PG&E executives vow to ‘lead with love.’ Not everyone is impressed | Opinion

To put it bluntly, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is one of those companies many customers love to hate — especially in areas left devastated by the utility’s negligence.

Under the leadership of CEO Patti Poppe, PG&E has been trying to turn that around.

But you know that old saying, “Actions speak louder than words”?

PG&E executives would be advised to take that to heart. Instead, they’ve gone all touchy-feely by talking about “leading with love.”

If you’re not familiar with that philosophy, it’s a concept that’s been bouncing around corporate America for several years now. Simply put, it nudges leaders to treat employees with respect and compassion.

Here’s how a 2018 article in Forbes put it: “You are not required to be a therapist, but as a leader, you can show empathy for your staff in a balanced and non-intrusive way. Love always brings out the best in people.”

Some organizations treat LOVE as an acronym: “L” stands for listen; “O” for offer affirmations; “V” for value; and “E” for empower.

This is something leaders should already be doing but, hey, if chief executives need a reminder, there’s nothing wrong with that. Just don’t get all preachy about it. We get plenty of that from, well, preachers.

‘The world just might be a better place’

Poppe (pronounced “poppy”) went public with her “leading with love” philosophy shortly after she was named CEO in 2021, and has been stressing it ever since.

“I think if more companies led with love, the world might just be a better place,”she said during a speech in San Francisco.

But not everyone is buying that, as ABC 10 news reported in 2022.

“The CEO of PG&E, Patti Poppe, has a slogan that she likes to use. She promised, again and again, to lead with love. But the victims of wildfires (caused by) PG&E power lines — they don’t feel that love.”

Therein lies the problem.

PG&E equipment failures have caused the deaths of more than 100 people over the past several years.

As a result of the 2018 Paradise wildfire, for example, the utility pleaded guilty to 84 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter while it was still on probation for the 2010 San Bruno Gas line explosion that killed eight.

Under those circumstances, “leading with love” sounds an awful lot like “thoughts and prayers” — one of those rote phrases meant to be heartfelt but, in reality, it offers little in the way of real comfort.

PG&E would have been better off borrowing a slogan from the medical profession: “First, do no harm.”

First, read the room

If “leading with love” inspires Patti Poppe or any other corporate leader, fine. Adopt it as a mantra. Recommend it to others at the top of the food chain. Let it be your guide.

But read the room before you take it public. Sharing nice-sounding slogans when your company’s actions have resulted in deaths and injuries, the destruction of homes and businesses and the upheaval of countless lives will not buy you redemption.

We aren’t looking for love from our utility providers.

We just want energy to be delivered safely, securely and as inexpensively as possible.

Show us you can do that, and we’ll take it as a sign of love.

This story was originally published March 15, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "PG&E executives vow to ‘lead with love.’ Not everyone is impressed | Opinion."