When immense power is in erratic hands, the readiness of subordinates to disobey becomes critical. Even a dog knows that. In a riveting article by Roger Cohen in The New York Times, we realize that being disobedient is the right thing to do in certain situations. Fortunately for us, Air Force General John Hyten asserts that he would not obey an illegal order from the Commander-in-Chief.
My bet is the directors of all of the organizations, where wrongdoing, including abuse and harassment are part of the culture, are regretting the absence of disobedience. I have written about the importance of bystanders becoming witnesses, activists, resistors, protectors, and defenders of injustice. Many years of working in the corporate world, focusing on creating psychologically safe, fair and emotionally intelligent cultures, has given me the life experience necessary to be a credible expert in handling the injustice, harassment and abuse that occupy much of the news headlines today. In my book, From Bully to Bull’s-Eye: Move Your Organization Out of the Line of Fire, I provide insights and a method to safely stand up for what is right.
We are all endowed with the ability to know the difference between right and wrong. What we must do now is to stand up against a force not seen since World War II.
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