Another CEO has also gone public with his frustrations about the inequality critique. In an open letter to former presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders in February, tech entrepreneur Rob May first “confessed” to starting four businesses, two of which failed, and to becoming a millionaire. “It only took 15 years,” the CEO of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Talla wrote in a missive published on Fortune.com.
As a result, May continued, “I’m the bad guy. I’m the white male who is only successful because everything was handed to me. I don’t deserve the money I made. All the things I sacrificed don’t matter. The additional stress I was under doesn’t matter. The risks I took don’t matter.”
May concluded by asserting that it’s the wannabe, not the accomplished person, who needs to learn from the “rigged” economy.
“Any economic structure will favor some at the expense of others. But the wonderful thing about America is that if you are willing to make the right sacrifices, you can achieve whatever you want. Unfortunately, we’ve come to believe that achievement should be easy. Changing that attitude is the first step towards making yourself more successful.”
Another important question is: After the elections in the fall, will the inequality issue fade, or will it continue to create a huge cleft in the American body politic?
Chief Executive put the question to May, who reported that he got lots of feedback after his Fortune.com contribution, much of it critical, some in support. In theory, he said, the U.S. divide on income inequality “is bridgeable.” If someone shadowed a CEO for a few days “and saw the kind of work we do,” for instance, “I think they would walk away saying, ‘Wow, that is difficult and stressful and they earn their pay.’
“In practice though, [the divide] is unbridgeable. There isn’t a simple answer, and to get through to people today, you have to package things up in nice little sound bites. Problems that aren’t packageable as sound bites aren’t solvable in modern American politics.”
Read more:
Letter to the Editor: How Real is the Income Inequality Issue?
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
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2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
