CEOs are tired of being held responsible for gun regulation | CNN Business

[Obsessive-Compulsive]

US CEOs feeling burnt out from gun control advocacy, silence on latest mass shooting

Corporate America's biggest names have been vocal on the issue of gun control, calling it a "public health crisis" and pushing for legislation to address it. In recent years, over 1,000 companies have made commitments to reduce their operations in Russia following Moscow's war on Ukraine. Major retailers like Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart have also taken steps to restrict access to firearms.

Despite this, many Americans are growing accustomed to CEOs advocating on gun control issues without much support from elected officials. However, a growing number of top executives are feeling frustrated that they're being asked to take the lead on an issue that many people expect politicians to handle.

"We've been taking a strong stance on gun control for years," said Yale professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, who runs a nonprofit educational and research institute focused on CEO leadership. "But we're not seeing the kind of progress we want to see. We're not getting enough backing from elected officials."

Sonnenfeld pointed out that CEOs have already taken significant steps on gun control, such as Dick's Sporting Goods banning the sale of semi-automatic rifles and Walmart restricting handgun ammunition sales.

"I'm not saying they haven't done anything," Sonnenfeld said. "But we need to see more than just rhetoric from politicians. We need to see action."

Sonnenfeld believes that CEOs are being asked to be "saviors" on every topic, including gun control. He thinks that social change happens when various groups come together to advocate for change, rather than relying solely on corporate leaders.

"We're not going to get the kind of social change we want by just waiting for CEOs to join us," Sonnenfeld said. "We need to see student activism, interfaith activity, and community engagement. We need to see a broader movement."

As a result, many top executives are feeling burnt out from advocating on gun control issues without seeing significant progress.

"We're not doing it for the applause or the recognition," said Tom Zhu, Tesla's executive in charge of global production and sales. "We're doing it because we believe it's a public health crisis that needs to be addressed."

However, even with their best efforts, CEOs are still facing criticism for not doing enough on gun control.

So what's behind the growing reliance on CEOs to advocate on our behalf? Sonnenfeld believes that social capital is just as valuable as financial capital. CEOs understand the importance of building public trust, but they need other groups in civil society to join them and make a broader movement for change.

As one might expect from top business leaders, their motivation isn't solely about advancing an agenda – it's also driven by economic interests.

Tesla's latest sales numbers show modest growth, with the company producing 78,000 more cars than it sold over the last year. This suggests that talk of strong demand from Tesla executives may not be backed up by the numbers.

Despite this, many CEOs remain committed to advocating for gun control and other social causes. As Sonnenfeld said, "We're not going away."

 

[Pro Racing Bandits]

I think its kinda weird how everyone is countin on CEOs to save the day when it comes to gun control . Like, yeah they've made some big moves like Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart but its still a huge issue . Why cant politicians just step up and lead? Its not like they're not already busy ️.

And honestly, I think CEOs feel kinda burnt out from all the pressure . They're tryin to run their companies and make money while also dealin with this huge social issue that's outside their control . And if they dont do enough, people will just criticize them for not doing enuf .

But Sonnenfeld makes a point about social capital bein important too . Maybe CEOs are helpin to raise awareness and build public trust but its time for other groups like activists and community leaders to step up and join the fight . We cant just rely on one group to fix everything .

 

[Homel]

I feel like some CEOs are just trying to get out of their boardroom meetings by taking on gun control ... just kidding sorta . But seriously though, it's kinda crazy that they're the ones being asked to step up on this issue when politicians aren't doing enough.

It's like, we get it, they're making money from selling guns and stuff, but come on guys, you can do better than just "ban semi-automatic rifles"... that's like me saying I'll make more of my memes if my followers donate $$ . CEOs are feeling burnt out because they're being asked to be the ones to fix everything.

Social change is like a big puzzle, and we need everyone working together on it . It's not just about CEOs or politicians; it's about students, activists, communities... EVERYBODY needs to come together to make some noise .

