Who’s Running Your Company? A Wake-Up Call for CEOS

It’s 2025. Do you know who’s running your company? Don’t answer too quickly.

I’m not referring to the title on your LinkedIn profile or the nameplate on your corner office. I challenge you to look deeper. Are you truly at the helm of your organization, or are you letting outside forces bully you into decisions that jeopardize your revenue, reputation, and retention? If that sounds harsh, good. It’s time to shake up the C-suite.

The Quiet Hijacking of Leadership

Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed countless corporations crumble under pressure from outsiders who claim to know what’s best for their internal policies. They promise alignment with “values” or “purpose,” yet their influence often results in divisive tactics, fractured cultures, and a disengaged workforce. Worse, it’s leaving your stakeholders questioning your competence (whether they say so or not).

That isn’t leadership. It’s a surrender. CEOs are being played, their influence diluted by a need to be liked instead of respected. And when you’re bullied into bad policy, here’s what’s at stake:

• Revenue: Misguided initiatives that look good in presentation format but fail to drive results.
• Reputation: Headlines will eat you alive when your actions are misaligned with your business objectives.
• Retention: Employees don’t stay where leadership lacks a backbone. Neither do customers. Period.

Values Are NOT a Checkbox

Let me cut to the chase: I’m not talking about being apolitical or ignoring social responsibility. However, true leadership means setting the tone for your organization and owning every single decision with conviction. It doesn’t pander to every trending demand; leadership is about building a business that is consistent, transparent, and, above all, unshakable.

You can fake smiles, but you can’t fake culture. If your values are just corporate wallpaper, your employees know it, your customers see it, and your shareholders will pay for it. And if your idea of equity and inclusion boiled down to simply hiring Blacks to prove you were listening, stop wasting everyone’s time. It’s insulting, ineffective, and, most importantly, bad for business.

Black is NOT a Credential—It’s a Mandate

Here’s where I come in. As the author of Black is NOT a Credential and President of FIG Strategy & Consulting, I’ve seen firsthand how many corporations misfire regarding leadership and inclusivity. They fail not because they don’t care but because they’re afraid to take a stand that challenges the status quo. They’re scared of getting it wrong—so they let others dictate what “right” looks like.

Let me make it simple:

• Authentic leadership is about accountability and clarity.
• Real inclusivity is built on skills and substance.
• The solution to bullying is unwavering decision-making led by data, strategy, and courage.

Black is NOT a Credential wasn’t written to coddle or criticize—but to build. I help leaders regain control of their companies by creating policies and strategies rooted in logic, not fear.

2025: The Year of Non-Negotiable Leadership

This year, commit to doing what’s right for your company, not what’s convenient for public perception. Ask yourself tough questions:

1. Are my decisions driving long-term growth, or are they band-aids for bad PR?
2. Am I creating a culture that attracts the best talent, or am I losing my top people to my competitors?
3. Have I partnered with experts who challenge my blind spots, or am I letting my ego run the show?

Leadership is lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right advisors, CEOs can reclaim their companies and lead with integrity, intelligence, and intention. Black is NOT a Credential is the playbook to show you how.

The clock is ticking, and the choice is yours. Will you lead, or will you follow? Will you protect your revenue, reputation, and retention, or will you leave it to chance under the weight of indecision?

2025 demands better. It demands CEOs who refuse to be bullied, who invest in their people with purpose, and who build companies that are as profitable as they are principled.

So, I’ll ask you again: Who’s running your company?

If it’s not you, today is a good day to change that.