College Sex Scandals, Candor, and Leadership
I woke up this morning to the news that Joe Paterno has been fired as the Head Coach of Penn State football. The President of Penn State, Graham Spanier, is also out. Many believe they are out because of a sex scandal. But the real reason is lack of courageous candor.
Jack Welch said, “I would call lack of candor the biggest dirty little secret in business.”
Lack of courageous candor:
Speaking the truth is harder than knowing the truth. I’ll give you an illustration.
A mid-level manager complained that his supervisor regularly played games on her computer and printed recipes on the company’s printers. However, after that employee was promoted to the same level as his supervisor, things changed.
After his promotion, I asked the same mid-level about his game-playing supervisor. He looked at me like I had three heads. He didn’t know what I was talking about. Now, he felt a need to protect her rather than expose her. It’s the good ole boys club.
The top:
Lack of courageous candor starts at the top. That’s why the President of Penn State is out.
The story of the mid-level who moved from exposing to protecting happens because people at the top don’t want to hear the truth. Or worse yet, if they do hear it, they won’t act.
Power and benefits:
When the boss doesn’t want to hear it, the people won’t say it. That’s the power of leadership.
Welch explains in his book, “Winning,” that candor:
- Gets more people in the conversation
- Generates speed
- Cuts costs
It’s a sad day in Pennsylvania and a sad day for college football. It’s sad because evil happened. Additionally, it’s sad because leaders lacked courageous candor. They knew the truth but didn’t say it.
How can leaders have courageous candor?
What are the dangers of courageous candor?
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Well said.
You must be true to yourself along with others, If you know the issue is morally wrong , then each of us as adults should know the proper method to handle the situation unfortunately the good old boys club exists and more then once this has been a proven flaw in their shining armor….. In hindsight as Joe Pa stated “he could have done more” to late now!
Well, said Dan. Speaking the truth is a lot harder than knowing the truth. The covered lie has an effect on evryone while its being covered and when the truth comes to light.
I work with victims of abuse and sexual assault, and there can be no excuse for knowing, or even suspecting some of these issues, and not coming forward. This is exactly how abuse continues in families and business. No one wants to be the “bad guy.”
Who have we become, that we let football honors (or recently pulpits in megachurches) come before our children and what is right? It is a sad day indeed when we let evil keep its place.
I ask the same question…. People’s lives are being destroyed exponentially while those who know the truth refuse to speak the truth. Sad
In order to tell the truth to others you have to tell yourself the truth.
I wonder what the inner dialogue was that kept these men from speaking up? This scandal is a snapshot of what justification and denial looks like.
Exactly.
Couldn’t agree with you more, Marlene. I wonder that same thing. What do you say to yourself all these years of living in denial? What do you talk about with each other about when you interact at staff meetings or office parties?
It is all about the money… follow the money, and you will find greed, corruption and all of the ills of society. The more money, the more of the above you will find.
Lots of money corrupts. Billions of dollars corrupts absolutely, mainly because it is absolute power.
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Dan,
You hit the nail on the head. As an Active Duty Army Officer I see this happen all the time. It takes Courageous Leadership to be effective leadership. In my line of work you are asking Soldiers to put their lives on the line for each other and you must remove and cancers from your unit. Once you do that you will be amazed at what your unit is able to accomplish.
There are less overt reasons for lack of candor in organizations. Most of us are so busy that we can’t engage all the pop-ups that occur during the day. It’s the old clubbing alligators analogy – when you’re up to your armpits in alligators, it’s not only hard to remember your objective is to drain the swamp, your attention is on the closest alligators. In those circumstances, it often seems like you can wait until tomorrow to find or tell the truth, certainly if there will be confrontation or investigation. After a month of tomorrows, the urgency is gone and it seems too late anyway.
The warning for us: Some things can’t wait, no matter how tired or busy we are. A lot of things go undone not because we decided not to do them, but because we decided not to do them today.
