Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal
This week, you have learned about the role of followers in the leadership process. It is important to consider and apply this knowledge to a real-world context and to share your understanding with the rest of the class. In this discussion, you will share your understanding of the principles of followership and then reply to two classmates, offering them feedback on their answers.
You will need to revisit the discussion several times during the week, to read and respond to new posts. The easiest way to do this is by clicking the ‘Discussions’ link in the side bar, then scrolling through the list of discussions to find the one you want.
Instructions:
Part 1:
Read the case-study ‘Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal’ (Northouse 2021: 383-386), add a reply to the discussion and answer the following:
How would you describe the followership at Penn State? Who would you identify as the followers? Who are the leaders?
Using the typologies discussed in the reading, how would you describe the follower styles for Schultz and Curley? What about McQueary?
How did followers in this case act in ways that contribute to the power of destructive leaders and their goals? What was the debilitating impact their actions had on the organisation?
Based on Lipman-Blumen’s psychological factors that contribute to harmful leadership, explain why those who could have reported Sandusky’s behaviours chose not to do so.
Based on the outcome, where did Paterno’s intentions go wrong? What ways could followers have changed the moral climate at Penn State?
In the end, who carries the burden of responsibility for what happened at Penn State: the leaders or the followers? Defend your answer
