Awkward moment a CEO is taken the wrong way over an emotional post on LinkedIn
People cannot read 'authenticity' when they are emotionally invested...
Mental health has exasperated over the past two years due to the pandemic. And one of the things that many people have been and continue to be stressed about is job security.
But when it comes to this topic, we have always seen things from the point of view of the person losing their employment.
And very rarely from the perspective of the person who is behind the laying off.
Of course, under normal circumstances it wouldn't be as emotional because getting laid off can stem from a bunch of reasons.
But in this particular case, which was from a CEO's perspective, it was sadly taken in the wrong way and didn't end so well.
Braden Wallake, the CEO of HyperSocial, a marketing start-up company, recently posted a picture of himself in tears with a long post on LinkedIn.
The post shared his disappointment in himself as a CEO after having to lay off three of his employees.
It is something of a shocker to see someone share a crying face selfie on LinkedIn, but it also shows how he really was willing to share his vulnerability with the world.
In a time where people use social media in all sorts of unbecoming ways, he decided to show his feelings in a very public way. He decided to open up about something that we don't often see from CEOs or people in managerial positions...
Regret.
Admitting that they were wrong, taking ownership for a company decision, isn't necessarily how CEOs rationalise laying off staff. The responsibility that Wallake took was both bold and admirable.
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But, sadly, many people, professional people, took this as their opportunity to troll and throw shade at him.
He stood strong though, he engaged with many of the naysayers by responding in the most professional way he could.
However, they didn't stop. But it was nice to see that not all the comments were negative. The post got over 8,200 comments and over 800 shares.
Check out some of the comments that followed his honest share.
Shane S: "Braden Wallake if you were really taking responsibility, you wouldn't have said all that unnecessary extra bull lmao, you would've simply *taken responsibility*. Saying "other people don't think it's my fault" is a hedge for your ego."
Katherine Kawechi: "shane s agreed, and also, if the people who are saying "it's not your fault" are people who work for you, it's most likely they are just kissing your ass so they don't end up getting layed off aswell."
Martin Matthews: "I haven’t been on LinkedIn in a LONG while. I logged in to read this post about someone sharing something real happening in their world instead of all the fakery that prevails on social. So we both logged in, you think it’s cringeworthy.. I think it’s courageous. I guess it’s just a matter of perspective. Be well."
Jen Maheffy: "Since his initial post, one of the employees that Braden had to let go, Noah Smith has publicly come to the defense of his former employer. That’s right, even though he was the one who was laid off and has every right to be bitter, instead he is gracious and appreciative for the experience he had while working at HyperSocial . I believe that says a lot about Braden as a person and the entire company as a whole."
Image Courtesy of LinkedIn