The Penn State story is a nightmare, first and foremost for the young victims of Jerry Sandusky. The former assistant football coach was convicted of multiple counts of sexual abuse of boys. Compounding the tragedy, an independent investigation commissioned by the university found that the top leaders at Penn State covered up the wrongdoing over a long period of time.
These were leaders who appeared to all the world to be men of strong values. In the end, according to the investigation, they placed protecting the reputation of the organization above all else. Sadly, the same thing could happen where you work, if the conditions are right.
In my latest column for Poynter.org, I list 8 ways your own organization may lose its moral compass, setting the table for the kind of leadership and ethical meltdown experienced at Penn State.
Click on this link to take you to the column and accompanying podcast.
The Penn State story is a nightmare, first and foremost for the young victims of Jerry Sandusky. The former assistant football coach was convicted of multiple counts of sexual abuse of boys. Compounding the tragedy, an independent investigation commissioned by the university found that the top leaders at Penn State covered up the wrongdoing over a long period of time.
These were leaders who appeared to all the world to be men of strong values. In the end, according to the investigation, they placed protecting the reputation of the organization above all else. Sadly, the same thing could happen where you work, if the conditions are right.
In my latest column for Poynter.org, I list 8 ways your own organization may lose its moral compass, setting the table for the kind of leadership and ethical meltdown experienced at Penn State. Click on this link to take you to the column and accompanying podcast.