FESSING UP

We all mess up from time to time, and in general the bigger the organisation and the wider the impact of such errors, the more likelihood there is of mistakes being made. These could of course be inadvertent or deliberate.  

We are in an era where, after having at first denied any wrongdoing in the hope that no one will find out and lay the blame, the ‘done thing’ is to apologise and hope it all goes away.  

Of course, that is not quite what happens. Certainly, when it comes to large corporations and government departments there are inherent dangers in admitting to misconduct or unlawful activity. The tendency is to close ranks and hunker down to protect the reputation of the organisation and its key personnel. In most cases the ‘easy option’, particularly for what are seen as ‘white collar’ crimes, is to hush things up and quietly remove or side-line the people concerned, often with a generous pay off, in the hope that no one is the wiser.  

Sooner or later, not having been taken to task or forced to face the full severity of the law, we see the same people resurface elsewhere with untarnished reputations.  

However, sooner or later the truth will out, and those involved in the ‘cover up’ will emerge with egg all over their faces. It is natural that as a result any level of trust that may have previously existed will be greatly diminished, and rightly so. The public does not like to be hoodwinked.  

What is interesting is that the more senior the position the offender holds, the more likely they are to escape justice. At the lower levels of our social hierarchy, there is considerably more likelihood of a prison record.  

Whilst it can be painful to admit to misjudgement or lack of oversight, what is important is to acknowledge it at the earliest opportunity and to ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to avoid repetition of the incident; and that those with an interest in the organisation are fully informed, not kept in the dark, like mushrooms. 

I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but after a lifetime of trying to wriggle out of any difficulties I have found myself in, I have at last learnt to hold my hands up, confess to my failings, and move on.