Greg I understand your “alligators” analogy and the scurrying that pervades our life and the fear of confrontation. My real terror is the one that faces me in the mirror and questions my blindness when high beam lights were hitting me in the face. We may be able to run from the scene but you will never outpace yourself. As has been said, “there is no such thing as a lapse in integrity.” Integrity is a currency that has no exchange and the value and oxygen that a leader needs to survive.
Al, love the phrase, “Integrity is a currency that has no exchange.” Again, you’re going on my quote board.
Thanks for the encouragement Greg. As everyone can tell, this is for me a very sensitive topic as I am sure it is for many. Consequences are lifelong and eternity is tough to deal with when living in a “black hole” where there is no beginning and no end.
The leadership that failed in this case was not Joe Paterno, but he is the face and identity of Penn State football, and they have no choice but to villify him too. From everything that I’ve read, Joe did all that was expected of him. He heard about one incident after his defensive coordinator had already left his staff. He took what he had heard to his administration (which is often the only thing that Universities want their coaches to do…especially with sensitive cases like this) and as far as Joe knew, he had done what he thought he should do.
Sexual abuse cases are tragic and deserve as much candor as people have the courage to offer. It may come out that Joe knew more than he has said, but I think there is a reason he is not criminally charged, but the administration and the offender are. I am saddened by the entire situation. MMF
Joe PA is the face of Penn State football and the most recognizable and powerful person (tenure, salary) at Penn State. He chose not to use that power. What would be different if Joe had told the Penn State administration “If this is true, it is horrific. Therefore, I need to know exactly what the administration is doing about this — and do not think for a moment that it would be acceptable to do nothing.”
This is sad, and it’s hard for me to see Joe as the 41st victim.
Gini and Meagan I hear what you are saying and it truly is very sad. However Joe became the 41st victim by choice. Fear is a reaction and courage is a decision (Joe Tye) and in a crime of this nature fear can not guide our decision. Being part of an organization that tolerates this type of behavior is not one I would mind walking away from. Precisely someone with his stature and prominence could have made a huge impact with his threatened departure and countless victims might have been saved. Counseling the offender is only a part of the therapy but more importantly validation for the injured and prevention of future harm should be our overarching imperative neither of which occurred in this tragedy.
Hi Al,
I don’t know that I want to put Al in a category of victim at all. I am simply trying to understand how the system might have failed him too. I don’t think he chose to have worked with a sexual predator, and I know he did not knowingly promote or defend the actions of his previous assistant. Counseling is most certainly something that should be offered, the victims (those young boys) should be significantly compensated, but it is just sad to see the life work of an 84-year-old man who made the right judgment call, over and over and over again will only be remembered for his role in this situation.
We should expect a lot from the leaders among us, but I am just not sure that perfection can be among those expectations. I may very well be singing a different tune if they find that Paterno is more culpable, but from what I know right now, he is being crucified by public opinion. The university is reacting appropriately…the whole thing just makes me sad.
Fair enough. We want high-level coaches to use well the power that they have and to make the moral decision every time. I agree with that. We SHOULD expect that from our leaders. The really tough thing for me, about this, is what the conversations likely were when Joe heard about it, and what any of us would have decided was the moral choice. He heard a disturbing story…at that point he didn’t know if it was true, and everyone thinks he should have wielded his power to blow the whistle. The question is whether he believed the accusations to be true. He didn’t personally witness anything and there have been reputation-sullying false accusations that have ruined people’s lives. Prudence was called for. All of the truth will come out in criminal complaints and detective work, but until then the knee-jerk reaction is to clean house. It’s just too bad patience isn’t possible.
Point well taken regarding the patience needed and yes we need to wait for corroboration of the facts. I am not condemning the coach per se but rather the scenario and as you correctly say the truth will come out eventually and the culprits will be known. The scenario of powerful leaders hugging the corporate scepter ignoring the weak and defenseless is what stifles and befuddles the mind.
Courageous candor should be simple when evil is involved. That’s integrity and great leaders must have great integrity or some day, eventually, I believe their platform will crumble.
My challenge has been having candor in other situations. Dave Ramsey talks about the dangers of sanctioned incompetence. I’m trying to learn how to address shortcomings without steam rolling people in the process.