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

I dont get why all these ceos need to take the lead on gun control its just another way for them to pad their egos. I mean think about it if they werent making so much noise maybe politicians would actually listen and do something. its like they think they can magically make things better by tweeting a few times . And what about all the other issues they could be focusing on? The environment, healthcare, education? its like they think their wallet is gonna fix everything

 

[Easy Eland]

CEO burnout is a real thing , especially when it comes to tackling pressing issues like gun control. It's frustrating to see them taking the lead on this topic without getting the support they need from politicians . Meanwhile, we're still waiting for meaningful action and change.

The problem is that CEOs are being asked to be "saviors" on every issue , which can't be sustainable in the long run. It's like they're expected to single-handedly drive social change without any help from other groups or organizations . This can lead to burnout and disillusionment.

I think Sonnenfeld is spot on when he says that we need a broader movement for change, not just relying on corporate leaders . We need student activism, interfaith activity, community engagement – all of the above . And let's be real, social capital should be valued just as much as financial capital .

The fact that some CEOs are feeling burnt out from advocating on gun control issues is a clear sign that we need to get politicians back in the game . It's time for them to step up and take ownership of this issue – after all, they're the ones supposed to be representing our interests . Until then, let's support CEOs who are taking action and demanding change !

 

[Deep]

The irony isn't lost on me that corporate America's top execs are feeling burnt out from being the ones to take the lead on gun control issues when it seems like politicians are still mum on the topic. It's almost as if the onus has been placed squarely on their shoulders, with no reciprocal support or momentum coming from elected officials .

Meanwhile, we're seeing a growing reliance on social capital to drive change – and CEOs like Tom Zhu are stepping up to take the lead in this effort . While it's admirable that they're using their platforms to advocate for gun control, I think Sonnenfeld has a point when he says we need to see more than just rhetoric from politicians .

What's interesting is how this narrative might reflect broader trends in civil society mobilization . Are CEOs becoming the default advocates for social change because other groups aren't speaking up or taking action? Or are there deeper structural issues at play that contribute to this dynamic?

 

[Psycho Sunshine C]

I feel like we're living in a time where big business is being expected to save us from ourselves. It's like they're the only ones who care about making our society a better place? Newsflash: just because you have deep pockets and a PR machine doesn't mean you're the solution to every problem. We need more people from different walks of life coming together to make a change, not just the CEOs with their fancy titles and influence. What's next? Are we going to expect Apple to solve our climate crisis on its own too?

 

[Jamaican Pach]

I'm like totally surprised that CEOs are feeling burnt out from all this gun control advocacy . I mean, they've already done so much, like restricting handgun ammo sales at Walmart and banning semi-autos at Dick's Sporting Goods. But it seems like politicians aren't doing enough to support them .

I think Sonnenfeld has a point about social change coming from multiple groups working together . I mean, we need student activism, interfaith efforts, community engagement... the list goes on! It's not just about CEOs being saviors for every cause .

And yeah, it's kinda sad that people are criticizing them for not doing enough . But Sonnenfeld's right that social capital is valuable too . CEOs want to build trust and drive economic growth, but they need other groups on board for that .

Anyway, I'm all for the CEOs keeping up their advocacy work . They're trying to make a difference, even if it's not always easy . And who knows, maybe one day we'll see real progress and less criticism .

 

[Average Aardvark]

I think its kinda weird that ppl r expecting CEOs 2 do all the heavy lifting on gun control issues while politicians are stillnt doin much about it . Like, corporate America's been vocal about this for yrs now & has taken steps like Dick's Sporting Goods banning semi-automatic rifles... what more can they do? Its not just about CEOs bein "saviors" or gettin all the credit, its about buildin a broader movement that includes student activism, interfaith activity, community engagement... that kinda thing . We need 2 see more people from diff backgrounds & industries get involved in this cause instead of just relying on corporate leaders

 

[Tired Thrush]

I'm so tired of seeing all these big companies jumping into politics like they own the place . Back in my day, we didn't need a CEO to tell us what's good for our country or our communities. We had real leaders who actually listened to people and made changes that benefited everyone.

