Domestic violence is an epidemic that affects all of society. Statistically, “1 in 9 women is assaulted every 9 seconds” (NCADV); “1 in 3 women” has been physically abused by a partner; and 1 in 7 women are stalked. It is a common occurrence in the nation and happens too often. Women are affected socially, physically, mentally, and financially by domestic violence. Domestic violence is “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another” and can involve all or one of the following: “physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional or psychological abuse.” It manifests itself in several different ways, all of which are considered domestic violence. Mara, the NFL Giant’s co-owner, demonstrates poor leadership through his handling of one of his employee’s abusive behavior toward his wife and resulting arrest. He exhibits an example the anti-leader in a domestically violent situation and a need for leadership change and development.
The article “Giants Break Silence on Josh Brown’s Suspension Over Arrest” in The New York Times portrays Mara, the co-owner of the Giants team and the leader in the situation, in a negative light. The title of the article insinuates that the co-owner and the NFL team are being secretive regarding the conduct and punishment of an employee. The phrases and language that the writer choses are dramatic and escalate the situation—the expression of “break silence” and the terms like “suspension” and “arrest” trigger alarm in the audience. The author of the article, Bill Pennington, depicts Mara, the leader, as weak, indecisive, and unauthoritative. Because they kept their team kicker’s arrest for domestic violence a secret, the NFL appears to be a disappointment and lacking justice. The inadequate efforts and investigations of the NFL regarding the domestic violence offense gives the impression of being lackadaisical. Pennington conveys that the team and the leader remain unforthcoming regarding the serious situation. Claiming that Mara “went out of his way to avoid questioning or affirming the veracity of Molly Brown’s statements to the police,” the author doesn’t hold much respect for Mara’s actions. The writer represents Mara as being reluctant in speaking about the topic and in acting in the situation. Mara is aware of his power and the fact that he is “sitting at the top of an organization” (Pennington) and yet remains purposefully inactive and withheld from the situation. Overall, the media article sheds an unflattering light and a negative bias on the NFL as a whole, the domestic violence offender, and Mara. Through the media article, the leadership of sport’s team owners is perceived as careless and in favor of the player rather than the real issue of domestic violence. The news portrays Mara as a bad leader and, therefore, makes the NFL look like a similarly careless and dangerous institution of terrible leaders. Within the media, this negative view of leadership in the realm of domestic violence is intentional and signals a dissatisfaction and need for change.
There are many ways in which to be an ideal leader in a situation involving domestic violence. First, a leader should be “sensitive” (Payne 4) to the situation and be aware “female victim’s reluctance” (4) in reporting abuse and seeking prosecution of their abuser. This involves having emotional intelligence, which is understanding the feelings of others, and empathy in order to fully comprehend the victim’s perspective. Commonly, once women report abuse is the most dangerous time as their abuser may seek retaliation. Researchers have shown that “the highest risk for serious injury or death from violence in intimate relationships is the point of separation” and “revictimization”(3). Accusations of domestic violence should be taken seriously and pursued soberly. The victim needs to receive the proper resources for help, care, and safety from their abuser. When facing domestic violence, a leader should be vigilant to help and to hear the victim. They are to “increase [the] role of the criminal justice system [in order] to enforce laws that regard the use of violence against one’s intimate partner as a criminal act” (2). Involving the police and criminal justice authorities is vital to protecting the victim and those threatened. Interpersonal and human skills are a important leadership qualities in the situation as the leader must be sensitive to the victim, but also must know when to speak out as an advocate. The leader should work toward “coordination of resources and services to provide comprehensive resources for battered women” (4). Domestic violence is an epidemic that affects “6.2 million American women each year” and results in “injury that is more serious to women than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined” (Payne 2). Each year over “$5.8 billion…, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services” (2) is spent on intimate abuse victims. While only “20,608 domestic violence” reports were filed in 2007, “ 135,645 people [received] domestic violence services” across the nation. The pervasiveness of violence both socially and economically in America as a whole makes it a national concern
During the suspension of Josh Brown from the Giants, John K. Mara, the co-owner of the team, epitomized the opposite of an the ideal leader previously described under the circumstance of domestic violence. He is in charge of the team and the ultimate judgement and final word in Brown’s consequences within the world of the NFL. Mara was not a good leader in this very serious situation dealing with domestic violence. He did not advocate for the victim, Molly Brown, but he also didn’t engage her in the situation at all. The conduct was lax and Mara came across as stagnant and didn’t have an active role in the situation. He was speaking with the perpetrator, Josh Brown, but didn’t converse with or advocate for the victim, Molly Brown. Instead of being concerned for the victim’s safety after her report of domestic violence, Mara and Giants management kept the offense and arrest silent rather than bringing into the light. He failed to realize the indirect consequences of domestic violence that far surpass the realm of the Brown family and the NFL—the economic, psychological, and social consequences of abuse far surpasses precautions of privacy. As leader in this situation, understanding the full scope of the violence is crucial to proper action and complete communication and transparency with the public. Transparency, at least to an extent of acknowledging abuse, is necessary for healing and solving domestic violence. By being silent about Mrs. Brown’s reports of violence, Mara passively reinforces Molly’s possible fears and social shame. Mara appears more concerned with the fact that Brown broke the N.F.L.’s personal conduct policy and now has a tainted reputation, therefore, making the N.F.L. look bad. Although he takes into account the emotional aspect of domestic violence as a whole, he does not take into account the personal and mental well-being of the domestic violence victim alone. He believes that the “‘issue’” (Pennington) is private and sensitive, but disregards that this is a public offense and a crime. Domestic violence not only affects individuals and families, but it also has consequences for society as a whole. It is not a private affair, but a public matter and must be addressed actively and openly because of its pandemic nature and social and financial consequences.