The lie is in the eye of the beholder, and one can easily lose perspective of what is true without genuine self examination. It’s too easy to be at the top of the heap and lose your sense of reality and character. It takes strong moral leadership which is humble in heart to truly lead in a way that is honoring and true.
Very appropriate post this morning Dan. I will start off by saying that for me complicity is worse than the offense. I know a lot of folks will take issue with that but I have zero sympathy for people with or without power that have the capability to right a wrong and don’t do it.
Silence is consent as St. Thomas Moore taught us all. The offender has an illness which needs treatment and therapy not enablers and how about the poor victims. To me situations like this are a severe, irresponsible, and intolerable travesty of justice. How many victims might have been saved had transparent and immediate candor ruled the day.
This occurs in all professions, not just University Presidents and coach legends and priests. Apathy, and repercussion fears hold many witnesses at bay. “Looking the other way” is simply not an option especially for Leaders. You touched my “red nuclear button” this morning since child abuse and rape are so destructive and life altering and in my line of work unfortunately I have seen too much of it. I think termination is symbolically and politically expedient but certainly the punishment in no way fits the crime.
I will stop my ranting and raving and pray to God to always give me the strength, boldness and courage to follow through on my beliefs especially when others are harmed or potentially can be injured. As someone recently stated “lip service” never promotes execution and actionable items become ink smudges until resolution occurs. Let your walk predict your convictions and understand that being and doing is more important than winning or succeeding.
Peace and God bless. No happy face today and a moment of respect and silence for all those afflicted including victims and their families and yes the undisclosed and muted accomplices and their loved ones as well. They all need help, guidance and our prayers.
I work in Community & Media Relations at a small southern university – I certainly hope we would have ‘courageous candor’ if this sort of tragedy happened on our campus. This should be a much-visited case study for administrators nation wide.
I think it is very interesting how people behave the higher up the business social ranks they climb in life …. the manner in which they buy in to another group of values negating their own says more about the individual’s strength of character and lack of understanding of themselves. Is their own individual importance just wrapped up in the position they hold in life and the salary they embrace, if you strip that away, do they no longer feel important, does their life hold less meaning …… Each of us as humans have a desire to belong and be accepted into a group, just be careful of what group of dogs you lie down with ….. you may get fleas ……
The feeling of importance, of meaning in your life
Do you get it from out there, or do you hold it deep inside
In the search for meaning, each will go down a separate road
It may be straight, curved, twisted,and occasionally you will travel alone
You will get a job, work really hard to impress
Spend money on the proper clothes, feel good about how you dress
You will spend time taking in, and some time giving out
You will buy different kinds of things, and put most of them in a house
The feeling of importance, of meaning in your life
Comes from what you build, not from what you buy
You find it in the friendships made, inside people’s eyes
It is in the hearts of the ones you love
The real important meaning for your life is deep inside …….
Imelda, absolutely a beautiful and inspiring comment and the poem is priceless. How important is it to drive a Mercedes if there is no one to watch you drive by? Who wants to be the richest man in the graveyard vs. the revered with the legacy of being missed for their wisdom, compassion and human fellowship?
Thanks Al, it is my pleasure 😉
Imelda, you have a wonderful way with words. Have to ask, have you published your poetry and if so where?
Thanks Jim, I was very lucky to find this really creative and interactive group on LinkedIn called Friends of Ireland managed by the author James Hayes …. on it they have a poetry nook, so to speak and I am one of the resident poets ….. let’s say we play of each other’s creativity …… very enlightening to say the least and a lot of fun 🙂
Finally, the adults in the room (i.e., Penn State Board of Trustees) made the right decision. There is something about people that rise to powerful positions; they get so full of themselves they actually believe they are bullet proof. This is an outstanding example of “Willful Blindness.” These guys were all in positions where they do not get the luxury of saying I didn’t know this was going on.
What is so tragic about this situation is the enormous lifetime damage this assistant coach has inflicted on his victims and their families and his boss’s lack of courage to deal with the situation as soon as he heard about it.
For Joe Paterno, this incident destroys 40+ years of teaching courage and character to his football players. Of course, there are those who will continue to idolize Paterno and forever make excuses for his failure in judgement because they think faced with the same horrific situation they might do the same thing.
