[June 17, 2016] One popular theory in the study of psychology tells us that humans will lie, cheat, and steal if given the opportunity. While critics of the theory note the theory’s pessimistic view of the human mind, it nevertheless has some truth in it. The Watergate scandal was one of those times when failed leadership, mixed with overzealous courage, resulted in the fall of U.S. President Richard Nixon. On this date, June 17, 1972, arrests were made on a hotel break-in.
“What did the president know and when did he know it?,” was one of the key questions about Nixon’s role in ordering the break-in of Democratic National Committee offices. The year 1972 was a tough time for the United States. Things weren’t going well on the home front with riots in the streets, campus protests, losses in the Vietnam War, and the Civil Rights Movement just to name a few.
When leaders are under stress and they have the opportunity to shortcut processes or bypass rules, we are told that there is an inclination for them to do so. Despite what might be considered high risk posed to them by such behavior, it is only logical that those leaders would do the right thing. Of interest to students of leadership, is that risk appears not to factor into their decision-making process.
Transparency in operations is the new buzzword for how to conduct one’s business, whether it be in politics, military, or business operations. Independent oversight of a leader’s operations is one of the mechanisms to prevent the abuses of power and influence. That is the idea but it doesn’t always work as intended.
The Watergate scandal occurred in spite of limited transparency and its impact on the nation was profound. Five men were arrested for breaking into the DNC offices at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. but additional illegal activities like political espionage and falsification of official documents also occurred. Ultimately it led to Nixon’s resignation from the office of the presidency. This is what most Americans know but is only a fraction of the impact.
One of the biggest affects of Nixon’s resignation was that North Vietnam attacked and destroyed the weak South Vietnamese nation; and the U.S. failed to come to their aid. More important for the U.S. was that the scandal shook the trust and confidence of the American people in the presidency. Fortunately the nation survived the constitutional crisis due to the effectiveness of the system of checks and balances proving that even the president is not above the law.
The lesson for leaders is to resist the urge to shortcut or bypass rules and processes. Leaders should be transparent in the methods they use to conduct business and they should quickly admit any transgressions on their part. Otherwise, they will be like Richard Nixon, whose name today is equated with illegal and unethical behavior.
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