MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Boston
Powerful discussion here about rebuilding organizational cultures in the wake of rampant, systemic sexual abuse and harassment scandals. The great Jackie MacMullan is interviewing Jessica Berman and Johanna Faries, two leaders who took command of the National Women’s Soccer League and Call of Duty’s Activation Blizzard, respectively, after massive scandals.
Read Sally Yates’ report on sexual abuse and harassment in the NWSL. It will make your skin crawl. And know, as well, that 700 cases of sexual abuse and harassment were reported at Call of Duty’s Activation Blizzard in what was dubbed an egregious frat-boy culture.
So how do organizations in this context recover? Leading an organization through and beyond crises of toxicity starts in Berman’s words with “sitting in the pain to absorb as much learning as possible.” For systemic change to occur, “you need to bottom out” build back, “and make sure it never happens again.
Faries said she needed “to take in the challenges but not have instant reactions. We needed first to look in the mirror and listen, to really understand what happened, to step into the fire, and see it as an opportunity for growth. You need to strengthen the listening muscle” and it’s okay if it takes more time.
Image courtesy of Computer Hope.