It is only when we are directly faced with a situation similar to this that we learn very quickly whether we live by the fundamental principles of right versus wrong or we let them slide when it involves a colleague, friend, or family member.
As for “courageous candor,” the person who told Paterno about the incident in 2002 exhibited courageous candor, it was Paterno who lacked the courage to do anything about it beyond saying something to the school president. It is not often one gets to exhibit Principled-Centered Leadership, but when one does it is refreshing. In this case, the “Good ole boy network” kicked in and Paterno displayed pathetic leadership.
Two questions to think about in the context of our personal and work lives:
1. Wonder what ever happened to the person who reported the incident to Paterno back in 2002?
2. Why would Paterno continue to work along side his defensive coach knowing about his sexual preferences since 2002?
Without diminishing the tragedy of this and apparently 8 other incidents, it is disconcerting that Penn State students crowded into the streets chanting “We want Joe back” after the Board’s decision was known. From a systemic stand point, I find this to be quite troubling, because I am seeing more and more of this type of behavior in business and every night on MSM Occupy Wall Street movement coverage. Greece and Italy are two grand examples of this behavior. We have been slowly moving into an era where too many people don’t want to be held accountable for their behavior because they believe the government will bail them out and give them a pass.
Hey, I get the college football thing, I graduated from LSU and my Dad graduated from Penn State. Maybe, just maybe, Sandusky’s victims can start living their lives in the sunlight versus in the shadows.
Jim, eloquently and rightly stated. There is not a thing to be added to your comment. I also appreciate you taking this incident and helping us focus from 30K feet and catch the “global” drift if you will that appears every day to be getting immeasurably greater. I would have a real tough time finding any way to condone any of this both internal and external. Contrived and chosen “ignorance” is certainly not bliss for any of the victims and their families.
Jim,
You make some incredibly important points, and I really think that the board has made the right decision with regard to how the University MUST react. I still feel badly for some of the people who are being swept up in this mess because of the evil inflicted by one person and unaddressed by too many. No one wants to believe that they are friends with a sexual predator. This incident will make it incredibly clear to EVERYONE that abuse needs to be reported…no matter what position you hold.
In response to the questions you asked..
1: Mike McQueary, the assistant coach who brought the information to Paterno, has continued to coach alongside Paterno and has been on the Penn State football staff since he came forward in 2002. It will be interesting to see what happens with him in the fallout…as a coach on the staff, should he have done more? He was the one who actually saw something.
2. The sexual abuser, Sanduskey, retired as a coach at Penn State in 1999. He was not on the staff when Paterno heard about the eye-witness account.
Terribly sad…and disappointing.
MMF
Thanks for the reply Meagan. I just noticed that Dan had attached the Grand Jury’s report. Sandusky was not only a bad guy he was dangerous and incredibly stupid.
With respect to Sandusky being retired in 2002, OK. Note the time line here: http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/22f5d828#/22f5d828/38
Now, note the awfully peculiar behavior involving Victim 6 and Sandusky taking showers together in 1998, before he retired. How often have you heard of a coach taking a shower with his team players much less an 11 year old child in a university athletic shower? I dare say NEVER. This would have been a MAJOR RED FLAG for me.
Even though he retired in June 1999, he retired with Emeritus status, which allowed him access to campus facilities whenever he wanted. The reported incident was in the Louis and Mildred Lasch Football Building on Penn State’s campus not in his home.
When you look at the time line and the connection to Sandusky’s The Second Mile program and note all the signs, those close to him were ignoring the signs because of his prestige, position, power, or they just didn’t want to get involved.
Jim,
I COMPLETELY agree about how many red flags could have been observed with this one, but I don’t think Sandusky is as stupid as you think. He had a lot of people completely snowed about who he is…not unlike the best sexual predators. Guys as creepy as this can stay under the radar if they are good at making people believe they are someone who can be trusted.
If, and this is a big IF, Paterno knew that his assistant was showering with the young boys, I hold Paterno just as responsible as the offender. It would be completely inapprotpriate, but it is actually possible that he didn’t know about it. None of us can really know for sure.
