When it's time to whistle blow
"In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot." Czeslaw Milosz
Heard this term, whistle blow, lately? I bet you have and that's as far as I'm going politically with this blog. I'll focus instead on the concept of whistle blowing and opine on when one should do it. Whistle blowing, of course, doesn't involve blowing a whistle. It occurs in many ways, such as alerting the media, taking to social media, reporting to an investigating body, or even sending an email to a wide body of people, especially those with authority.
In the U.S. Army as in many organizations there is an Inspector General. This organization is an unbiased body which receives formal grievances and investigates and reports on them. Every now and then disgruntled soldiers might state, "I'm going to IG!" Heading to the IG was a form of whistle blowing. The IG would not turn down a whistle blower. I often thought "going to IG," especially as a first step was an emotional and lazy approach to solving individual or organizational problems. Not all whistle blowers are heroes. When should one do it then?
Here is my philosophy. Pick up a mirror. When you look into the mirror you should be able to answer in the affirmative that you did all you could before deciding to blow the whistle. This is truly a last resort. You should know what your end goal is - what is the greater good which will come from blowing the whistle? You should have conducted yourself unemotionally, with bravery and professionalism and you should have sought the counsel of others. If your decision to whistle blow involves personal fame or fortune, do some soul-searching. I believe that is bad motivation. Lastly if your approach is an angry Tweet, bulk email, or some other method which does not facilitate a solution, you may be acting with emotions and immaturity. If you have done all of this introspection and hard work and you stand on solid ground, and the problem still persists, indeed, blow the whistle.
There are numerous steps to be taken before blowing the whistle. The first should involve solving the problem individually, seeking the counsel and assistance of peers. Next, one should approach their immediate supervisor, professionally and unemotionally, presenting what they believe to be a problem. Remember, bring solutions, not just problems to a superior - what would you suggest be done? When a person encounters a boss who will not listen, it's not automatically time to call the local news or the like. One could seek the advice of another superior outside their organization. They could talk to peers or other organizations which handle these situations, speaking generically in confidence before blowing the whistle.
Do the hard work. This means confronting a superior numerous times using different approaches to get them to act. Should this fail, inform them that you are forced to go above them. If this must occur, once again, be professional and unemotional presenting your case.
Indeed, there are countless scenarios which may cause a person to whistle blow. Danger to oneself, others, or the organization may be present. In cases such as these, it is important to protect oneself and others. There are few scenarios which are worth a life, injury, or financial ruin.
What ever your approach, or the approach of others, consider this philosophy. Be brave, selfless, and do the hard work. Exhaust all means and when you have done so and believe your grievance must be addressed for the greater good, blow the whistle.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell