When leaders blur boundaries: A reflection on the Astronomer Coldplay kiss cam controversy

This past week, a seemingly light-hearted and not-so-innocent moment caught on the kiss cam at the Coldplay concert sparked a multitude of conversations within corporate corridors. Particularly around workplace ethics, leadership, and public accountability. 

The CEO and Head of HR from Astronomer, a data company, were caught on the stadium’s kiss cam in a public display of affection. The footage went viral—and so did the debate. The internet patrol dug out information about their personal lives, spouses, families, and even the shocked lady captured beside the pair. Allegedly, she was the newly promoted VP at Astronomer, elevated to her role by the HR head just a week earlier. The private soiree has since become a global case study in workplace ethics 101.

When personal choices impact workplace boundaries

In a world where organisations are increasingly pressurised to model integrity, transparency, professionalism and uphold ethical leadership as a standard, this incident serves as more than water-cooler gossip. It raises complex and uncomfortable questions about leadership, ethics, and power dynamics.

In the days that followed, the CEO issued a formal apology and resigned, a development confirmed by Astronomer’s official statement. The company responded swiftly and seriously, but the incident still leaves much to unpack, particularly for those of us working in human resources, ethics, and organisational behaviour.

One thing is clear: relationships between two consenting adults are not inherently unethical. But when they occur publicly between two individuals with asymmetrical positions of power, the implications go far beyond what is normally spoken about.

This incident compels us to examine:

1. What precedent are these leaders setting for the rest of the organisation?
2. Who will handle the accountability, performance evaluations, and other internal conflicts when the relationship turns sour?
3. How do others working closely with these individuals perceive fairness, favouritism, and do they feel psychologically safe?

In this case, the HR head, the steward of workplace ethics and compliance, canoodling in full public view (65,000+ audience) with the CEO means it isn’t a private matter anymore; it directly intersects with their responsibilities and professional credibility.

To Astronomer’s credit, the resignation and acknowledgement of the incident signal the willingness of the people involved to be held accountable. This matters, especially because, in leadership, the perception of behaviour is almost as critical as the behaviour itself. Public behaviour, even outside the office, is part of a leader’s brand.

From a scholar’s perspective, several core organisational behavioural theories come to mind:

1. Trust asymmetry: Leaders are granted much less leeway for ethical lapses due to their positional authority.
2. Leader-Member-Exchange (LMX): The impact of perceived favouritism and special relationships on team dynamics.
3. Emotional labour and symbolic leadership: How leaders embody values not just through role-related decision making but also through visible conduct.

Leadership is more than just vision and strategy; it is about trust, ethics, and responsibility through credible behaviours. And while the CEO’s resignation is a step in the right direction, it is also a stark reminder that organisational culture is not just about what’s written on the wall or preached in townhalls, but also about what happens behind closed doors when no one thinks they are being watched. For organisations that are currently watching from the sidelines, this isn’t just a PR crisis for one firm, but a lesson for all others to be prepared when public and private worlds collide.

The author, Nirmala Isaac, FPM scholar, batch 2024, is pursuing her Ph.D. in the area of human resources, leadership studies, and organisational behaviour at SPJIMR. She brings over a decade of hands-on experience in talent acquisition, leadership hiring, and talent strategy across a range of industries. Her research interests lie in organisational behaviour, leadership, and sustainability, aligned with her drive to connect real-world practice with academic insight.