Survival > Activism in Startups
A startup that loses sight of the need to survive is unlikely to succeed, no matter how noble its intentions may be.
In today’s digital age, social media has given rise to a new form of pressure that startups face: the pressure of armchair activism. Anyone can voice their opinions on social media and critique a business’s actions in real-time, leading to a constant need for ethical behaviour, profitability and almost aligning everything to something like an Indian traditional couple doing 36 gun milan(the traditional 36 aspects of bride and groom looked by the horoscope to approve of marriage). This has led startups to feel the need to uphold high ethical standards to appease consumers and stakeholders. In this environment, it is crucial for startups to prioritise their startup’s survival first and foremost and value-building and then build on the culture and values.
By its very definition, armchair activism, also known as slacktivism, means showing support for a cause through online platforms, such as social media, or signing online petitions, without actively participating in direct action or making significant personal sacrifices.
Looking at the example of the Nike Manifesto, you can find empowering yet little vague words like “We’re on offense. All the time.” or “Live off the land”.
Looking at the manifesto for a newbie is almost like looking at Nike from 10,000 feet. The document alone doesn’t tell about the internal strategies and culture Nike has worked hard to create to turn this document into the company’s ethos. So this document isn’t much for the outsiders to seep and learn into.
Also, the words used in the article may have come across as masculine and aggressive to some, but in the business world, honesty is key. It’s important to promote the culture that you embody and truly believe in. Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, may have been a strong and determined individual, which is reflected in his words. Steve Jobs was an absolute lunatic in a way, with people describing he had no ‘filter’ between his mind and his brain, and operated in a 0–1 world where either something was super-good or absolutely shit.
His single-minded pursuit of perfection or Philip Knight’s embodiment of an actual war general at Nike is what people look upto. As a leader, nothing’s more important than the words you actually live and embody. If you can’t build a strong identity, how would you be able to inspire people to work super-hard for your company?
In the end, actions always speak louder than words. It’s crucial to work within the systems you’ve created and ensure that your values and ethics are integrated into your daily practices. The fancy words and persuasive are more of an exaggerated overlook and what truly matters is the alignment with daily grit and tasks and everyday reality.
And we shouldn’t be able to put Founders in the social armchair and judge them based on their culture and opinions. Jugaad(the English word is a Macgyver) is critical for every new founder out there, getting as many as Startup Program credits signed up for the tools they’re using, extremely persuasive negotiation skills to convince to ask for favours and solid networking with a layer of flattery and storytelling to get the right people interested.
If you’re the Founder, you should play as the hero of your startup, and no one who one can pull down. Their only job is to get their startup to stay afloat and survive until they can scale.
