JC2 Ventures
- Former Cisco boss John Chambers thinks CEOs need to be selective about the issues they speak about.
- His comments come as companies and leaders face pressure to take a stance on highly-charged issues.
- Consumers are largely avoiding shopping with brands whose values don't align with their own.
CEOs are increasingly under pressure to take a stance on highly-charged social and political issues but Cisco's former boss says it's a "mistake" to comment on topics that don't relate to the company's mission and purpose.
John Chambers, CEO of Cisco from 1995 to 2015, who grew the company's annual sales from $1.2 billion to $47 billion, advises leaders to be selective about the issues they comment on.