to their emotions. That part is clear to me. It’s okay for him to cry or feel bad about it. But what I don’t agree with is that while he just “feels bad” and makes a post that goes viral, his employees are the ones that have to suffer the real consequences of his actions.

Whether it’s a business mistake or other reasons, I felt that his time could have been better spent finding ways to keep those employees. Maybe it involves lowering his own pay. If that is not enough, maybe come out honestly with his employees about the economic situation of the company and say I’m doing what I can, but “we may need to freeze wages for this year” and “that includes cutting my own pay.” Or if it just doesn’t work out, resort to layoffs but help his employees find something new.

I feel like scoring likes and views on social media is the last thing he should be doing. We know the economy is slowing down a bit. Some companies are laying people off. Letting people go is not an easy task if you genuinely care about them. But I think these powerful folks running companies can afford to go beyond just words and social media posts.

[Celestial]

To me, this feels performative, and trying to come out looking like the "good guy" despite ruining people's lives. If he really cared, he could have done that much more. Instead, this is... maybe not scoring points on social media, but definitely trying to make this about him. Definitely giving off a "I'm not like other CEOs" vibe here. If he really cared, I believe he could have done more.

And I have no doubt this is going to backlash on him and there will be dirt dug up on him whether he wants it to or not. In the long run, this was not a good stunt to pull by dragging the world into this. Nothing satisfies the internet mob more than a powerful person being brought down low, and he's given them prime ammunition.

[Gelquie]

It does feel performative, but I wonder if that was his intention. Perhaps he meant what he said, but he went about it all the wrong way. (He did follow up with an apology for how it came across saying that he wasn't intending to make it about himself.) Perhaps he's trying to make a point against how common the "heartless CEO" train of thought is; since that's such a prolific thought that he perhaps doesn't feel about himself, perhaps he's trying to change minds about it. But in doing so pointed out where the "heartless CEO" thought may come from, as it demonstrates being out of touch with the employees who are affected, by focusing on the feelings on his end. Thus, despite his potential intentions, it still feels insulting for many people.

I feel this way in general with apologies and regret, and I think it here too: I think it would've gone better if he had taken actionable steps to get the employees re-employed somewhere, even by connecting them to a service meant for that, maybe even paying for those dues for a while, depending on how rich he is. Apologies can come in words and sometimes they're necessary in words, but they're stronger with action. (And importantly, not empty promises.) If he continues to give words and pictures and doesn't do anything to help the employees, then this would be purely performative or against his potential intention, and he would earn the criticism saying that he is being purely self-focused.

He has mentioned "starting a thread for people looking for work," though I'm not entirely sure what he means. Time will tell how far that goes.

Anyway, I found said updates in this article: www.cnbc.com/2022/08/11/ceo-posts-crying-selfie-on-linkedin-after-laying-off-employees-and-it-goes-viral-.html