A Leader’s Obligation
RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT
Leadership is interesting, as leaders are responsible both for what they do, and what they failed to do and should have done. So much of Tolerance in leadership is about Character, and that is about “walking the talk” of the values the leaders espouse. This compels a true leader to act, even in difficult circumstances. Soldiers, police, firefighters, and many doctors step towards danger when others turn away. A true leader must step into the action that is righteous, as this “stepping” defines who they are. Almost all leaders will fall short at some point, and they must also feel compelled to reflect on and rectify the shortfall. They must be prepared to step into it when called the next time. This is the nature of a servant leader, and who they are at their core.
The brutal murder of Jayna Murray inside a Lululemon Athletica store in downtown Bethesda in 2011 will be remembered for many things. But perhaps as much as anything else, the murder will be remembered for the reaction — or apparent non-reaction — of two Apple Store employees next door, who heard cries for help and did nothing.
The jury watched a surveillance video from the Apple Store, where two employees stood next to a wall adjoining Lululemon and listened. In court, Jana Svrzo, one of the two, quoted the words she heard that night. One voice said: “Talk to me. Don’t do this.” Later, another quietly said: “God help me. Please help me.”
The video shows the two employees eventually returning to work. The other employee, Ricardo Rios, told a detective that the thought the noise was “drama,” not violence. The store’s security guard didn’t hear anything; he was listening to his iPod. No one called the police.
The testimony enraged many people, who wondered how anyone could hear “help me” and not jump into action. On Twitter, there were calls for the Apple employees to also be charged in Murray’s death.
Research shows that leaders hold great responsibility for overcoming silence in the face of injustice. Leaders who use their positions to fight injustice inspire those around them to do the same. There is a social consensus that leaders should intervene when they notice critical issues, such as inefficacies or unethical behaviors. Leaders are also responsible for protecting their followers from harm, guaranteeing safety and ethical standards, and assigning workload at an appropriate level.
When leaders fail in this regard, there are two possible outcomes:
- They create a culture of silence, in which people are reluctant to bring up critical issues. These issues are then ignored and no action is taken. This scenario applies both to issues in the organization and issues in society. Failing to speak up about these issues results in those affected feeling unsafe and losing trust in the leader. Thus, a culture of silence is where critical issues and critical feelings of safety are not maintained. This causes the organization to quickly devolve.
- The second possible outcome is that another person will rise to the occasion and fill the vacuum in leadership. While this is good news for followers and for justice, this is a bad outcome for both the original leader and the organization they lead. An undermined leader will lose the respect of their followers. They may also resort to desperate and ill-planned attempts to regain respect of their followers. At the same time, with an undermined leader, the organization cannot function correctly.
In both scenarios, the leader is no longer perceived as a true and ethical leader.
“Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself.”
—ROBERT GREEN INGERSOLL