After contemplating all the analysis of the fall-out between President Trump and leading American chief executive officers, I don’t think one message has been well-communicated: CEOs are committed to a pluralistic vision of America’s future because that’s what makes the most sense from a profit point of view.
Even though boards and CEO jobs are still dominated by white males, smart leaders have recognized that they need to attract the best talent from whatever ethnicity, nationality or sexual preference may offer it. At the same time, they know that they want to sell their products and services to as wide a customer base as possible. The demographic numbers are clear: white people are going to no longer be the majority in this country. It’s just a question of time. If that’s where the profits are going to be, that’s where American companies have to be positioned.
One response from the Nazi’s and KKK to the shifting demographics is to suggest a return to the time of white supremacy. But the corporate world clearly rejects that vision and that’s the really important message to take from the headlines. They aren’t doing it out of ideological or political persuasion. They’re doing it because it makes business sense. The business community could thus be an important anchor of stability and sanity as we head into the future.
