Friday 30 November 2012

Confessions of a whistle-blower



Quote
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  Attributed to Edmund Burke.

News
On Monday Tyler Hamilton, a gold medal winner in cycling at the Athens Olympics, won this year’s William Hill Sports Book of the Year award.  ‘The Secret Race’ is a detailed exposé of the culture of doping in world class cycling. 

Hamilton explained what made him a whistle-blower:Last summer, I received a subpoena to testify before a grand jury. Until the moment I walked into the courtroom, I hadn't told a soul. My testimony went on for six hours… I told the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And I felt a sense of relief I'd never felt before -- all the secrets, all the weight I'd been carrying around for years suddenly lifted.”  As a part of coming clean, he gave back his Olympic medal.

Although Hamilton’s confession has helped turn the tide in cleaning up cycling, many are waiting for Lance Armstrong to own up as well – the seven times Tour de France winner who has recently been stripped of all his trophies since 1998, for persistent drug abuse. 

The appeal of watching great athletes is sharing in the sense of joy and triumph that someone essentially like us has achieved great feats of strength, perseverance and skill.  This makes them heroes, people we can emulate.  But when it transpires that an athlete’s triumph was partly due to taking illegal drugs, all that good starts to unravel.

Sanctions and punishments for drug offences can only go so far to restore the sport’s reputation.  The loss of trust between athletes and the media, the disillusionment of sponsors and sense of betrayal by cycling fans cannot be repaired easily – nor the bitter hostility between the whistle-blowers and those they expose.    

Repairing the relational damage caused by years of systematic cheating and lying takes relational courage and honesty, of the kind that Hamilton has demonstrated.  May his example help others speak out the truth also, and rebuild the trust which every sport depends on.

Read on...
A recent report in the Financial Times describes the emergence of a ‘Whistle-blowers Club’ of people who have had the determination to tell the truth about some wrongdoing they had witnessed at work, and the consequences of their actions.  Read the fascinating article here.  

Walk the talk
Is your conscience uneasy about some practice at work or at home which has become normalised? IF so, what would it take for you to stand against it?

The last word
From the Bible, Psalm 32, verses 3, 5: ‘When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”  And you forgave the guilt of my sin.’

Friday 23 November 2012

Which way to well-being?



Quote
 “…the Gross National Product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures… everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.”  Senator Robert Kennedy.

News
Can people’s happiness increase when their economic fortunes are declining?   That is one conclusion from the first report of the UK National Well-being Programme published this week.  The government initiative was launched in 2010 to understand and monitor well-being as an alternative measure of national progress, but critics say the report just states the obvious. 
However, does the unexpected correlation between falling GDP and rising well-being call into question the methodology of the programme?  Or is it another indicator that GDP is a poor overall measure of national progress?  From a relational perspective, although financial difficulties put pressure on relationships (e.g. money is the primary cause of domestic arguments), it’s also true that facing hardships together often strengthens relationships in the family and community. 
Interestingly, the region with the highest subjective measure of well-being was the Scottish Islands, where close-knit communities, family stability, a beautiful environment and low crime rates all contribute to the happiness of the population (despite the awful weather!)
Understanding these, and other non-economic factors that influence well-being, is perhaps more important now than ever, as the UK economy is likely to stagnate for a number of years.  If the government can no longer rely on steady economic growth and higher tax revenues to pay for improving the quality of national life, then perhaps it’s time for a new focus for public policy? 
Could the way forward be to encourage more investment in family, community and organisational relationships – which cost time rather than money – and holds out the promise of measurable growth in national well-being even in times of austerity?

Read on…
The Relationships Foundation published a UK Family Pressure Gauge report, highlighting some of the main relational pressures faced by families in Britain.  Read it here.
 
Walk the talk
In thinking about your Christmas holiday activities, why not plan in a day which doesn’t involve spending any money at all, and see how much well-being it generates compared to the ones depending on the wallet.

