Leadership

The Face of Courage

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When we ask the question, who is courageous, it’s reasonable that our first responses would include such people as those in the military, first responders, humanitarians in dangerous places, etc.  But I learned today that the face of courage includes some very remarkable young women, the first among them being Rachael denHollander, the catalyst for finally bringing Larry Nassar to justice.  I cannot even begin to imagine the pain and humiliation Rachael has suffered at the hands of those who knew better and chose not to listen – just as they chose not to listen or even follow the law required under Title IX.  But thankfully, she found the strength and the courage to continue her pursuit of justice.  As a result of her perseverance, Rachael made it possible for more than 100 young girls and ladies to begin the healing process, herself included.

Rachael’s victim impact statement was moving, not because of the words necessarily, but because of her grace under fire as she delivered a stinging indictment of individuals and institutions who failed to protect the most innocent within our society – our children.  Rachael’s questions remain unanswered by those individuals who failed to comply with the law as mandated reporters, and institutions that continued to willingly turn a blind eye to the travesty that was happening right in front of them.  “How much is a little girl worth?”

Rachael – if I may respond.  Our children, our young people are worth the very best that our communities can give them.  We owe each and every one of you a chance to retain your innocence throughout your childhood years, teenage years, and perhaps even young adult years; an opportunity to seek out whatever life has to offer you in a way that contributes to your growth, positive experiences, and learning, all while being protected from the harms that can befall you. That’s simply what responsible and caring adults do.  What has happened to you and all your sister survivors is an epic failure – not because your parents and other adults failed to protect you but because there were some adults who made it impossible for us to fulfill our responsibility of protecting you.  Those adults and those institutions which facilitated the criminal acts of Nassar must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, both at the federal and state levels.  As Judge Aquilina said numerous times during the victim impact statement portion of the sentencing hearing – we have heard your voices and they are strong.

There is nothing that can be done or said that will erase or undo the harm that has been caused you.  What we as leaders within our communities and organizations and all adults can do is stand up and tell the predators and the facilitators that such behavior is no longer tolerated in our society and it will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.  Our children need to know with confidence that they are treasured members of our community and we will do our utmost to protect them from harm until that point in time when they can protect themselves.  Rachael, you and your sister survivors have done a good thing.  Each of you has started the healing or continued on that healing journey.  You have also made a significant impact in that we adults now know that we, like you, cannot fully trust those in positions of authority to make the right, ethical decision. We need to remain vigilant.  Thanks to each of you for your statements because we know how to improve our vigilant posture.

“…Tone deaf, unresponsive, and insensitive to the victims….”**

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** Cited from the statement issued by the MSU Board of Trustees on the fourth day of victim impact statements during the sentencing hearing for Larry Nassar.

If ever a published statement was the epitome of being tone deaf and insensitive, this certainly qualifies.  I credit the trustees for requesting a review by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.  But that credit is tempered by their recent statement of support for the current president, stating that President Simon should continue in office.  That statement is, in my assessment, premature and misguided.

Perhaps a reminder of ethical leadership is needed.  Free of charge, here is a quick review of this concept.  Ethical leadership is guided by a profound respect for ethics (what we do when no one is looking), especially such ethical values and beliefs which protect the dignity and rights of individuals.  That guiding principle and such concepts as honesty, trust, and consideration, form the foundation for quality leadership.  President Simon might have been the right leader at some point but a hallmark of a leader is that when the proverbial stuff hits the fan, the one in charge takes the blame.  She was in charge and the majority of this travesty happened on her watch. On that basis alone, she must step down.  She can lament that she did not know what was going on but she had the ethical responsibility to know.  When she found out, she had the responsibility to do whatever she could to insure that the victims were harmed no further.  Her desire to remain in office cannot take precedence over the need for MSU to redress the harms done to the victims.  The Board of Trustees should immediately issue a new statement, acknowledging that MSU needs a new direction, one which adheres to the values of ethical leadership.  That statement should also acknowledge the impact on the victims.  Perhaps the trustees could express the hope that they can work with the victims to develop and implement changes that will insure that such a travesty never again happens at MSU or any other institution.

It’s about the victims now.  Let them know without a doubt that MSU is going to do take a new direction, one that is both ethical and moral.

