RAW TRANSCRIPT:

FLETCHER: But it’s got to be authentic and so a lot of people always ask the question, “Why do you think there are more quote unquote social messages out there today in business that there were a decade ago?” And I don’t think there’s a lot more socially minded people. I just think more people have figured out that if you mix business and philanthropy and you quote unquote appear to be doing good, there is power in that. And so now they are jumping on the bandwagon and are trying to exploit this message. But I am the first to tell you, if you do it wrong you’re going to have your head handed to you.

And so KFC, they can’t come out and support the American Heart Foundation, it doesn’t make sense. You can’t claim to support a cause that fights the problem that you are solving – heart disease. Okay look at Daniel Snyder Redskins, all the controversy right now that’s going on with his team, the team name.

First off, let me be clear. I don’t think Daniel Snyder should change the name of his team just because a few hypersensitive are offended. There is a company out there called Cracker Barrel – maybe I am offended by that. I am not but that’s my point! Everybody is offended by something! Everybody is offended by everything!

So in a Town Hall article that I think I quoted back in episode three, “The most annoying thing about American culture, everyone is offended by everyone for everything.” And so if we see to everything and everyone who might be offended, our economy will collapse. Our nation would collapse. We would all sit inside, we couldn’t speak, we could debate, we couldn’t have an opinions – freedom of choice, diversity of cultures, different and thinking… This has always been what made America great – political correctness.

I was at a get motivated event at Portland over the Roscoe garden and one of the speakers said, “Political correctness, mark my words, will be the destruction of this great country.”

And so no. I don’t think Daniel Snyder should be forced to change the name of his team. As he states as he believes, the name is a form of honor. It’s a form of tradition. Nobody names their team I don’t believe, or for that matter their business, something that adds a negative meeting. You just don’t do it.

Your business, if you are the entrepreneur, next to your family, your kids, blood sweat, tears it’s your baby! You value it! So you are not going to sort it with a name that is disparaging with intention. Besides, he didn’t name the team. He didn’t design the logo. Some chief in Montana did back in the 70s and the name came about some 80 years ago. So no, I don’t think he should change the name. I think he is doing the right thing by standing up, by sticking to his convictions.

I mean if you are a PC Nazi fine but be politically correct somewhere else. If you disagree, fine. Be offended somewhere else. Certainly you have better things to worry about and don’t apply because you have thin skin or offended that everyone is offended. This is what drives me nuts! Besides, and you know this folks, it’s always some lawyer or some attorney that’s leading the charge. This is their chance to make a name for themselves. They know is going to get publicity; it is going to be in the papers, they are going to be quoted. So please, the hidden motives, you will, your self interest, don’t preach to me about being politically correct. They always make it seem like everyone is offended when they are not.

But here is the mistake that Daniel Snyder made. Okay, and this brings me back to my point about controvert or authenticity.

Once the controversy started, he began to increase his giving to the Native American cause. So he has got this business, he is already doing philanthropy but the controversy starts and now he’s going to up his philanthropy to try and quote unquote by goodwill with the public. It doesn’t work that way.

To be seen as authentic, you should have been doing that all along! But because he did it in response to, retroactively, not proactively, it gets judged as inauthentic because he did it. Now everyone says, “Well, he didn’t want to do that. He has to do that. He’s just doing that because of the image.” So his character becomes into question.

Now maybe it’s authentic, maybe it’s inauthentic, I don’t know. I don’t know Daniel Snyder. I am just telling you how it’s judged and the only thing worse than doing nothing is being perceived as someone who is inauthentic, as having an ulterior motive. Because now you are perceived as someone who manipulates, who exploits others. I don’t have to tell you that person; he ain’t trusted by anyone. So business, philanthropy, authenticity, I think that’s the key and this is what I don’t think I made clear in that interview I did with Andy. Business and philanthropy are great but what I probably should have said – authenticity plus philanthropy so that your motivations are right, your motives are correct and they are not hidden and they are not plus business – business being last because if you get the authenticity part wrong, you don’t help yourself. You kill yourself. Your character, your credibility, shit storm, that’s what happens.

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