The flu, Zuckerberg, and Energy

A few days ago, I got my flu vaccine, and little did I know, on the same day, I was exposed to the virus. My immune system has been working overtime.

Between naps, I’ve watched The Tour Down Under and listened to a few podcasts, including a recent interview between Joe Rogan and Mark Zuckerberg.

During their three-hour conversation, Zuck shared his view that “a lot of the corporate world is pretty culturally neutered. I think having a culture that celebrates aggression a bit more has its own merits that are really positive. It’s one thing to create an environment that’s welcoming for everyone, but it’s another to suggest that masculinity is inherently bad.”

Okay, where do I start?

My spidey sense was activated when he said – “a bit more.” He minimized his view. I don’t believe he believes what he says, yet surprisingly, I find some common ground with what I think (hope) he is trying to say. 

We all have masculine (Yang) and feminine (Yin) energy within us. These complementary forces work together to create harmony, though both can become destructive when wounded.

Yang energy is hot, action-oriented, expansive, protective, assertive, and focused – the “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” energy. 

Aggression isn’t masculine energy – it’s wounded energy. As the saying goes, Anger is when pain makes a public appearance.

Yin energy is cool, reflective, fluid, compassionate, intuitive, and calm. While not gender-specific, it’s traditionally considered feminine. When wounded, it manifests as over-giving, escapism, and victimhood narratives that hold us back.

Both masculinity and femininity are good, but when injured, we need to heal what’s hurting us before things get worse. 

Zuckerberg’s comments align with the current pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. His company, Meta, along with Target, McDonald’s, John Deere, and several others, has announced plans to scale back or eliminate initiatives to strengthen workplace culture.

But is this a genuine retreat or another performative marketing spin?

If these companies truly believe, as Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” I doubt they’ll abandon efforts to strengthen their workplace culture. They’ll rebrand it as something else.

I’ve been working in this field since 2003. I got involved to help make the corporate world better for my daughters because I saw how discriminatory it could be. Over time, my perspective expanded when I realized it was also good for business. Today, however, it’s about something even more straightforward:

Be a Good Human.

Unfortunately, fewer workers see the value of these programs today. I get it. I’ve seen efforts since 2020 that worked, but too many go wide right of goalposts.

As a result, instead of focusing on improving our efforts, I suspect we’ll see leaders asking ChatGPT for new acronyms to replace D.E.I. Many will mimic Zuckerberg, thinking this is the latest leadership trend, and double down on control while becoming more aggressive. 

But, I hope more will find a middle way.

They’ll use this moment to promote a healthier energy—a balance of Yang and Yin. They’ll level the playing field and get competent voices at the table. They’ll take time to reflect on something we all have the opportunity to do every day: How can I be a better human to other humans today?

Go Bills! 

Michael

P.S. This week’s Kintsugi Podcast (15 mins) is about resisting the vortex to help you maintain your energy to create better tomorrow. I hope you’ll listen and share. 

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