The CEO of a marketing firm has been blasted online for his “narcissistic” response to staff redundancies after he posted a crying selfie on LinkedIn.
Braden Wallake, the CEO of HyperSocial in Ohio, USA, shared a lengthy message to the professional social media site yesterday about his regret over firing a few of his staff.
Sharing to photo of himself in tearsWallake announced the layoffs and said it was the “toughest thing” he has ever had to do.
“This will be the most vulnerable thing I’ll ever share. I’ve gone back and forth whether to post this or not,” his long message began. “We just had to lay off a few of our employees.”
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Wallake admitted the decisions and failings that led to a round of redundancies at his marketing firm were entirely his fault.
The tearful boss, who has around 50 employees, also said he wished he didn’t care so much about his staff at times like this.
“Days like today, I wish I was a business owner that was only money driven and didn’t care about who he hurt along the way,” he continued.
“But I’m not. So, I just want people to see, that not every CEO out there is cold-hearted and doesn’t care when he/she have to lay people off.”
I have finished the emotionally-charged message with a salute to his laid-off staffers.
“I know it isn’t professional to tell my employees that I love them. But from the bottom of my heart, I hope they know how much I do,” Wallake added.
“Every single one. Every single story. Every single thing that makes them smile and every single thing that makes them cry.
“I’ve always hire people based on who they are as people. People with great hearts, and great souls. And I can’t think of a lower moment than this.”
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Wallake’s post wasn’t met with the sympathy and support he had hoped for. Instead, it backfired spectacularly.
Out of the nearly 5,000 comments, most of the reactions were negative and cynical.
“Why don’t you cut your salary or don’t take one until the company is back where you need it to be?” one commenter.
“I mean, if you really care about your employees and the hardship you just dropped on them.”
Another LinkedIn member slammed Wallake for making the redundancies all about him, describing him as “narcissistic” and “emotionally immature.”
“Braden, you are not equipped to be a CEO. You are a narcissistic, emotionally immature quat. Hey, why not deflect your inability to take tough decisions and assume your guilt by…. making it all about YOU!” the angry commenter said.
Another added: “Yikes. I was just laid off – along with many others. If my CEO sent this I’d probably lose my mind.”
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Meanwhile, a small group of people defended Wallake and said it was courageous for him to display such raw emotion.
“What about this post in which he admits his faults, failures and expresses his anguish at the hurt he’s caused made you feel the need to pile on?” one lone defender said.
After the backlash, Wallake posted another LinkedIn message to apologize for how his message was perceived.
“Hey everyone, yes, I am the crying CEO. No, my attempt was not to make it about me or victimize myself. I am sorry it came across that way,” he wrote.
“It was not my place to out the employees’ names publicly.”
He then tried to turn the bleak situation into a helpful experience for his LinkedIn followers.
“What I want to do now, is trying to make better of this situation and start a thread for people looking for work,” he added.
“Here it is – comment away. This is for YOU to start a new future. To highlight YOU. People seeking new work: Post your resume, desired job title, qualifications.
“Employers: here’s an opportunity to hire amazing people.”
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