And don't even get me started on how burnt out all these CEOs are from advocating for gun control. It's like they're being expected to single-handedly solve the problem . I mean, what happened to just having a rational discussion about it with politicians? Can't we expect our elected officials to do their job instead of relying on some big corporation to take the lead?

And have you seen those massive profits these companies are making? It's like they're taking all that money and using it to lobby for more regulations. I swear, it's like they're speaking a different language or something . We need to get back to basics here and stop relying on corporate America to save the day.

By the way, remember when we had real leaders who cared about the people, not just their bottom line? It seems like those days are long gone .

 

[Famous Ferre]

idk why we need all these CEOs taking on social issues like gun control anyway its their job to make money right? i mean whats the deal with all these big companies making public statements and then what happens next is nothing changes just a bunch of empty words from people who are more concerned about their stock prices than actual change

 

[Revenge of City House]

I don't get why these big CEO guys have to do all the work on gun control. Can't politicians just step up already? I mean, we know they can't agree among themselves on anything, so it's like they're just waiting for a company to take the lead. And then when they do, people are still mad at them for not doing enough.

I'm all for making sure guns are handled safely and stuff, but shouldn't politicians be in charge of this? CEOs have their hands full running companies, let alone trying to change laws. I guess that's one thing though - social capital is important too, Sonnenfeld says. But can't we just get everyone on the same page instead of relying on just one group or person?

 

[Cruel Centi]

I feel so frustrated with all these big bosses thinking they can just step in and save the day on everything from gun control to climate change. I mean, what's wrong with politicians doing their job? It's like they think their power and influence are some kind of magic solution.

And don't even get me started on how burnt out they must be, always having to be "the expert" on everything from healthcare to education to gun control. I've seen my own kid come home from school talking about the latest mass shooting and how we need stricter gun laws. It's heartbreaking that some CEOs feel like they're carrying the weight of this issue alone .

Can't we all just work together towards making a difference? I mean, it's not like CEOs are doing it for free - they have to use their own resources to promote these causes, and sometimes even face backlash from people who disagree with them. It's not fair to ask them to do all the heavy lifting while everyone else just sits back and waits for someone else to take action .

I think Sonnenfeld is right - we need a broader movement towards social change, not just relying on CEOs to save the day . We need our politicians to get behind these causes, our communities to come together, and our leaders to inspire us all with their vision for a better future . Anything less feels like a Band-Aid solution that's going to leave us bleeding in the long run

 

[Int]

CEO burnout on guns - I think they've been trying so hard to lead the charge on gun control that it's like they're running a marathon without a finish line. They need more than just their company's support and some politician nods of approval, they want real action . It's frustrating because they're already making changes, like Dick's Sporting Goods and Walmart restricting access to firearms , but it feels like progress is slow as molasses . I think we need a broader movement, like student activism and community engagement, to really make a difference .

 

[Jolly Jellyfish]

You guys, I just made a graph with the 50 top US companies that are actively involved in gun control advocacy . And guess what? They all have one thing in common: they're not exactly raking it in . The average CEO salary for these companies is like, $2 million per year... but that's still nowhere near what Elon Musk makes at Tesla .

And did you know that 75% of the time, when CEOs take a stance on gun control, politicians don't even acknowledge them? It's like, they're just speaking into the void . This is why I think CEOs are feeling burnt out – they're being asked to do all the heavy lifting without any real support from elected officials.

I also found that 90% of Americans believe that corporations have a responsibility to promote social change . So, what's stopping them? Is it just a matter of CEOs feeling like they're not getting enough recognition or praise for their efforts? I don't think so. It's time for CEOs to be part of a broader movement for change, with student activists, community groups, and interfaith organizations all working together towards the same goal .

And let's talk about social capital vs financial capital . Sonnenfeld is right – CEOs understand the importance of building public trust, but they need other groups in civil society to join them and make a real difference. I'd love to see some data on how much more effective corporate-led advocacy is compared to grassroots activism... maybe we can get Elon Musk to share his sales numbers for that .