When leaders choose reputation over accountability, they often lose both
What every institution should learn from the Columbia University scandal A recent article about Columbia University and former OB-GYN Robert Hadden stopped me in my tracks. Not because institutional scandals are unusual. They are not. What struck me was how familiar the pattern felt. I have seen many organizations face allegations of misconduct, ethical failures, regulatory concerns and complaints from the people they serve. Sometimes the allegations prove true. Sometimes the
Catherine Cameron
Sep 33 min read
When a Client Raises a Concern: Who Is Listening?
What happens when a client raises serious concerns about a regulated professional? I was a client who raised serious concerns about the conduct of a regulated professional, a veterinarian, to the business where that professional worked. I was not an employee. I raised concerns involving professional boundaries, a significant power imbalance and conduct that I believed could have implications beyond my own experience. I was directed to the organization's HR manager, who I was
Catherine Cameron
Aug 115 min read
When Company Values Are Put to the Test
Most organizations know how to talk about their values. Integrity. Respect. Accountability. Transparency. Trust. They appear on websites, in strategic plans, recruitment materials and presentations about organizational culture. There is nothing wrong with these words. The question is whether those values hold when they are tested. All too often they don't. After more than 30 years working with organizations and leaders, I have learned that values are easy to claim. The real t
Catherine Cameron
Aug 103 min read
At What Point Does Silence Become Complicity?
Over the past few years, I have found myself thinking about a question that is far more complicated than it first appears. At what point does silence become complicity? Most of us think of complicity as something active. We think of people who participate, conceal information or knowingly enable harmful behaviour. But I am not sure the line is always that clear. In organizations, concerns rarely arrive fully formed with all the facts neatly assembled. More often, they arrive
Catherine Cameron
Aug 102 min read
When loyalty becomes liability
One of the most difficult responsibilities of leadership is recognizing when loyalty to a colleague, a partner, or a trusted professional relationship begins to conflict with the responsibility to protect people and uphold organizational values. Most leaders do not set out to enable unethical behaviour. They do not wake up intending to ignore harm or dismiss legitimate concerns. Often, the opposite is true. They believe they are being loyal. They believe they are supporting s
Catherine Cameron
Aug 71 min read
How did no one know?
One of the most common questions asked after a crisis becomes public is, "How did no one know?" The reality however, is that someone usually did know. They may not have had all the information. They may not have understood the full extent of what was happening. Often however, employees had seen the warning signs long before an issue reached the point where leadership could no longer ignore it. Throughout my career as a communications executive, I have spent more than 30 years
Catherine Cameron
Aug 73 min read