Snitty ‘Pity City’ retort misses the mark

The CEO of MillerKnoll, Andi Owen, was on Zoom with her employees, answering a question about how they would stay motivated if no bonuses were coming this year at the office furniture company. Her answer? “You can visit Pity City, but you can’t live there. So people, leave Pity City.”

All I can say is, yikes, what a mistake! No big surprise, video of the Zoom call went viral, and she was in for some very harsh criticism.

Ms. Owen was understandably upset by the negative tone of the question. And maybe she felt defensive that the company was unable to offer bonuses this year. Those feelings, however, can’t dictate her response.  

Executives’ words carry weight and affect more than their own image

Let’s examine what was so terrible about Ms. Owen’s reply. Two things.

First, the CEO of a major corporation can never speak carelessly, especially when she’s speaking publicly. The wrong words can damage her brand, the corporation’s brand, even the stock price. The more senior you are, the more you must be very self-aware and intentional in how you speak. Snark won’t cut it.

Second, Ms. Owen failed to think about what she was trying to accomplish. Presumably, her goal was to engage her people and encourage them to bring their best energy to work. But her words were cliched, disrespectful and showed a lack of understanding for her employees’ world.

It’s like when you’re upset and someone says to you, “Calm down!” That never works. It’s guaranteed to make you even more annoyed. 

Aim to answer tough questions more constructively 

What could Ms. Owen have said when the employee asked about motivation without bonuses? How about, “I get it. You’ve been busting your butt for the company, hanging in during COVID, and now I’m delivering bad news to you about your compensation. I wish the news were different. The problem isn’t that you haven’t been working hard and well — the economic big picture is pinching us and many other companies right now. I’m so grateful for all you have done, and I’m confident that if we keep bringing our best, the news will be better next time.”

The questioner and other listeners might still feel frustrated and disappointed. But they would have felt heard and respected, which is probably the best way to keep them motivated. 

Ms. Owen is not the only CEO to be frustrated by aspects of her employees’ behavior or the only one to respond thoughtlessly. My hope for all senior executives is that they learn to manage their emotional reactions thoughtfully, think about what they are trying to accomplish, and choose their words accordingly. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how to motivate your team members, contact me at ggolden@gailgoldenconsulting.com.