The Shifting Relationship Between Business and the U.S. Government

"I spend a lot of my job now speaking with C-suite executives and other leaders, and there are things that they'll talk about in the press, that they'll talk about publicly. And then there are the closed door conversations that they have about the state of the world and about the role of business in it. Those conversations are often very different."

"So much of the uncertainty that we talk about really does come down to these political decisions, whether that's changing tariffs and trade wars or military action that's affecting every kind of business, not just the obvious ones. And I think it's really hard for leaders right now to figure out if, when, how to react and even weigh in."

Business leaders operate in an environment where public statements differ significantly from private conversations about government-business relations. Political decisions on tariffs, trade wars, and military action create uncertainty affecting all industries. Leaders struggle to determine when and how to respond to government actions. The relationship between business and government in the US has fundamentally shifted. Jeff Sonnenfeld, a Yale professor and CEO leadership expert with close connections to business executives, provides insights into how leaders should navigate this new landscape. Understanding government's role in picking economic winners and losers becomes critical for business strategy.

Read at Harvard Business Review