's Blogs

IS BEING GAY GOOD FOR BUSINESS? Ex-BP CEO URGES GAY EXECS TO COME OUT....

Blog Last Activity 9 years ago 366 views 3 comments
<p><img src="https://i.minus.com/i4uoPYaAEGD0f.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="255" /></p>
<strong>The former CEO of one of the world's most successful companies is calling on gay business leaders to come out of the closet. John Browne was publicly outed by a British tabloid in 2007, forcing him to step down from his position as head of oil giant BP. Browne's written a new book, "The Glass Closet: Why Coming Out Is Good Business," and he sat down with CNN's Richard Quest to talk about it:</strong>
<strong>VIEW THE INTERVIEW HERE AND THEN VOTE ON WHETHER A CEO'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION SHOULD MATTER WHEN PURCHASING THEIR PRODUCT:<br /><br />http://outfront.blogs.cnn.com/2014/06/27/is-being-gay-good-for-business/</strong>

Comments

You must be logged in to post comments, please login or signup (free)
9 years ago

I completely agree, Thomas - it's the younger generation of corporate leaders who will bring about lasting, organic change. In a sense, Browne's role is to show how rotten the old system is because it scared him into staying in the closet as the only path to the top ; his hypocrisy will hopefully be a lesson for those who come afterwards.

9 years ago

His book is a great read. And Christopher I echo your comments. But like so many, he waited until he was caught to be honest about who he was. The corporate world will change as the young begin to take their places as the new leaders. But the rampant heteronormativity of American business life makes it very difficult for current leaders to come out. They got to where they are in business by playing the game. And the longer you play it, the harder it is to stop. My MA thesis was with younger business leaders and a friend's doctoral thesis was about out leaders as well. And they all struggled to be out and successful in their organizations. And to be honest, it is hard to rise to the top in those organizations and be an out person. You don't fit in to the club easily, no matter how much an organizations says it is inclusive, they are not.

9 years ago

Another great blog, Dennis - thanks. In Western society particularly, where the public increasingly demand that leaders and senior figure should be transparent and honest in both their working and private lives, behave with integrity, for someone in a such a position to be openly gay can only be good for them, their employees, their business or organisation and society in general. If the boss is comfortable about his or her sexuality, it creates a culture where everyone else feels the same, and where homophobia, not homosexuality, is unacceptable - the bigots suddenly find that it is them who are classed as pariahs. John Browne has done a great thing for business, it is now up to his fellow CEOs (such as Apple's closeted Tim Cook) to do the same. It's not enough that well-known theatre producers like Cameron Macintosh are openly gay - that's expected in a profession where gays outnumber straights - it has to happen across the board. I hope this will be the start of a healthy trend.