I read a lot of news sites to start my day, and one story I read this morning really had an impact: “Ex-CFO Worker Who Berated Chick-Fil-A Now Lives On Food Stamps.”
The story is that, back when the controversy over the Chick-Fil-A CEO’s stance on gay marriage was raging in full, Adam Smith, a CFO for a medical device company in Tucscon making over $200,000 per year, decided to drive through his local Chick-Fil-A, get a free water, and then harangue the girl working the drive-through about the company’s political stance. Now, this article isn’t about the politics of the situation. It’s about posting on social media. You should watch the video, however; it’s in the linked story.
Within days, Smith was canned by his employer, who claimed that bomb threats had been made. In the three years since, his video has followed him around; once, he found another job but was fired within a week because the employer found out about the video. Long story short, he’s still unemployed.
While Smith’s story is one that will cause varying reactions, here’s the reaction I want to create in YOU: Don’t be a moron when you post on social media. Here are a few thoughts:
- First of all, if Smith wanted to make some sort of a political stance, he has a perfect right to do so. As someone who consults with business owners on employing people from time to time, my concern is not that he made a political point, but that he arrogantly mistreated someone he perceived to be lesser than himself. That’s a characteristic that will cause problems in any workplace. I have a gut feeling that his company had already seen some of that internally.
- Secondly, I honestly wonder how anyone could watch that video (before putting it on YouTube) and not realize that they were showing themselves to be a complete bodily orifice. Before I post any of my videos on YouTube, I scrutinize them pretty carefully. I’ve rejected videos because I looked too sweaty. How could he not realize that he was showing an absolutely unacceptable way of treating people? That smacks of poor judgement.
- You can’t un-ring a bell. He was seeking attention when he posted the video and he got it. What he didn’t count on was that he couldn’t simply make the video go away; he of course pulled it from his own account, but by then others had reposted it. There are dozens of iterations of his video on YouTube now.
- What is said on the news story should be obvious – employers will search out your social media for indicators that you shouldn’t be hired. One of my maxims is, “People will show you how they will fail.” I’ve encountered many drug references, and other documentation of undesirable behavior on social media accounts. “But that’s my private life,” you say. Well, if you want to keep it private, why are you posting it on the Net for everyone to see?
- “Freedom of speech” is one of the most misinterpreted phrases in the world today. “Freedom of speech” only protects you against GOVERNMENT sanction for what you say. The private consequences of your speech are yours to bear.
- Finally, I wouldn’t advise him to show this video during job interviews, as he currently does. However, there is one person in this video who should show it during EVERY job interview – Rachel Elizabeth, the drive through worker. She handles a bad customer with complete class and diplomacy, and shows herself to be of good character. If there’s a winner in this episode, it’s her. I’ve been unable to find out what’s happened with her since the video was shot and posted, but I have a feeling that she’s probably doing better now than she was then.
The moral of the story is simple. Take a moment to think before you hit “send.” What seems like a good idea at the moment could literally trash your career and your life.
