#MeToo Culture and What It Means for Energy

I believe that speaking up is good for business.

So here goes:

Me too.

You’ve probably seen this a lot already this week. I hope you see it even more. Because that phrase is about speaking up to change a culture that prefers silence.

It’s happening because yet another larger-than-life figure, Hollywood hit-maker Harvey Weinstein, has allegedly engaged in a string of abuses stretching back decades. Weinstein is suffering the consequences now, but it took a New York Times expose to get action.

Let's get this on the table up front. #MeToo is gender neutral. I know bad behavior doesn't discriminate.

As I always say, never waste a good crisis. And this time, “me too” is our collective way of saying, “We won’t.”

The concept is simple. As it was first proposed by actress Alyssa Milano on Twitter: “If all the women who have been harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” 

And they’re doing it — in droves. The stories I’m reading on social media are stunning. I can only imagine what’s not being shared. But the power in this case is in the sheer act of speaking up — regardless of what you say.

We have to build a culture in business and in life that supports speaking up — not just as it relates to harassment and assault but about anything unsafe, unethical or unacceptable. Yes, it’s the right thing to do, but also, the survival of our businesses depends on it:

• Weinstein was fired by the board of his company, which is now in talks over a possible sale. He has been expelled by the organization behind the Oscars. And he’s now under investigation by police in New York and London.
• The litany of bad leadership examples in the C-suite goes on. Hello Uber?
• More close to home, earlier this year, I took on an oil and gas "Bubba" who thought guns, oil, and babes were cool images to promote a drilling business at a high profile industry event. People messaged overnight putting the elephant in the room and addressing it.

Silence is golden but when things aren't right, we must feel okay to speak up.

“Me too” feels like the start of a new normal, like another opportunity for us to get used to the power of speaking up. After all, if we can do it when it comes to something as deeply personal and painful as harassment and assault, the possibilities are endless. Imagine a corporate world where you can intervene and make a positive impact? We see stories like this every day in energy where we want to keep our people, planet and assets safe.

I applaud all of you for sharing your stories. And for those who still sit in silence, know that we can change this story together. Speaking up could be as simple as sharing or liking what someone has to say. It's a start.

What do you think about #MeToo culture? Has social media encouraged you to use your voice to speak up? Comment below or send me a direct message.