Herman Miller CEO’s Tone-Deaf Rant: A Case Study in Leadership Failure

Today we’re going to explore a fascinating case study in leadership. Or rather, a study in how not to lead when running a company. 

Picture this: a CEO goes on a tone-deaf rant, causing a firestorm of criticism and ridicule. In what might just be one of the cringiest internal leaks, is the unfortunate story of Herman Miller CEO Andi Owen.

Let me paint the scene for you. 

Employees at Herman Miller, a company that produces office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings, recently discovered that they would not be receiving their bonuses. Meanwhile, their fearless leader, CEO Andi Owen, still received her bonus, which was alleged to have been in the ballpark of $3.9 million. According to SEC filings, her base pay was $1.1M, so with the bonus her salary is closer to $5 million.

At the same time, she incoherently rants about how the company just lost $26M. As if that is the employees responsibility, not hers, the CEO.

Andi’s motivational speech

So, in response to a question about motivation during a Zoom call, Andi Owen decided to deliver a sermon on the virtues of focusing on what they can control while subtly dismissing the concerns of her employees.

Let’s explore some of her unique presentation skills. She lowers her voice in a dramatic fashion, and at the end, she sticks her hands out like she’s attempting a mic drop. A mic drop! Or maybe she’s attempt to do jazz hands. I don’t know why she felt the need to do this at the end of her rant. Like “I just crushed your spirits. Now I’m spitting in your face. Boom!”

Clearly, Andi Owen’s people skills are unparalleled. She strikes me as the perfect person to represent a board or investor group full of sociopaths who need robots to go in and kill their staff’s spirits.

Zero empathy

This reminds me of the movie with George Clooney and Anna Kendrick called Up in the Air. Which was a movie about a corporate downsizer who travels the country firing people on behalf of their employers. He’s basically the Grim Reaper of the corporate world, delivering the bad news with a mix of empathy and ruthless efficiency.

Now, if you’ve seen “Up in the Air,” you might think Andi Owen would be the perfect candidate for a role in that company. I mean, just imagine her on the team. She is so good at sociopathing that when delivering bad news, she can fire you while convincing you it’s an opportunity for personal growth. “Welcome to Pity City, population: you!”

Andi Owen could be a corporate restructuring consulting firm’s secret weapon. She’d be their ace in the hole, parachuting into struggling companies to give tone-deaf motivational speeches. Employees would be so confused, they’d forget they were getting fired and start thinking about how to recoup that $26 million loss!

I don’t know. Perhaps, the world of corporate downsizing might be a bit too empathetic for her tastes. What do I know?

Corporate is tone-deaf

Now, let’s get back to her response. 

She reminds everyone that no one could have predicted COVID, supply chain issues, or bank failures. But instead of empathizing with her employees, she tells them to think about delivering for the company and not their bonuses.

And folks, some people are calling her a “Karen.” Now, I don’t want to jump on the bandwagon, but when Karen is your CEO, you can expect a few things: tone-deaf rants, lack of empathy, and an HR nightmare.

Top talent won’t be leaving Pity City; they’ll be leaving the company.

But in all fairness, she’s not the first CEO to say or do tone deaf things, it reminds me a little of similar instances such as,

• Travis Kalanick, the former CEO of Uber famously got into an argument with an Uber driver who complained about the company’s decreasing fares, Travis said, “Some people don’t like to take responsibility for their own problems,” and blamed the driver for not adapting. 
• John Schnatter, former Papa John’s CEO: Schnatter sparked controversy in 2017 when he blamed the NFL’s national anthem protests for his company’s declining pizza sales. 

Anyways, let go back to Andi Owen. It’s obvious that deep down, she feels guilty about her bonus. She shouldn’t have even touched on the topic, but she did. And it’s tone-deaf to talk about teamwork while essentially saying “bonus for me, not for thee.”

In closing

Andi Owen’s display of tone-deaf leadership serves as a reminder that empathy is a critical component of effective management, especially during times of crisis. With countless people struggling to make ends meet in a gig economy, and the dream of home ownership becoming increasingly elusive for younger generations, a little compassion goes a long way.

If you’re Andy, think of it like this. “You know what’s cheaper than buying real estate in Pity City? A healthy dose of empathy and self-awareness.”

Owen’s leadership fiasco should be a cautionary tale for other CEOs and executives – when you’re sitting on a multi-million dollar salary, maybe take a moment to put yourself in your employees’ shoes before you lecture them about the perils of self-pity. Also, understand that anything your saying could be recorded and used against you on social media.

I’ve never ran a company the size Andi’s, so who am I to say this. But whether you’re running a company, managing a baseball team, or just trying to make it through the daily grind, a little understanding can make all the difference in the world.

Information for this briefing was found via FOX News, Twitter, Bloomberg, and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.