What I learned from being at the center of a social media storm

The online world is a dangerous place for a CEO to defend the reputation of their company but leadership is about facing challenges head-on. And it’s why you must arm yourself with the most potent weapon of all. The facts.

By Paul Peter Tak

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Among the key rules that you must obey as a scientist is this: never hide from the reality of the situation. We can’t be swayed by emotions or bury our heads in the sand if things aren’t going to plan. Always follow the data and confront a problem head-on.

It’s what I’ve been doing at Candel Therapeutics from day one and it’s why, thanks to this team’s extraordinary dedication and hard work, we’ve been able to go public, get support from prestigious grants, enjoyed consistent scientific success and, more recently, seen the share price rise. You can see our company updates here.

Step by step, our next-generation immunotherapies are gaining crucial recognition and validation, as illustrated by a publication in Nature and three FDA Fast Track Designations as well as two FDA Orphan Drug Designations – all in the last 12 months. The ambition remains to improve cancer survival rates in patients with difficult-to-treat solid tumors, potentially offering a standard of care in the future that surpasses any conventional treatment.

Which is why, over the past few days, I’ve been reflecting on an ugly social media episode that, as a chief executive, I found deeply challenging. I prefer truth-seeking discussions with key experts, congresses and scientific journals to tweets and hashtags! But I didn’t hide from the reality and, in doing so, learned a great deal about what it means to run a company in this always-on digital world, where personal agendas are often magnified at the expense of facts.

After weeks of encouraging news, I found myself on X (formerly Twitter) debating one of Candel’s assets with a small group of people – one, in particular - who wanted to shout rather than listen. Sadly, it’s what the social media platform is designed to do and why it’s hazardous for any CEO to dive in. Public relations companies have their way of doing things (usually ignore or seek legal advice) and I have mine – tackle things head-on. Present the facts, talk about them and point out what’s misleading. And, since the share price has since risen steadily, perhaps I’ve been proved right.

You can see the argumentative tussle here and I hope you find the brief but impactful exchange instructive. It’s largely about what you’re looking for in early, open-label clinical trials of immunotherapies in therapy-resistant, progressive cancer. In particular, when you want to learn about the optimal dosing-regimen, patient population, and clinical trial design. Many clinical trials will fail at this stage. If there is an encouraging signal, however, this early trial will provide the rationale for larger, randomized clinical trials that may result in approval of the new therapy. Please add your views if you wish and thanks to the many people who have already sent me messages of support. Virtual, agenda-fueled confrontation is not an ideal forum for any CEO but if you do find yourself in a similar situation, here’s my advice…

Be Bold. You have to show up. You’re defending the reputation of your company and colleagues. Most importantly, you’re defending the science. One of the key responsibilities of any leader is to deliberately put yourself into uncomfortable situations, embrace the cacophony and not hide behind the PR machine. The bolder you are, the more people will hear you.

Be Reasonable. Easier said that done on places such as X! But an argument should be a rational exchange of ideas where you’re both listening and explaining. Stay focused on the discussion, lay out things point by point, take the emotion out of everything and – most importantly of all – thicken your skin.

Be Factual. Stick to the data. When a CEO enters the fray, it should be with the intent to educate. So be as prepared as possible, with all the relevant facts to hand. It’s why I disagree with those who say that when a CEO launches a rebuttal, it’s a red flag, that things must be bad. It’s the opposite. When others ignore the facts, you have to make those facts heard. I’m not just a CEO, I’m a scientist. Facts matter more than anything.

Be Philosophical. Social media debates are not about winning or losing. In truth, you can’t win so don’t try to. Instead, be as convincing as possible without hyperbole. It’s unlikely that you’ll convince everyone but your emotions will suffer if you mistake things for a popularity contest. Make your case and move on. Or, in my case, close the laptop, go to a party with your family and dance the night away!

Be Transparent. Trust is built when audiences get to hear from leaders, see them respond, and have a chance to engage with them on a personal level. Representing your company means creating that human connection. Getting involved by correcting misinformation is a crucial part of that and adds to the authenticity of what you’re trying to say.

Be True To Yourself. If there’s one thing that bonds everyone who works in science and healthcare, it’s that we care. In the end, we exist for the benefit of others. Of course, there are personal and professional plaudits along the way but success is measured in how we help people live better lives. That empathy can’t be assumed, we have to demonstrate it. Social media may be an imperfect platform on which to do so but it’s a powerful one nonetheless. It’s why any CEO who truly cares should be on it. Every conversation matters.

Social media is as integral to business as it is to our daily lives. Colleagues and shareholders are on it, looking for encouragement and inspiration; new investors are weighing up their options through it; the media are making reputational judgements on the back of it. It’s a brilliant way to engage, connect and share.

I think my experience is an unusual one for a CEO. We tend not to get involved in these online spats in case we end up adding fuel to the fire. But sometimes you can’t sit on the sidelines, tight-lipped, waiting for the storm to pass. You have to get involved, present the facts, demonstrate leadership and argue for what you believe is right.

After all, there are people out there whose lives depend on it.