The Leadership Advisor
"Helping Leaders Develop Leaders." May 2010 Volume 5, Issue 4 |
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"Justice is Truth in Action." | I love the story Phil Eastman tells about his copy of a 1934 Webster's New International Dictionary that used to live on some big table in a high school library. Even with the onset of the internet and the joys of Wiki-pedia, Phil returns to this dictionary every now and again to bring clarity to words that have evolved over time. The word justice is one such word.
When writing about the character element Justice and how it is demonstrated by leaders, Phil wanted to be sure his innate understanding was indeed documented within a definition. After consulting his dictionary, he was pleased to learn that justice has two distinct yet powerful definitions. The first is "the maintenance or administration of what is fair (just) by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims."
In this usage, think about the legal system. My nephew, Stanton Anker, is a lawyer in Rapid City, South Dakota, where he practices law with his father, Stan Anker. They spend their days helping clients "get justice" by aggressively sorting through the facts to look for alternatives and find solutions, whether in complex commercial litigation or personal legal matters.
The second definition for justice Phil learned is, "the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action; conformity of this principle or idea; conformity to truth, fact, or reason." In short, it is "doing justice." Phil contends that this definition is less systematic and more challenging for a leader to demonstrate. This distinction means, "To do what is right, even when it is difficult and costly." One might think of Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, or Mother Teresa.
Both qualities are essential for leadership, and vital in ordering things and people within an organization, but for our discussion purposes on character, we will focus primarily on the second distinction, "doing justice." |
| A Journey Through Justice | |
By Lorene Rasmussen
"Crime of betrayal" is what she called it as we sat there in the little coffee shop. The late afternoon sun was pouring in the front window, and I watched her face as she chronicled the events that brought me to this interview. Although her tone was matter-of-fact, I could feel that this topic was still a tender place to revisit. "You aren't going to use my name are you?" she asked. "My children are grown, but I still honor their privacy in this matter."
One thing I am learning is that sometimes justice doesn't always allow for blatant transparency; sometimes it is doing what is right with a quiet confidence, even though it can be costly.
The first time I met her, she was a successful human resource manager for a company for which we had been asked to present a proposal for a team-building exercise. She was very kind, articulate, and obviously enjoyed her position. She knew her employees and the improvements they needed to be a high-functioning team. We discussed different options and activities that could be presented during a half-day workshop. I left behind the proposal, and we adjourned our meeting. If you would have told me then that she and her children had been through a horrific crisis with nasty tentacles which caused a very lengthy court battle to finally have the abuser put away, I would have not believed you.
The next time I saw her, she was standing behind a lectern, disclosing her story to a legion of city officials, dignitaries, citizens, and law enforcement officers at the grand opening of FACES, Boise's own Family Justice Center. "Is this the same woman we met a year earlier?" I whispered to Phil.
When the ceremony was over, we commended her on the presentation, then took the time to catch up. A few months later, we heard she had left her position and started working for a non-profit organization. "Speaking out that day was what gave me the confidence to move on. As a victim's advocate, I felt my skills and education could better serve the agency," she told me. (No doubt leaving corporate America to aid and assist those less fortunate can be rewarding, but it comes with a price, and I'm not talking just dollars.)
The more I listened to her, the more I was sure that the character element Justice was unfolding before my very eyes. "All I wanted was divine justice," she said. "Forgiveness is his journey...my participation is to hold up a mirror for him to see what effect he had on the lives of the children and family."
Not all victim advocates come with a story quite like hers; many have their degrees in law, social work, or counseling which helps equip them to tend to hurting souls. There are others who step up and volunteer to do justice on behalf of victims. And then there is my friend.
Her unique journey through justice compelled her to want to give back in a way that not only provided services to victims, but also allowed her to speak out within the community. She uses her voice to inform decision makers and leaders that there is hope and healing for victims, because of the vast array of services and supportive professionals who bring individuals and families out of the isolation, to rejoin and contribute to the larger community. It's been years since she successfully navigated the muddy waters of bureaucracy, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, courtrooms, and counselors, but the road map she left behind gives clear direction for anyone who may have to walk this path.
When our interview was over, I cleared our table as we were saying our good-byes. She was telling me about her doctoral dissertation topic and discussing possible new avenues and opportunities that lay ahead for her. Upon my return to the office, an email from her was already waiting. Her words brought a smile. "Thanks for letting me blabber on. You put me so at ease I couldn't stop. You probably have that effect on everyone. I have had many compliments on the beautiful bracelet. Thank you for a special gift. . .I did want to say that coming to the WCA was a perfect blending of passions - for my profession and for victim advocacy."
To you I say, "Thank you my newest friend! Your example of "doing what is right even when it is costly," is a testimony of your character and leadership."
"We can best get justice by doing justice." ~ Theodore Roosevelt
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| A Joyous Display of Justice |  By Phil Eastman
This month's article on Justice is a great blend of that word's dual meaning. From one perspective, justice is what an individual expects to get from society when they have been wronged. It is joyous to see in the profile above, our friend was able to achieve that type of justice.
From a leadership perspective, justice is doing what is right, even (maybe especially) when it is difficult and costly. My hope is that most of us never find ourselves needing to do the right thing in such difficult circumstances: having to do justice in a setting of abuse. The courage and tenacity to find safety is an impressive act of leadership. The most powerful aspect, however, of this story is that having done Justice, our friend positioned herself to lead others in powerful and profound work geared to save other people from the horrors of abuse.
You may not find yourself in the same life-threatening situation, but nonetheless, your circumstances come with numerous challenges. To lead successfully over the long term, I believe leaders need to do Justice for their teams. This means:
- Focusing on the needs of the team and not seeking personal credit for the team's accomplishments
- Establishing simple clear guidelines for people to follow
- Preparing for and making the best decisions possible, and in doing so, taking account of the needs of all parties
- Taking personal responsibility for your actions and the actions of your team
- Holding others accountable for their actions
- Making sure your organization provides fair treatment and equal opportunity to everyone
These are easy statements to read over and give the proverbial nod of agreement to, but don't underestimate the challenge of each of these components of Justice. They set a high standard for the behavior of leaders, but, as our profile illustrates, a standard that can be achieved.
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Leadership Advisors Group helps clients achieve success through:
- Competency based and character driven leadership development.
- Comprehensive, flexible, and focused strategic plans.
- Results oriented change management.
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"For leaders, doing Justice is no small feat and in fact may represent one of the most challenging elements of a leader's character." ~ Philip H. Eastman ll
Phil Eastman & Lorene Rasmussen
Leadership Advisors Group |
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