Brian Armstrong is being a coward
I’m calling it as I see it: Brian Armstrong is being a coward.
Jack Dorsey, Tim Cook, Jeff Weiner, Sundar Puchai, Satya Nadella, Marc Benioff, Elon Musk +dozens more seem to be dealing with the major social issues plaguing America right now, while increasing cash flow, profits, solving shareholders and managing user value.
Is it easy? No.
Did anyone say being a CEO on your way to an IPO would be simple? Certainly not.
But Brian has lost sight of who got him to where he is today: humans.
I have said this throughout so many of my articles, posts, podcast interviews and speaking panels… the most important investment for any business is its human capital.
Humans build your product.
Humans market your product.
Humans sell your product.
Humans buy your product.
Humans use your service.
Humans service your human customers.
Humans write the code.
Humans test the code.
Humans do the accounting.
Humans hire humans.
Humans run the business.
Humans deal with humans.
If a human business owner or leader can’t deal with its own humans, they shouldn’t be running a business fraught with humans.
Happy or sad, good or bad, satisfied or disgruntled — it’s what you signed up for you when started a business that employs humans.
Humans valuable to a business will support a leader who invests in them.
Leaders who don’t invest in good humans will lose them.
I’ve owned businesses, have run thousands of humans, and understand the liquidity issue, public relations/social stance and challenges facing the current social issues and business as a whole right now.
By no means am I perfect. And I’ve certainly had my fair share of failing in handling humans in the past.
But if there is one thing that a true, profitable and well-respected business leader will never do, is ignore humans.
Listen. Learn. Solve. All within your business.
Then the humans in your company will embrace your vision, mission and values, and push your company up to the top of the list of Most Valued Companies in the world to work at.
By then, making billions will be incidental, and the outcome will be shared with everyone as a result.
Ignore the voices that found your success at your own peril.