The last word
From the Bible, 1 Timothy 6, v.6-8: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

Friday 9 November 2012

Planting more democracy



Quote
“Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”  George Jean Nathan

News
Next Thursday a new election takes place in England and Wales – for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs).  The government wants to make police more accountable to their local communities, by replacing the unelected and invisible police authorities with a single commissioner for each of 41 police forces. 

However the government has come under criticism for failing to convince voters of the need for the change.  Also no money has been made available for candidates to present their case, which means the people who come and vote (it’s predicted to be a low turnout) don’t have much to go on in deciding the most appropriate person.

Government ministers argue that democracy is good per se, and that local people voting must be a better way than making the appointments centrally.  But is it? 

Democracy is about people choosing someone they know is trustworthy and competent, to assume some public responsibility.  It is inherently relational.  Trust develops best when there is real encounter between people, built up over time, accompanied by mutual knowledge and respect, and shared goals and values.

Most voters have never heard of their candidates for PCC; with so little information available, it’s hard to form an opinion as to who would be trustworthy.  Effective local democracy requires more than a decision from Whitehall to hold an election.  Local government in Britain has few powers and responsibilities that require meaningful engagement by local residents; this leaves thin relational soil for local democracy to take root.

Read on…
The R Factor was a landmark book published nearly 20 years ago about relationships in public life. In the first chapter, Michael Schluter and David Lee explained the crucial difference between encounter and contingent relationships. Read the excerpt here.

Walk the talk
For those of you based in Britain and eligible to vote in the PCC elections, why not look up your candidates (if you haven't done so) here.   Why not try to find out more about them online, see if they are going to hold any public meeting before the election, or phone them if they have given a number.  As you do so, which candidate seems the most trustworthy and competent?

The last word
From the Bible, Deuteronomy 1, verse 12-13: "But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself? Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you."

Friday 2 November 2012

Storms, social capital and elections

Quote
‘A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.’ Henrik Ibsen, Norwegian playwright.

News
‘Superstorm’ Sandy, which left 69 dead in the Caribbean and over 100 in the US, is the second most damaging storm in US history after hurricane Katrina in 2006. Besides the death toll, the economic cost is estimated at over $50 billion, and thousands of homes are still without power. Behind these hard statistics, there’s the softer, relational impact to consider. A wrecked house is also a family uprooted; reconstructing a neighbourhood involves restoring community relationships; a displaced population means small businesses and livelihoods going to the wall.

The way the news media reports on such disasters reflects our values. We’re fascinated by the death and destruction that nature can inflict, but we yearn to read about the human spirit too. Out of the tragedy come inspiring tales of kindness, selflessness and courage, which seem to flourish in times of shared adversity.

Coming just a week before the US presidential election, how has the storm influenced the political landscape? Initially it seems to have favoured President Obama, as he put campaigning aside and took an effective lead in the overall disaster response efforts.

But in another way it has put a healthy dent in the facade of adversarial politics. During the election Republicans and Democrats have sought to denigrate and demean their opponents, pointing out the political and personal flaws in their adversary more than the merits of their own campaign. Yet following the storm we’ve seen Republican politicians go against the partisan flow to commend President Obama for his handling of the crisis.

Why is this important? Because, like the stories of strangers helping each other after the storm, it reveals the level of social capital in the country. Social capital is the breadth and quality of relationships in a community that lead to a sense of belonging and mutual cooperation. Arguably, the greater long term crisis in America is the steady loss of social and relational capital, leading to the kind of greed and recklessness which were a direct cause of the financial crisis.

Which candidate for president will do more to build social capital? Perhaps this is what American voters should be considering on Tuesday.

Read on...
Although government and insurance companies will eventually pay for much of the material damage caused by Sandy, there’s a need for more local investment. One way to regenerate communities in a relational way is through social investment bonds; read an article about how these worked in a deprived area of Sheffield here.

Walk the talk
How do you discuss the news with friends or family? We tend to be limited by the framework used by the journalist. Why not start a conversation that explores the relational issues and impact behind any economic or political headline?

The last word
From the Bible, Matthew 12, verse 25: ‘Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”’