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Whole Foods: Can’t trust executives, restricts communication

Published on 27/11/07
by ryan

Whole Foods just made an announcement that has effectively set its communication back into the stone ages (the early 1990s).

Earlier this month, they banned their executives from posting on forums that it doesn’t sponsor.

As other leading companies are loosening their grip over their communication and marketing, allowing consumers within dinner table’s reach of their executives, and turning these consumers into evangelists of their brands as a result, Whole Foods is forfeiting the match after getting hit with the media equivalent of a light jab.

What should Whole Foods have done?

Leverage the same communication channels, perhaps more, to put John Mackey in front of his consumers and critics to ask for their understanding of his shortsighted actions, swearing in blood (maybe in a YouTube video) that he will never act without the company’s and its consumers’ best interests in mind. Mackey is a CEO about whom I have written admiringly before. He has a history of facing his toughest critics, even when held to far higher than industry standards. By further narrowing the gap between consumers and Whole Foods’ executives, the company could have shown (not told, an important distinction to make) that they have nothing to hide, and can be trusted to act ethically, in and outside of the public’s view.

Unfortunately, Whole Foods did the opposite; they walled off consumers from executives, implying to us that Whole Foods’ executives can not be trusted to engage in direct conversation with consumers about the business and its activities. I am reminded of an analogy… cure the disease, not the symptom. Whole Foods has addressed the symptom, impressions left by executives, but left the disease, the ethics (or lack thereof) of executives’ behavior, unaddressed.

If you can’t trust your executives, fire them, don’t just tighten their leashes.

Sorry Mackey, it is that simple. He and Whole Foods are icons in social entrepreneurship, pushing the limits of creating worldchanging businesses that do good, in combination with best of industry profits. Yet, perhaps Mackey’s public facing role is ready to shift to one that is independent of the company, and simply representative of your his views. After all, Mackey has redirected all of his compensation to Whole Foods’ foundations, effectively agreeing to work for free. Therefore, what motivates him to do the right things for the company and its customers? Perhaps it is time for him to take a back seat board of directors role, ensuring that the foundation he put in place, and its commitment to Whole Foods/People/Planet continue to thrive.

It is my hope that Whole Foods repeals this misguided policy as fast as Coke made its New Coke Pepsi-knockoff disappear.

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