As a result of this case, things WILL be changing for every administration and every college in this country with regard to coaches and their contact with children. It is a huge wake-up call, and overall, I think it is a good thing. What frustrates me is that there is such uninformed hype over emotionally-charged situations like this, and it will take time for it all to sort itself out. MMF
Well reasoned and passionately communicated. Thank you.
Lively topic today Dan,
Managers in leadership positions were let go at Penn State. REAL leaders would not have let it get this far.
Too often people confuse managers with leaders. I can count the number of TRUE leaders I’ve met in my life on one hand. They’re rare because they typically make bold, quick, and sometimes wildly unpopular decisions to just do the right thing.
Know and live your values, and when they are compromised you must speak up in my opinion no matter how hard it is. As far as the Penn State scandal I agree lack of courageous candor.
Scott- great point, true leaders are rare indeed and there is a major imbalance today.
I have an extremely hard time accepting that McQueary “did the right thing.”…even after putting myself in his age range and rank position at the time, as well as knowing Sandusky as closely as he did….
there was no place for “telling”….this was a blink of an eye moment, that he needed to “act”….that is Heroism, that could have saved the countless others from being victimized.
As someone mentioned poignantly above…its the mirror that we face, that we cannot hide from…..how has McQueary done it for so long.
Two rules to remember when it hits the fan:
1. It will not go away.
2. However bad it sounds now, it will sound a lot worse later on.
This experience tears at our core. (That it did not for those who did not constantly speak up, for those who were told and turned a blind eye, and those who thought they were above it is a sad sad reflection of a sick culture.) Have heard it said that there has not been enough terminations, the current coach included.
I fear that with 20 victims speaking up that the number may be x5 as there is a pattern and likely many more locations where this occurred. The abuser has not concept of the damage he has done.
Sadly, the ripples of trauma will be felt for this generation and generations to come. For those who must endure, I grieve that this has happened to you. Please try to endure. And even, for honest Penn State football players, past and present, I am sorry your leaders were not there for you, that they were not the leaders they presented themselves to be. The values they may have stated still can illuminate, do not give up on those inner strengths in yourself.
So how can we move ahead, right now is not that time. This is a time for transparency, action (candor), grieving and finding ways to start to heal. Healing does not mean it goes away, the scar tissue runs too deep.
It is now the time for courageous candor at Penn State and at our own workplaces and in our own cultures. If we can learn from these terrible events, if we can ensure that such aberrations, such cancers, such evil do not grow then that would be one small way to show respect those who have endured more than they should. Talking about such difficult subjects is not easy, but to try to prevent them from happening again and shining a light on such darkness, is a very courageous step.
Doc, our collective sadness has gripped us all and yes once we get beyond the anger, humiliation, disgust, and pain, we can begin your healing process. Ditto to everything you said. Emotional exhaustion and fatigue begs me to stop talking (don’t think I have ever made these many comments before) and reset the “nuclear red button.” Time for reflection, prayer and empathy for all afflicted. “Primum Non Nocere” hit home today. Peace. AD
How can leaders have courageous candor?
What are the dangers of courageous candor?
I read this post early this morning, and it (and the comments) are some of the most well thought-out I have heard/read. I wish I knew the answer to “how can leaders have courageous candor?” I wish those young men were not treated so horribly and forced to endure such an uphill battle to regain any normalcy in their lives. Part of having courageous candor is surrounding yourself with others who have courageous candor, and insisting that your people are not “yes people.” The dangers can include losing power, money, and prestige. But power, money, and prestige are really inconsequential when weighed against destroying a child’s trust in adults.
Paula I believe your last sentence succinctly and concisely summarizes with impeccable accuracy the sentiment expressed by all.
