Where Woke Went Wrong

Let’s not do the same.

Happy new year! I’m in the throes of writing my next book, about The Moment. At its heart, it’s a guidebook for how we oil and gas leaders can avoid squandering the opportunity before us. Last year’s election was another (big-ass) road sign pointing to how forces will lay bare the challenges of the energy transition—including public support for decarbonization endeavors. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to lead.

And yet. There is every opportunity for us to blow it, by misreading the forces and declaring total victory. Which example can we learn from to avoid this fate and engage constructively in The Moment? None other than that of wokeness, which has gone spectacularly wrong by overplaying its hand, in a classic overreach.

Both of these things are true:

• Mainstream citizens have largely rejected progressive left positions, from defunding the police to banning oil and gas.

• That doesn’t mean that mainstream citizens have rejected their long-held moderate positions from scrutinizing police actions to regulating oil and gas emission.

Let’s not confuse The Moment—in which we have a unique opportunity—with total victory and carte blanche for implementing our wish list. Because, as wokeness’s recent years demonstrate, the blowback for immoderation in a fundamentally centrist society is usually fierce.

The situation

How did the political movement represented by “woke” go wrong? In four simple, excessive ways—each of which some oil and gas supporters are now mimicking. We do so at our collective peril:

• Using a too-simple narrative. Under woke, complex topics—such as climate—became framed in one-dimensional, absolute terms. Their obvious solution (for climate, “Stop fossil fuel use today”) was contrasted with a bogeyman’s “entrenched interests” (company profits).

• Moralizing. The simple narratives were paired with a clear good-guy-who-does-the-right-thing-versus-evildoer dichotomy. This is how oil and gas leaders became vilified and public oil-and-gas support became intolerable to even mainstream Democrats. (Listen to my conversation with Matt Yglesias on [Secret?!] Practical Environmentalism to explore this topic further.)

• Taking the next step that’s a bridge too far. Progressive causes took reasonable steps in support of their interests, but then they kept going. And going. For example, commonsense Securities and Exchange Commission climate disclosures morphed into wildly complicated Scope 3 emissions rubrics. A question we should constantly ask ourselves: “When does the obvious, next, incremental step become a bridge too far?”

• Banishing dissent. I admit to being cowed by many of the woke orthodoxies. Many progressive ideas are near and dear to my heart and politics—and in recent years it became difficult for me to distinguish when I was being inclusive and supportive and when I was unable to articulate questions and opinions. Now, obviously, this didn’t happen to me on climate (that’s my job and I have plenty of courage!), but it did in other arenas. That experience helps me understand why the backlash is so fierce.

The worst impulses of O&G celebratory politics right now embrace all of these elements. Just look at the work of any proponent of “anti-woke” activism or anyone who puts “Drill, baby, drill” at the center of their political agenda. There you will find an over-simplistic narrative inhabited by moral and amoral characters. The “seemingly obvious” actions in such a narrative can easily foreshadow going too far! It can be absolutely terrifying to speak up and advocate for a middle way, inclusive of environmental protection, strong regulation, continued decarbonization, and continuous innovation.

When the political winds shift (which they always do), oil and gas leaders who are over celebrating now will find themselves uncomfortably exposed. These shortsighted individuals will have proven climate hawks’ most damning critique: that oil and gas leaders were never interested in decarbonization, innovation, or climate action. Stakeholders and partners will be loath to engage, reluctant to provide cover to insincere actors.

Seize the day

In times like these, the faint of heart need not apply. Preparing to lead in The Moment requires that we engage in the long game, not shortsighted overcorrection.

• Polarization endures. Half the country still sees the world from a center-to-left perspective. It’s important that leaders manage strategy and outreach in ways that transcend and outlast inevitable political pendulum swings.

• Moderation creates momentum. Cultivating balance isn’t passive. Instead, it’s a powerful tool to build a virtuous cycle, one that can result in a self-sustaining strategy.

• Complexity is a feature, not a flaw. Life is trade-offs, and trade-offs are everywhere—even after a seemingly decisive election. Look for and lean into the nuance, the challenges, and the trade-offs. My decades advising leaders like you tells me: They’re where your biggest gains are waiting to be discovered.

• Attentiveness isn’t weakness. It might seem like time to cut corners and adopt the nasty and brutish manners that befit a seemingly Hobbesian world. Resist that impulse. Be intentional and attentive in your leadership as well as decisive. Make this political cycle—and the next—a virtuous one.

Now what?

Are you in that wonderful, motivated, strategic new-year mindset?

• Reach out to find out more about how we can help you position your company for the opportunities of The Moment

• Get your team on the program! Please forward this email to three colleagues.

• Is someone you love woke? Anti-woke? Hit that heart button below.

To building our own virtuous cycles,

Tisha