[April 10, 2016] In Part 1 of this short series on tainted leaders I wrote about how it was impossible for any and everyone not to know about a leader’s mistakes. However, when mistakes are bad enough and a scandal erupts, it’s not too late to do something about it … that’s my opinion anyway. But it takes something special for a person or leader to rise above scandal. How and why are the big questions.
There have been many great scandals and each generation gets to see a few more added to the tower of mistakes already built by those who came before us. Some of them were the Black Sox Baseball scandal, the Ted Kennedy Chappaquiddick incident, the Enron financial scandal, and the Bernie Madoff fraud scandal are just a few of the big ones in the United States. Nearly all scandals involve money or sex but political power is another powerful force that weakens even the strongest leader’s ability to do what is right.
It’s never too late to start down the right path and overcome something that will follow us. There are several well-known people who triumphed over their scandals: Bill Clinton, Martha Stewart, Tiger Woods, and David Petraeus are just a few who paid a high price for their scandals but have managed a comeback.1 How did they do it?
Of course, they all wish they’d put a little more thought into their behavior before acting, but that is – as we say – water under the bridge. So here are some tips to overcoming a scandal:
- Quickly admit all the mistakes that caused it
- Let everyone know what will be done to fix the problem
- Establish preventative measures and don’t give pat answers when asked about it
- Don’t blame others, especially if you’re a leader
- Be as transparent as possible
- Grow a thick skin to criticism
- Be scrupulously forthright and honest
- Be repentant, apologetic, and consistent in your reaction
- Never try to cover it up and be careful to avoid the appearance of a cover-up
- Surround yourself with the very best people
- Be steadfast, resilient, and confident
Understand that the scandal and your role in it will always be fair game for everyone to use to their advantage. Learn to deal with it personally but be aggressive in overcoming the scandal. Adopting the characteristics of a leader goes a long way to prevailing any scandal and despite the difficulty it can be done; it’s done all the time.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker at our Facebook Page.]
———————–
- The price for scandal can be loss of income, property, political power, etc. It can mean prison time, repaying a huge financial obligation, shame, and even more scrutiny. Clinton was impeached, Stewart was sent to prison, Woods got divorced and pays a hefty alimony, and Petraeus was convicted of a crime, lost his job and much of his respect.