JD Miller is a Montreal businessman and co-founder of B2ten.
The first nine months of 2015 have been a compendium of the best and worst of times for the Canadian Olympic Committee. Having had our spirits lifted by best-ever performances and increased athlete visibility at the Pan Am Games, we now face the still unfolding story regarding allegations of sexual harassment levelled at former COC president Marcel Aubut. For an institution whose role is as much about Olympic values as it is performance, how it decides to move forward in the wake of current issues is a matter of national concern. Faster, higher, stronger are but empty words in the absence of equality for women, dignity and respect for all.
Looking outside of its walls, there are victims living with deep-seated shame for actions they have nothing to be ashamed about. Each and every alleged victim is entitled to the opportunity to come to terms with their pain in order that they may heal and move forward with their lives. For those working within the COC, the challenge will be greater. It will take an exceptional effort in order for the recently announced expanded third-party investigation to create a safe, discreet and compassionate environment in which those who have been living in fear will feel safe enough to come forward.
As part of what surely will be a desire to create a safe workplace, the organization will undoubtedly want to take a look at its current environment to determine exactly how it got there. Tough questions will have to be asked of management given media reports as to the lengthy duration of their past leader's alleged behaviour. How is it that a behaviour widely discussed across the landscape of sport, and one which COC management was aware, was not confronted? How many could have been spared the physical and verbal abuse?
There is much that can be contributed by the board, those charged with the stewardship of the organization. Situations such as this do not come about without some form of institutional/governance shortcoming. Was there a critical communication failure between the board and management? How was it that the president exercised more authority than the CEO? Why did board members feel powerless to act? The answers to these questions are rarely straightforward. Based on experiences elsewhere, more often than not they comprise a series of complex elements which include, but are not limited to, the leader's demeanour and level of control, fear, program success and self-preservation. When mixed together, they become a potent cocktail ripe for exploitation.
The process of looking inward by the board provides the opportunity to examine the operating environment and operating relationships – an area where the COC has been encouraging Canada's national sport organizations (NSOs) to uplift their own affairs. As the lead organization for Canada's NSOs, it is time for the COC to embrace gold-standard governance. Doing so in a transparent manner, one where conclusions and recommendations are public, will not only benefit all those within the COC but demonstrate to stakeholders how all of us can be better while upholding the values of sport, equity and respect toward one another.
Olympic values are part of who we are, what we believe in. The COC can and should be a beacon of light for sport, health and well-being. Amidst troubled waters, the opportunity exists to look inward, ask the hard questions, address and, in turn, pursue greatness.