Anaheim, CA - June 02: Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company during the ... [+]
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek demonstrated again this week why companies should not wait to make their positions known about a crisis or controversial issue. And why the sooner they speak up, the better. Otherwise, a company’s silence could create a crisis for the organization.
Just ask Chapek.
According to Deadline, “…Chapek is facing his biggest test to date: discontent within his own company. The open internal revolt was sparked by Disney’s botched response to Florida’s so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which would ban classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in the state’s primary schools.’’
The proposal was passed this week by the Florida legislature and Gov. Ron Desantis said he would sign it into law.
Statement Sparks Protests
Forbes noted that Chapek “first released a statement on Monday that said corporate statements ‘do very little to change outcomes or minds’ and that the company instead preferred to focus on showcasing LGBTQ stories through its entertainment content.”
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Times reported that, “A group of employees at Disney-owned Pixar Animation Studios sent a statement to leadership, expressing their frustration with the company’s position.
“We are writing because we are disappointed, hurt, afraid, and angry,” said the statement, attributed to the LGBTQIA+ employees of Pixar and their allies. “In regards to Disney’s financial involvement with legislators behind the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, we hoped that our company would show up for us. But it didn’t.”
The statement called on Disney’s “leadership to immediately withdraw all financial support from the legislators behind the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, to fully denounce this legislation publicly, and to make amends for their financial involvement.”
The employees were not the first to urge that the company publicly address the issue.
According to Click Orlando, “hundreds of people gathered for rallies, held in both Florida and California, on March 3 calling for Disney to take a stand.’’
“Hundreds of people chanted and shouted in front of the Disney sign [in Orlando, Florida] calling on the company to share its views on the Parental Rights in Education bill, widely known to its critics as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. There were over 200 people gathered outside Disney calling for action.”
Going Public
Then on Wednesday, Chapek publicly denounced the legislation during a meeting with Disney shareholders.
‘’While we’ve been strong supporters of the (LGBTQ) community for decades, I know that many are upset that we did not speak out against the bill. Now, we were opposed to the bill from the outset, but we chose not to take a public position on it because we thought we could be more effective working behind the scenes, engaging directly with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle,” Chapek said.
Message To Employees
Yesterday, Chapek sent an email to Disney employees, confirming that the company was publicly against the measure.
What he said and how he said it could serve as a template for other business leaders when they are forced to change course or positions in a crisis situation at their corporations or organizations.
Here are some of the tactics and techniques he used in the message:
Acknowledge The Opinions Of Others
“Thank you to all who have reached out to me sharing your pain, frustration and sadness over the company’s response to the Florida “Don’t Say Gay’ bill. Speaking to you, reading your messages, and meeting with you have helped me better understand how painful our silence was. It is clear that this is not just an issue about a bill in Florida, but instead yet another challenge to basic human rights. “
Apologize
“You needed me to be a stronger ally in the fight for equal rights and I let you down. I am sorry.”
Promise To Do Better
“I missed the mark in this case but am an ally you can count on—and I will be an outspoken champion for the protections, visibility, and opportunity you deserve.”
Announce New Steps
“Starting immediately, we are increasing our support for advocacy groups to combat similar legislation in other states. We are hard at work creating a new framework for our political giving that will ensure our advocacy better reflects our values.
“And today, we are pausing all political donations in the state of Florida pending this review. But, I know there is so much more work to be done. I am committed to this work and to you all, and will continue to engage with the LGBTQ+ community so that I can become a better ally. You will hear more about our progress in the coming weeks.”
Not Well Received By Some
Disney’s decision was not well-received by some people.
Florida Gov. DeSantis said that, “You have companies, like at Disney, that are going to say and criticize parents' rights, they’re going to criticize the fact that we don’t want transgenderism in kindergarten in first grade classrooms.”
"And so in Florida, our policies got to be based on the best interest of Florida citizens, not on the musing of woke corporations," he added.
Reality Check
That’s one of the realities of speaking out about controversial issues: No matter what you do or what you say, sometimes you just can’t please everyone.
In every crisis, business leaders must decide what the best thing—and right thing—for their companies and organizations. Unfortunately, they may not always be the same thing.