Leadership is shaped through notions of identity and power. Characteristically, positive leaders are proactive communicators and build relationships that create positive connections that inspire followers and employees to be better. They are characterized by “inclusiveness, empowerment, ethics, purposefulness, and process orientation” (Komives 594). Leaders such as coaches are often viewed as “relational leaders” (594) or have an obligation to be this kind of leader as to build the team. Followers commonly see their leader’s integrity and know that the leader can be trusted and is consistent. “Self-awareness” (599) is important for reflection on values and growth as a leader. Frequently, people look up to others that they define as leaders, seek to exemplify them, and become leaders themselves as they mimic their role model. Most people who are role models typify what they stand for as far as moral or ethics or who they represent. They live out and live by what they believe as they provide “safe spaces” (596) that enforces the same kind of behavior and positive growth. As a positive “group influence” (599), a leader engages the group of followers and learns continuously along with the group. Standards and beliefs are met and upheld at all times and all are treated fairly according to these guidelines. As a whole, the identity of a leadership is characterized by adequate and continuous communication, as well as ethical behavior and treatment of others. Ethical and healthy behavior demonstrated through “personal actions and interpersonal relationships” as well as “two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making” (Hunter) constitutes good leadership.
Negative leaders are characterized by poor morals standards, abusive conduct, inauthentic character, and a lack of intuitive moral behavior. When leaders “violate morals” (Hunter), they break trust between the followers and themselves. They lose the follower’s confidence in them and the leadership and the leader is tainted. Much of negative power involves “abusive supervision…, petty tyranny…, and bullying…among others” and demonstrates a tremendous amount of power and control through their actions. As leaders crave power and take control of their followers, the “psychological well-being” of the followers deteriorates. Inauthentic leaders are ineffective leaders even if they are outwardly moral. Authenticity of character plays a large role in how followers view their leader—inauthentic character creates a negative image and, therefore, negative leadership. As leaders develop, some may fail to “recognize an ethical dilemma… and are unlikely to address the issue appropriately.” Many negative leaders are uninformed about topics of great moral importance and make unqualified decisions that have immense consequence. Acting without communication and understanding a situation is the one of the most damaging things a leader can do. Negative leadership simply leads to negative results and unhappy followers.
In the perspective of Christian worldview, leadership is defending what is honest, pure, just, and holy. Domestic violence involves abusive language, slander, fits of rage and aggression, sexual immorality and abuse—all of which are unwholesome and not honoring to God. A Christian leader would stand up for the victim of violence and care for the victim and remove them from the dangerous situation and not ignore the sin committed by the abuser. This worldview could have mollified the situation and have created some healing for the victim and set a good example for the NFL Giants team and the world at large. Acknowledging that the abuse was wrong and a sin, the leader should have held Brown, the abuser, accountable for his actions toward his wife. Mara should be asking Brown to repent and working with him to grow closer to Christ and run away from this sinful behavior and anger that he is exhibiting. When someone commits a sin, they are supposed to repent to God so that their heart may be pure again and be restored to the person that they sinned against and God. Brown, therefore, should repent for his sin and abuse of his wife—this means that he would be sorry for what he had done and he would turn 180 degrees, or the opposite direction, of his sin, which would be turning his back on his wrongdoing. This would require effort and work on his part to focus on his relationship with God and heal his brokenness that led his to sin and being domestically violent. This is the kind of behavior that Mara should be setting an example for and encouraging as the leader of the NFL Giants team. If Brown refused to abide by these conditions of repentance and healing, then he would be removed from the NFL as he is unwilling to work on himself for the better. With the Christian window of thought, the situation would be healed and solved and followers both inside and outside the situation would be maintained.
Overall, hearing of domestic violence in the media is very common, but good leaders are very hard to find. Many, like the mentioned article in The New York Times, provides a description of leadership that is extremely poor. Although it is disappointing to see such an unfortunate depiction of a leader in a situation as serious as domestic violence, it is a good thing that the awful leader is being depicted accurately and being called out for being a terrible leader and is shown in a negative light. The fact that the media portrays Mara as a deplorable leader is actually a good thing as it demonstrates a dissatisfaction with the leadership for domestic violence and dissatisfaction leads to change. Even though Mara is not a good leader, he is a good example of who not to be in the circumstance of domestic violence. The accuracy of the account of poor leadership is a positive thing—it signals the need for a rehabilitation of leadership against domestic violence and abuse. A revolution is at hand for good leaders to fight for the victims and be the advocate for people who are in danger and experiencing violence.
Bibliography
Hunter, Samuel T. “(Un)Ethical Leadership and Identity: What Did We Learn and Where Do We Go from Here?” Journal of Business Ethics. Springer Netherlands, 4 Apr. 2012. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.
Kaur, Ravneet, and Suneela Garg. “Addressing Domestic Violence Against Women: An Unfinished Agenda.” Indian Journal of Community Medicine : Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine. Medknow Publications, Apr. 2008. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.
Komives, Susan R., Susan D. Longerbeam, Felicia C. Mainella, Laura Osteen, and Julie E. Owen. “Developing a Leadership Identity: A Grounded Theory.” Project Muse, 2005: 593-611. NCPL. Project Muse, Dec. 2005. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
Northouse, Peter G. Leadership: Theory and Practice. 7th ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2016. Print.
Payne, Darrell, and Linda Wermeling. “Domestic Violence and the Female Victim: The Real Reason Women Stay.” Journal of Multicultural, Gender, and Minority Studies, 2009. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.
Pennington, Bill. “Giants Break Silence on Josh Brown’s Suspension Over Arrest.” The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 24 Aug. 2016. Web. 18 Oct. 2016.
NCADV. “Statistics.” NCADV. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.