The CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods on Becoming a Gun Control Advocate

HBR IdeaCast

Harvard Business Review

Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Marketing, Business, Business/management, Management, Business/marketing, Business/entrepreneurship, Innovation, Hbr, Strategy, Economics, Finance, Teams, Harvard

4.4 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 8 October 2019

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Ed Stack, the chief executive of Dick's Sporting Goods, decided after the Parkland school shooting to pull assault rifles and high-capacity magazines from all of his company’s stores. The controversial choice hurt revenues. But the retailer weathered the storm, thanks to inclusive and thoughtful decision-making, careful communication with all stakeholders, and a strategic shift to new product lines. Stack explains why he chose to take such a public stance on a hot-button social issue and how it has affected him personally and professionally. He is the author of "It's How We Play the Game: Build a Business. Take a Stand. Make a Difference."

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey everyone it's Kurt we need your help with our annual survey this is your last chance to help us get to know you so we can make idea cast even better for you
0:09.8	it's easy just go to HBR.org
0:13.0	podcast survey.
0:15.0	Again, that's HBR.org slash podcast survey.
0:19.0	And, thanks for listening. Welcome to the HPR Ideacast from Harvard Business Review. I'm Allison Beard. Most corporate leaders try to stay away from politics and controversy.
0:47.0	Most corporate leaders try to stay away from politics and controversy.
0:54.0	They know that customers, employees, and shareholders usually hold a range of views on hot button issues,
1:00.0	so they want to stay impartial and focus on running a business that appeals to everyone.
1:05.0	But there are times when CEOs and their organizations do take a stand,
1:10.0	even if it means risking the support of all those stakeholders and the money they bring in.
1:15.4	Ed Stack, the chief executive of Dick's Sporting Goods, did that in 2013 after the tragic school
1:21.0	shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut.
1:24.0	He pulled assault weapons from Dick's shells.
1:26.8	He did it again in a much more public way in 2018 after another horrific school shooting, this one in Parkland, Florida.
1:35.0	He banned the sale of assault weapons in high-capacity magazines not only at Dix, but also at its
1:40.3	field and stream chain of stores.
1:42.8	In the months since, he's taking guns out of some stores altogether, first at 10, then 125,
1:49.4	and he's become a leading voice in the push for common sense gun laws in the United States.
1:53.7	Stack is here today to talk about that advocacy.
1:56.7	His new book is It's How We Play the Game.
1:59.3	Build a Business, Take a Stand, make a difference.
2:03.0	Ed, welcome, thank you so much for coming to the show.
	...

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