Should Leaders Take a Stand?

While more than half of consumers want companies and their leaders to take a stand on social issues, doing so could come at a cost – whether it’s lost talent, sales, or partnerships. Recent examples include Bud Light, whose sales fell 30% in June 2023 compared with the same week in 2022 after it partnered with a transgenic influencer, and Target Corp., which lost $13 billion in market value in one month, with part of the loss being attributed to backlash of the retailer’s Pride-themed children’s clothing line. So what’s a leader to do when controversial social issues arise? With neuroscience in mind, NLI’s Laura Cassiday and David Rock offer up three approaches companies can take in Fast Company.