For Goldman, advocating same-sex marriage is also an issue of attracting the best talent. Competition for great employees in the financial sector is especially fierce. And a company will have an edge if it can get the best people, regardless of who shares their bedroom. In a statement Goldman said, "Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain the best talent around the world and to foster a culture where our people can reach their full potential. This is attainable only if every person feels comfortable bringing his or her whole self to work."
In the future, other corporate leaders could follow suit, Useem says, speaking out for social change if it could help them attract the talent they want, or line up with customer values, thus boosting their bottom line long-term.
Still, one false move could very well lead to other business leaders choosing caution over activism, Galinsky warns. "All it takes is one or two high-profile cases in which a CEO of a major company makes a very strong political statement that leads to true discernable costs for that organization."
It all depends on how employees and consumers respond to outspoken CEOs -- these CEOs could be a good sign for people worried about leadership of the country, Useem argues. "I think these moves should help other company executives appreciate that they've got a role to play in the country more broadly. Hopefully it's not going to damage their bottom line to do so."
