Rachel Hollis - Part I – Who’s Behind the Sunglasses?
“What is it about me that made you think I want to be relatable?” – Rachel Hollis
So much to unpack in that statement and the context surrounding the most recent TikTok scandal.
Without getting into a blow-by-blow, one can view that video (since taken down) as a window into her beliefs about power dynamics. While her followers’ reactions and media coverage has been largely focused on the racial and socio-economic implications, what does that mean for what she is like as a boss?
What does a belief that I am better than you; I have more money and power than you; I am exceptional and live way up here and you are down there, look like in a leader?
Is this #Bossbabe Gone Wrong? (go with me here – yes, I could spend pages just on what is a very loaded term)
In a recent IG video, I talked about the differences between a boss and a leader. One distinction came to mind immediately when I read the recent coverage.
A boss focuses on the fault; a leader focuses on the solution. A leader is about a united front, about finding solutions and understanding what went wrong. Not blaming you in front of stakeholders (e.g., teammates, investors, the board of directors, or customers).
In the aftermath of the TikTok tirade, many of her followers and those in the press believed that Ms. Hollis was too slow to respond. For that, Ms. Hollis blamed her team. She claims believed them when they said they could handle it and that they had advised her to wait (followed by, I should have listened to my gut). That was “apology” #1. Ummm, clearly her gut reaction was to start by blaming her team rather than taking responsibility for both her words and her actions.
Contrast this with her apology after being called out for posting a Maya Angelou quote without attribution. “While I didn't create or post the graphic, I am the leader of the team that did and so I accept full responsibility for their actions.”
See the sharp contrast? Who do you want to work for? What kind of behavior is she modeling or company value? What kind of company culture does that create? One that values accountability?
Who’s Behind the Sunglasses?
While the video highlighted a disconnect between her online persona or brand and her own values, it also highlighted a disconnect with her brand as a boss. A disconnect, I have no doubt, that grew as the business scaled, the money rolled in, and the fame came.
In 2019, the business went from 10 to 60 full-time employees. The company was generating more than $20mm in income. This is when the sh$t hits the fan. Just last week I wrote about the shift from 10 to 25 employees, and beyond. The need to move away from everyone is your bff to you are now the “boss” (see, From Clubhouse to Company) In this case, sounds like the transition didn’t go so smoothly.
There are reports that the company had been “peppy” and “scrappy” in its early days. For example, before weekly team meetings they would all get together and dance – playing the likes of Whitney Houston/Kygo’s version of Higher Love. Sustainable in the form of everyone getting together for dance parties, not so much.
So how did the team and her leadership evolve?
I will admit, in looking for more insights on their culture, I went to Glassdoor. 100% take with a grain of salt (there will always be the angry rants!).
One ex-employee remarked that she hired based on referrals, particularly employee’s friends. That there seemed to be an in-crowd. That does not surprise me (again see, From Clubhouse to Company).
The other critique that caught my eye, was the existence of nepotism, that her favorites got promoted without good reason (ok, yes subjective!). Why did this one give me pause?
Ms. Hollis’ brand – Girl, Wash Your Face and Girl, Stop Apologizing, is all about taking charge of your own life. It is about the value of hard work. If that is truly what she values and preaches, I would hope she rewarded people based on merit, performance, and on hard work.
Noelle Crooks, a former employee and author of the upcoming, “My Life With the Mogul” shared publicly that Ms. Hollis “would go from being silly and talking about peeing in her pants to walking into the office in sunglasses, not saying hello to anyone.” Hello, disconnect between brand and boss. Sounds a lot like – I am up here; you are down there. I don’t need to talk to the lowly staff. You don’t go from bffs to bitch (that is not the transition we are looking for!). I am envisioning Miranda Priestly throwing her coat on Emily’s desk.
Let me land on something I will pick up next week - authentic leadership! Authentic leadership builds trust, commitment, and motivation. It predicts job satisfaction and work happiness. It drives profits and productivity. Does Ms. Hollis embody authentic leadership? Do her values, what she says, and her actions line up? Does she know who she is and what she believes? Can her team trust her to be who she says she is?
