Right and Wrong – Your Leadership Imperative

Last week Claudine Gay resigned as President of Harvard University. Liz Magill had already resigned as President of the University of Pennsylvania.

I am an alumnus of both schools, and I believe these leaders failed in their leadership responsibilities. When we are in a leadership position – from the teacher in the classroom to the President of the United States, one of our most important responsibilities is to talk about what is Right and what is Wrong. Our employees look to us for guidance as to what is Right and Wrong within the company. And, we speak for our organization when we talk about our company’s core values to the broader community.

Chief Executive magazine just published an article I wrote examining the statements Gay and Magill made about the Hamas massacre of civilians and advocacy on their campuses for the genocide of Jews. I drew lessons for each of us as leaders from this moment. The full article is HERE.

Too often we hesitate to talk about what is Right and Wrong because someone might be offended or hurt. Speaking about what is Right and Wrong is both okay and is required when we are in a leadership position. Take a moment to read the article and pass it on to others who may find it helpful.

Santa’s Sleigh and Reindeer
I want to share one of my favorite Christmas Season images. We do not think of reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh in Los Angeles while overflowing with presents for good little boys and girls. But I saw Santa’s sleigh flying over the Grove near Beverly Hills and grabbed this picture to be sure what I saw was really happening. Rudolph is leading the way!