Whistleblowers

The Dark Side

Presented by Sue KralikSeptember 22, 2015

Outline of this presentation

What is a whistleblower?What are the common consequences of being a

whistleblower?Why do organizations see whistleblowers as a

threat?Why do it?Is it worth it?Could you be a whistleblower?

Whistleblowers: Broken Lives and Organizational Power

Dr. Fred Alford relates whistleblowers accounts gained by:attending a support group for whistleblowers for a yearattending a retreat for stressed-out whistleblowersinterviewing about two dozen whistleblowersvisiting whistleblowers websites/talking to them & meeting

someadvertising interest on popular websitereading accounts on websites.

Whistleblowers: Opposing Viewpoints

Edited by Noah BerlatskyProvides opposing viewpoints on key

whistleblowing experiencesFor example, Ch. 1 includes articles under the

title ‘What Motivates Whistleblowers?’

A Whistleblower Is……….

one who1)acts to prevent harm to others, not him or

herself2)trying first to rectify the situation within the

framework provided by the organization3)while possessing evidence that would

convince a reasonable person.

The harm may be………….

physical, such as the illegal disposal of toxic waste

financial, such as the waste or misuse of taxpayers’ money

legal, the breaking of laws

Theory vs. Practice

In theory, anyone who speaks out in the name of the public good within the organization is a whistleblower.

In practice, the whistleblower is defined by the retaliation he or she receives.

What are the consequences of

being a whistleblower?

1.You Can Lose your job.

Some statistics

According to several studiessomewhere between half to two-thirds of whistleblowers lose their jobs

Some studies reveal that……….

Seniority and rank offer little protection.On the contrary, many organizations seem most threatened by what they view as defection within the senior ranks and are hence more willing to make an example of the defector.

Whistleblowers rarely get their jobs back.

Most never work in the field again.In some tight-knit fields there is an informal blacklist.One whistleblower was fired from her new job when she sued a previous employer for wrongful dismissal.

2. You can lose your home and your family.

3. Most will suffer from depression, various illnesses and alcoholism.

4. Half will go bankrupt.

●Whistleblower reports problem to the boss

●A short time later, he/she is relocated in an isolated, much smaller office

●Can be transferred to a position for which he/she is not qualified

●A series of bad efficiency reports follows●A psychological assessment is conducted●Dismissal

Steps to firing

This is a story of isolation.

The story of Molly and Tom Higgins

They hold the power of pre-emptive strikes!

Why Wrongdoers often successfully survive

●The whistleblower is perceived as a threat even if the report is internal.

●He/she is perceived as an individual, one who thinks for him/herself.

Why Whistleblowers are seen as a threat to the organization

Why do it?

Is it Worth It?

If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t blow the whistle for a million dollars. It ruined my

life. My neighbour kept talking about all these stories he’d read about “the little man

who stood up against the big corporation and won.’ Well, I stood up against the big

corporation and I lost……….”

John Brown’s assessment

1984

1984 and the Whistleblower

Before his arrest, Winston Smith’s job was to alter the historical record to make it appear that dissidents had never been born.In a democratic society, the sacrificed individual remains.

http://youtube.com/v/mGa5QSqN2Qk

Questions for Discussion1. Fred Alford writes: “For the whistleblower to be loyal to

his/her story, he or she would have to know and accept some terrible truths about the world, above all that his sacrifice will not be redeemed. No one will be saved by his suffering, not even himself. The organization he worked for will not be made better, and those who worked with him will not have become more moral by virtue of his example.” Is this a fair comment?

2. Could you be a whistleblower? If yes, under what circumstances? If no, what would stop you?