The Time is Now

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It has been heart wrenching to watch the televised sentencing hearing going on in Michigan where Dr. Larry Nassar will be sentenced this week. But at the same time, I admire the emotional strength and courage of each of the victims who has come forward, especially those who have found the strength to speak up publicly. Because of their courage, the topic of sexual assault can no longer be swept under the rug simply because of the status of the perpetrator, how much money he/she has, which organization is employing that individual, and which university or college might be affiliated with him/her. For these victims, and countless others who won’t get the national media attention, their injury is all the more reprehensible because in many instances these victims did speak up. Here’s the problem – no one took them seriously until the evidence was overwhelming. Nassar is currently serving a 60-year federal sentence because of his conviction on child pornography charges. He is facing sentencing on county charges involving the sexual assault on at least eight different victims, charges set out in a plea agreement. As the sentencing judge has noted, the plea agreement was reached in part to give the victims some closure. That doesn’t mean that their voices were to be silenced and a majority of the over 140 victims will be heard at the sentencing hearing by that courageous and compassionate judge. One can only hope that the judge imposes the maximum sentence available under the law and makes the sentence consecutive to the current federal sentence Nassar is serving.
The time has now come to not only hold those directly responsible for sexual assault, abuse, and/or harassment accountable to the fullest extent of the law, but it is also time for us as a society to hold those accountable who facilitate the wrongdoing or turn a blind eye because it affects their bottom line or might tarnish their public image.
Our children need the security of knowing that we, the community’s adult members, will do our utmost to protect their futures, keeping them free from the horrific consequences of such conduct that Nassar and others like him foist on the true innocents. We can never give these victims back what was so horribly stolen from them. But we can reassure them that we will do everything legally possible to prevent other young people from being victimized. To the victims I say stay strong as individuals, draw your strength from those willing to listen, help, and support you on a life journey that was not your choice. You will prevail.

Ethics – Extinction on the Horizon?

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A few years ago, I had a friend give me his definition of ethics. Ethics, he said, is what we do when no one’s watching. Apparently the teaching of ethics has been lost or skewed over the last generation or two, if recent news stories are any indication. Are these stories an indication that ethics may soon be extinct?
It seems to me that we’re at a crossroads in this country but many organizations and institutions are also in the same position. As leaders in our communities and organizations it’s essential that we hold not only ourselves and our staffs to a high ethical standard, but we must also enforce a true zero tolerance for unethical behavior.
There can never be any question that a person who behaves unethically will suffer significant consequences, regardless of that person’s position within the organization. That includes us as leaders and role models. Leaders who take a “do as I say, not as I do” approach are not folks we want to emulate. They’re the wrong kind of role models and we need to make that very clear. Doing the right thing, the ethical thing, should never be something we have to stop and think about. It should be the first thing that pops into our head when confronted by an issue.
Ethical behavior shouldn’t be defined by whichever political party that person belongs to, either. Judging from recent disclosures, neither major political party has cornered the market on ethics. It’s up to all of us to behave in an ethical manner with each and every person we meet, regardless of race, color, gender, or whatever. It’s also up to us to hold each other to the highest ethical standard. Anything less will simply continue the bad behavior.

Implementing Change in Difficult Times

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Please take a moment to read about the workshop now offered by PSC:

ABSTRACT of WORKSHOP

The hard reality of today is that individuals and organizations of all types are expected to provide better and more detailed services with fewer human and fiscal resources.  When fiscal resources become constrained, agencies naturally move to identify areas for cost savings, and professionals are confronted with the possibility of losing their jobs.  For example, organizations nationwide have been forced to re-design their programs and reduce staff while simultaneously adopting Evidence Based Practices (EBP), or a “doing what works” initiative aimed to maintain or increase the bottom line.  The remaining staff are given extra duties and may experience increased stress, decreased motivation, and reduced performance.  Despite being an almost every day occurrence in personal and professional lives, change also evokes anxiety and stress reactions in those impacted directly or indirectly.  Change, when proposed and implemented, can bring about new workplace conflict or exacerbate conflict already occurring.  All of this can contribute to decreased job performance, health issues among the staff, lower job satisfaction, and higher employee turnover, among other things.

