Staying Out… of Politics?

An assassination attempt is made on a former US president, and in short order many top CEOs take to the media to decry the act of violence. Some members of the public praise their statements; others may think the CEOs’ comments are inauthentic, robotic, even political.

These days, the US presidential campaign—along with its constant drama—is all anyone in the country can talk about. The topic comes up during internal work, pre-meeting banter, coffee breaks, and nearly everywhere else employees talk to one another. But when it comes to the man or woman in the corner office, politics remains a dicey issue to bring up.

Indeed, one survey this year found that 36% of workers would consider leaving their jobs if their CEO expressed political views they disagreed with. Among 18- to 34-year-olds, that figure jumps to 44% percent. And more than half of all workers—56%—said that political talk during meetings makes them uncomfortable. “I think it is best if executive leaders simply say ‘We focus on operating our company by taking care of our employees and our stakeholders, and weighing in on political agendas is not what we do,’” says Alan Guarino, vice chairman in Korn Ferry’s Board and CEO Services practice.

Political issues are, of course, mounting all over the globe, with elections everywhere from the UK to India sparking heated debate. Even so, says  Paul Fogel, Korn Ferry’s sector leader in professional search, CEOs need to say as little as possible. “As polarized as it is right now, it’s probably best to stay out of it, especially at a publicly traded company.” The rationale for this, experts say, is straightforward: A leader’s public statement might energize stakeholders who agree with it, but it almost certainly will anger people—both inside and outside the firm—who don’t.

But others worry that saying nothing or reacting awkwardly has a cost too. “It’s tough to be in HR right now,” says David Vied, global sector leader of Korn Ferry’s Medical Devices and Diagnostics practice; this political season, he observes, is making many leaders uneasy. “Now it’s often expected for CEOs to take stands,” says Dan Kaplan, senior client partner in Korn Ferry’s CHRO practice.

For her part,  Kate Shattuck, global co-leader of Korn Ferry’s Impact Investing, ESG and Sustainability practice, says she is less concerned about what CEOs say than she is about off-the-cuff political remarks managers might make. Few companies, she points out, provide any training to managers about how to handle political comments—their own or an employee’s—or how to address charged situations that can arise from political discussions emerging. “CEO are well positioned to give values-based reflection and balanced points,” she says. “Managers down the line, however, might not know how to be a voice of calm.” 

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