The bantor on this subject has been so thought provoking. This hits home with me because I am a football coach/biology teacher in Texas for the past 28 years. Last week, if you would ask me who in college football exhibits the greatest character, I would quickly shout out Joe Paterno and Mack Brown. Last year I would have shouted Jim Tressel’s name also. I heard Tressel speak at a University of Texas clinic years ago when he was the coach at Youngstown State. He gave an enlightening speech on management he overseed at State and how it helped him win numerous D-II national championships. But the amazing fact was told to us after that morning lecture by then UT coach Makovic, was that the night before, his home had burned to the ground. UT officials quickly excused him from his speaking obligation. But after his family’s safety was insured, he chose to speak. He told officials that he made a committment and chose to follow it. As a young coach of 36 years, I was quite impressed and happy to be associated in the same profession as a man of Tressel’s character.
We all know how Tressel’s current character cost him a job. He didn’t want to make that tough decision and demonstrated to his players how to “play the system.” Easy to talk the talk, tougher to walk the walk.
I was soundly both disgusted and disappointed during the Ohio State mudfest. Words cannot describe my emotions now. If OSU was a 5 on the Character Earthquake Scale (CES), then what has transpired in Happy Valley (what a disgusting name) is off the charts. Stop the JoPa has done so much good-his turning the other way, while numerous (the number will exceed 50) children were abused takes away any and ALL good deeds he has done in 80 years on God’s green earth.
Today, I celebrated 6 seniors who played defensive line for me in my first 0-10 season. I told them they learned more in losing ten games than my players from two undefeated years ever did. They worked harder on that last practice day to improve ever so incremently to hopefully win that last game of the season. They lost the game, but gained invaluable work and life experience. They will be successful in life because of their character and drive. Football didn’t cause this, it just revealed it.
Football didn’t cause a flaw in Joe Paterno’s character, it just revealed it.
Sadly yours
Coach Bear
Well stated coach, glad you are there!
The entire incident speaks to lack of integrity, which is paramount in leadership. This includes the coach who saw the indiscretion and did not attempt to stop immediately the physical abuse he was seeing before him. Forever and a day, he contributed to the abuse of a ten year old because of lack of integrity and courage, placing him in the same category as the abuser.
How can leaders have courageous candor?
Good question. I believe that honesty/integrity as an internal value of the leader is a prerequisite. If it’s not a high priority value for a leader, we are not likely to see it exhibited. Instead, we will tend to see what a leader values the most, which as we are seeing, is not always in the best interests of the public.
It seems that we now live in a culture where we have been conditioned to tolerate the intolerable. When we reach a state of being that would ‘question’ whether or not the rape of a child is acceptable and choose to let the event carry on while we go ‘figure it out’ is a major red flag that our ‘union’ in this country is in a state of legitimate emergency. Yet, as a whole, we are conditioned and prepped for minimization and denial. And this is what allows abuse of all kinds to continue.
In order for a leader to have courageous candor, integrity as an internal value would need to be more important then the risk of loss one might face for speaking the truth. The loss of position, status, income, etc.
Many people like to be ‘leaders’, but not many so-called leaders have integrity nor is it more important then their own fame and fortune.
Integrity can’t be replaced with processes or procedures, though, and that was precisely the response I heard from the Board of Trustees. “We need procedures in place to prevent this from happening again.” What does THAT mean?! Do we need to write a note in the employee manual to say that if any employee witnesses or knows about a 60 year old man in a shower with a 10 year old, it must be reported to 3 levels of management? That’s what happened and it wasn’t enough.
I think that there is a simple resistence on the part of those in the education industry to embrace accountability, OR to believe that anyone in the industry could do anything wrong, even the lowly football personnel.
Generally, this IS an integrity failure, and more rules will not improve the situation, but rather harsh penalties and sentences that are well publicized to serve as a warning to others that “doing nothing” is unacceptable. Foster an environment of integrity rather than an environment of perpetuation, which is actually the true outcome of this… A perpetuated environment of serial child sexual exploitation.
Is it just me or does it seem like no one wants to get involved anymore? Right or wrong people just want to turn a blind eye when it doesn’t have a direct effect on them. And that leads to a moral issue. When it comes to children they are supposed to be able to turn to who they believe are leaders, pillars of the community. And all we are doing is letting them down. Who do they trust? Who do they turn to if not their teacher, priest or coach when they feel they can’t talk to their parents. Sad.