What is the purpose of the proposed workshop for leaders and managers?  It provides an environment which explores ways to implement change while reducing conflict and stress that may enable the organization to implement change while maintaining employee wellness and motivation, thus positively impacting the organization’s bottom line.

In the workshop the participants will be asked to see how change is an everyday occurrence in both their personal and professional lives.  In addition, a goal of this training is to help reduce the stress associated with change and to reduce the potential for workplace conflict by assisting participants in correctly identifying the source of the conflict and developing realistic approaches to resolving it.  In essence, leaders and managers will see how conflict mediation can be used to help reduce stress and anxiety within the workplace.  In the discussions the participants will seek a greater understanding of what conflict mediation approaches might best suit their personal leadership or management style.

Participants will engage in discussions concerning the importance of effective communication.  Characteristics of effective communicators will be shared and participants will be encouraged to practice the techniques to enhance their conflict mediation skills while also developing realistic implementation programs for change.

Principles of effective change management will be presented, along with discussions on how to incorporate those skills into personal leadership styles.  Effective implementation of change comes about because leaders are willing to manage the changes, not be managed by them.

The workshop discussion will be guided by the principles of both critical and creative thinking.  These skills will be called upon as we engage in our discussions and activities for this workshop.

The objectives of this workshop are:

  • Describe the stress reaction and its impact upon our personal and professional lives.
  • Determine effective approaches to dealing with workplace conflict.
  • Apply appropriate conflict mediation skills to help resolve conflict.
  • Examine the characteristics of effective communicators.
  • Develop an understanding of some core principles of change management.

Interested:  Contact us to schedule a presentation of this workshop for your organization.

 

CHANGE – Friend or foe?

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I’ve been looking at any number of organizations which are currently undergoing change. Despite all the research, change is still seen as something very negative and implementing change remains a difficult mountain to climb. Why is that?

Let’s be honest. Change causes anxiety. Will I get to keep my job? Am I still a valued member of the organization?

There are any number of organizations which implement change smoothly, with little to no disruption to the productivity and job satisfaction. What do they do that works?

Probably the key thing is communication. When a change is being considered, leaders within the organization need to let the staff know what’s going on. Leaving it to the rumor mill is a surefire way to creating dissatisfaction. Ask the staff for their thoughts on how best to implement the change. Use the experience within the staff to quickly identify potential problem areas and have the staff work with management to develop realistic solutions to those problems should they develop.

Another key is making sure that the staff is provided with opportunities for training in the new way of doing things.  This can help insure that the staff gets the training they need  which prepares them for the new way of doing things, but it also sends an important message – they are considered valued assets to the organization. When downsizing has to occur, the organization can take a very positive step by insuring that resources and retraining are available to help people expand their skill sets and find employment in other areas. Simply letting folks go with the attitude of “don’t let the door hit you as you leave” paints the organization in a very negative light, one which is not easily countered. Word of mouth will insure that quality recruits will take a second look at an organization that doesn’t value its staff.

Change might not be our friend but we need to make sure we’re not turning it into an unbeatable foe, either.

Civil Discourse – The Endangered Species

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If civil discourse from public figures and politicians in this country is needed to save the planet I, for one, will be making my final plans.  In recent weeks, the level of intolerance, personal attacks, and the lack of civility has reached an all time low in this country.  My breaking point was the posting by the attorney formerly associated with CBS who stated that she felt no sympathy for the victims of the massacre in Las Vegas because apparently only white Republicans attend country music concerts and she believes such people are fair game for killing.  More troubling – the sound of crickets from all levels of leadership in this country against such hatred and acceptance of violence against a certain segment of our population. Such tacit consent for hatred and violence does not bode well for any organization within our country, much less the country itself.  The silence is deafening from virtually the entire political and socioeconomic spectrum.  In my assessment, no one has anything to be smug about here because no one seems to be standing up and saying, “enough!”

