"The Social Network Two - Big Masculine Energy"..what does Zuck's volte face mean for comms leaders?

Nearly 20 years ago, I interviewed for a role at Facebook HQ in the comms team. At the time, I was living and working in San Francisco and looking for a change from my relentless PR agency leadership role.

It was so long ago that at the time, the company was still offering a rental stipend if you chose to live within a few blocks of the office and I was seriously considering the relocation from downtown SF to the somewhat sleepier Menlo Park.

It was a big change, but c'mon! It was Facebook. A chance to get a relatively early seat on the rocketship and be part of the movement democratising access to technology and information...

Reader, I didn't get the job.

I didn't get a ton of feedback, but one of the strangest things about the interview was that my interviewer (the head of Comms) didn't show up. They were in Germany apparently. Oh.

And now here we are in 2025.

The excellent 2010 film "The Social Network" remains one of my favourites to rewatch, in part, due to the brilliant portrayal of Zuck by Jesse Eisenberg and in part, because, Andrew Garfield has one of the most satisfying comebacks in the whole of movie history:

"Sorry, my Prada's at the cleaners! Along with my hoodie and my f**k you flip flops, you pretentious douche-b*g!"

(Shout it silently to yourself the next time someone annoys you at work, you'll feel much better, I promise.)

But are we now in fact due for a sequel?

Let's call it "The Social Network Two - Big Masculine Energy"

You'll have heard all about the news from Meta in recent weeks, in particular:

• The de-funding of DEI programs (I'm linking to the leaked internal memo)
• Fact-checking teams being replaced with community efforts

And whilst this isn't a diatribe about decision making or politics, I do want to examine what this shift means for comms leaders in today's climate. Such as...

• The role your personal values play in where you work, and where you choose to lead.
• What happens when the company or organisation evolves past the point where your values align (even in part, if not whole)?
• As a comms leader, do you see it as your responsibility to reflect the values of the organisation and its founder?
• In such a tough climate for comms roles, is it idealistic to lead with your values?
• I'm super interested to know what conversations you are currently having with your board and management team about DEI initiatives and strategy going forward, both from an organisational perspective and a repuational one.

As a leadership and careers coach for the brilliant leaders working in Comms around the world, I reflect often on the role that our values play at work.

This feels like a huge moment for many of us as we navigate what that means where the rubber hits the road and the policy pendulum swings.

What do you think?

#communications #strategiccommunications #directorofcommunications #meta #DEI

#leadershipinsights