Respect for the whistleblowers
Corruption occurs incrementally, be that within the individual or at the level of organisation.
We say yes to the first lie, the first act of betrayal, the first break in integrity.
As a group, we fold to collusion, for many reasons…which might include the desire to remain part of the ‘in group,’ to not be seen as betraying the group when we might be betraying integrity itself. And in the act, our own integrity. This is a critical element of the tribal nationalistic mindset, to make pariahs of those who might step from the ‘tribe’ and question its morals and ethics.
As time passes, these small acts of betrayal and corruption accumulate. If we get away with it and continue to do so, we become emboldened by our ability to get away with almost anything.
To speak up, to stand alone, to be the voice, whether we are right or wrong..to be the whistleblower, is to risk everything. Isolation, ridicule, incarceration, becoming a pariah.
The desire for integrity, to serve a greater truth, must far exceed the desire for anything else for a whistleblower to act.
When governments and organisations make laws that prevent the evidence of why someone spoke up against them to be presented we allow the organisation itself to not be held to account by the very people it is supposed to serve.
This is the world we live in. These are the laws of many governments. Put the whistleblower into a court, but refuse to have their testimony of why they blew the whistle in the first place be admissible.
Respect for the whistleblowers. They speak up and act against increasingly insurmountable odds.
In a future I would aspire to see we design organisations and enterprises that allow feedback and transparency for all of those people that the enterprise seeks to serve. Everyone held to account, the actions of the enterprise held to account both in the immediate and the long term.
This is a Syntropic Enterprise. More value is added in all domains to all stakeholders than is extracted, be that at the government, organisational or community level.
Integrity is the essence.
September 29th 2019
Photo taken September 29th, 2019