No one, and I do mean no one, should be the target of such filth.  We may not agree on politics, religion, sports, or whatever topic, but each of us has the right to feel safe and secure when expressing an opinion on any topic – AND the obligation to be civil as we do so.  Yes, even those who espouse hatred toward an individual or group because of race, gender, etc., have the constitutionally protected right to stand up and publicly demonstrate how misinformed, intolerant, and stupid they really are.  But no one has the right to espouse violence against another.  And when such tragedies as Las Vegas happen, no one has the moral superiority to gloat over the deaths and maiming of hundreds of people.  That concert wasn’t about politics.  Plain and simple, it was about listening to and enjoying the music by a group of very talented musicians.

To those talking heads, political pundits, and public figures who publicly demonstrated their complete lack of sensitivity and civility – out of respect for those who lives were lost and those whose lives have now been horribly changed, if you can’t be civil, just be quiet.

Words

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It recently dawned on me that I didn’t get the memo.  It seems a complete paradigm shift has occurred. At some point in time, folks have apparently decided to turn over to words the power to completely control their lives.  If someone says something they disagree with, they can’t control their emotions. The rest of us get treated to the spectacle of temper tantrums in adults that are worthy of three-year olds.

Why in the world would anyone give such power to words?  When these folks hear something that hurts their feelings or with which they disagree, they apparently can no longer function as normal adults.  They lash out, using words that would, in previous generations, result in a serious washing of the mouth with a bar of vile tasting soap.  They foster more hate and division than the original words could ever hope for.

Words are just that – words.  How we use words is what is important.  We can use them to create great literature, poetry, and songs.  We can use them to make inspiring speeches, or empower others to seek out new discoveries and ideas.  We can use them to console others when tragedy strikes, or to comfort those who are sick or dying.  Words allow us to express what is in our hearts.  As an educator, I use words to challenge my students to engage in critical and creative thinking as I ask them for new solutions to entrenched problems, always keeping in mind the value of the individual.   We can use words to motivate ourselves to become better people, to heal divisions between people who probably have more in common than they do different.  Or, unfortunately, on all sides of the political spectrum, we can hear and see words used to foster hate, division, and animosity.  Those of us who disagree with hateful speeches can follow the new philosophy of doing nothing because our feelings are hurt – or we can stand up and overwhelm that hate speech with words of tolerance, patience, and understanding.   I don’t know about anyone else but I choose the latter option.

Leaving Our Comfort Zones (it’s all for the good!)

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I had the privilege of attending the recent annual symposium of the National Organization of Victim Assistance (“NOVA”) in San Diego this week.  I was in the company of well over 1500 victim advocates who exemplify the meaning of being passionate about their calling to help others.  I was honored to do a presentation at one of the breakout sessions where I got to talk with many of the attendees on a more personal basis.  My participation in the symposium energized my commitment to seeing our grass roots endeavor through to a successful conclusion.

The conversations I had with many of those at the symposium confirmed one thing for me.  All of us, and I am definitely including myself in this, will need to leave our comfort zone of working in the background.  The agenda that has come together will demand our best effort even when we face challenges and potential setbacks.  Those events will simply be opportunities for us to excel.

Please join with me in this project.  I am confident that our efforts will be successful in getting the national registry of child abusers fully operational. We will also be successful in changing the way in which child abusers are sentenced – focusing on the harm that was done to the child victim(s), rather than what is expedient.  The time is now and the hard work begins today.

Focus Our Attention

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“STAN” – Stop The Abuse Now!
I have waited to see what people’s comments might be concerning the immediate focus of our efforts. From what I am hearing there are two primary concerns.
First, as individuals and as a group, we need to take whatever steps are needed to insure that each state has an active child abuser registry for all convicted child abusers. Using the experience of the states in developing the registry for sex offenders, we should be able to avoid many of the pitfalls and delays in getting the registry for convicted child abusers up and running nationwide.
The second goal is to insure that each state assesses the effectiveness of its laws for child abusers. We should ask each legislature to consider revising the laws to insure that there are mandatory minimum sentences for child abuse events which involve physical, mental, and/or emotional abuse of children. The mandatory minimums should increase with each subsequent conviction.
With these two goals in mind, we can now begin our work. I will be the first to say that this task will not be easy. However, it is well worth every ounce of effort we put into it. The option of doing nothing is not available to us any longer. Our children are depending upon us to speak up for them, including the ones whose voices have been silenced forever.
I know the summer vacation continues for many of you but I ask you to please get involved.  If not us, who?