Here is a brief excerpt from an article by Arne Sorenson for LinkedIn Pulse. To read the3 cvomplete article, check out others, and sign up for email alerts, please click here.

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In the How I Lead series, professionals explain how to lead in times of turmoil or growth. Read the posts, then write your own (use #HowILead in the body of your post).

Leaders in business are usually focused on fundamentals like costs, profits, growth. That’s how they came to be successful, after all. But once they reach the top level of an organization, there is an additional responsibility: knowing when to be outspoken.

In times of turmoil or change outside the company and in the marketplace, there are instances when leaders should consider engaging in the public dialogue. But when?

The answer for me is if the public dialogue is germane to our business.

In our case, that can apply to many issues. Hospitality, by design, is about people, cultural interactions, and inclusion. We are constantly interacting with different viewpoints, which strengthens us as individuals and as a company. As a global network with hundreds of thousands of associates, we are constantly learning from our teams and our customers. They introduce us to new ways of thinking and help model acceptance across the world. That can mean we are on the front lines of issues.

I’ve had critics – especially in the social media realm – say ‘You’re a business guy, you should stay in your lane.”

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Here is a direct link to the complete article and video that accompanies it.

Arne Sorenson is President and CEO at Marriott International. To learn more About him, please click here.