IRONY – ‘AN APOLOGY WITHOUT GUILT MEANS NOTHING’

AUTHENTICITY

With the Federal election having occurred, the votes on PMSA “AUTHENTICITY” are also in (on pre-poll) and the results are IRONIC.

“Authenticity” – it seems such a simple concept. We’ve used the word so many many times in our blogs about the approach of the PMSA and the Churches to the separate but intrinsically linked issues of governance reform and the serious events and failings of 2017/2018 (…roll on into 2019).

SOUL PROVIDER

No, not the Michael Bolton song. We have been providing some “soul” searching offerings of our own to the PMSA recently on what an “authentic” apology should be. Yes, you would have seen that we found some cheeky inspiration in the dramatic arts recently, but we also came across numerous published articles. And one in particular caught our eye. We thought it might be of interest to them (and all of you) over a coffee and a doughnut.

The article concerned the apology by the Australian government to the Stolen Generation in 2008. Some might argue that it didn’t go far enough, but no one would dispute that it was absolutely right that an apology should be given. However the apology took time – an incredibly long and agonising period of time to be unsuccessfully extracted from successive governments over a great many decades. (Sound familiar?)

When it was eventually crafted and delivered by Kevin Rudd in 2008 it was delivered with emotion by the then Prime Minister (setting out the wrongs that were committed). But that it occurred at all was simply because someone FINALLY decided that the act of giving it wasn’t “difficult” or “complex”. And so they locked the lawyers in the back of the Ute and decided that it was the “right” thing to do. (Yes, we know that he didn’t survive to the next election – but remember that it wasn’t the community that he apologised to that knifed him in the end (his “friends” did it !)) “Et too Wayne?”

Notwithstanding that an apology was given, the author of the article was clearly concerned about the “authenticity” of it and the motivations behind it. It’s not wrong to question that, and the author’s own motivations around questioning it seem genuinely proper. Why? Well, because the “object” of any apology should always feel as though they have received the apologisor’s “authentic self” in the delivery. The author recognised that the person receiving the apology needs to “believe it” ! And because it was being delivered by the person in charge on behalf of a larger group of persons (the entire non-indigenous population of Australia), the author questioned and expressed his views about “who” the apology was really for.

Beyond PMSA makes no comment on the author’s views or the broader subject matter of the article, but we found a number of statements in the article (which we will get to in a moment) both compelling and ironic with regard to apologies generally - especially in the context of the current governance debate and the community’s continuing calls for an authentic apology from the PMSA.

Why? Well, because the 2017 PMSA Councillors have never (individually or as a discreet group) had the courage to front the community – to step out from behind the shadows (or from behind their new “flak jacket” (oops, CEO)) and recognise the “specific” actions and decisions that the community feel aggrieved about. Not a single soul ! It’s so incredibly embarrassing to the PMSA Schools community to watch the continuing silence of the 2017 Councillors when, for example, even the top dogs in those large “secular” institutions called “the big banks” stepped up publicly (and personally) to take responsibility during the Royal Commission into the Banking Industry. Is our embarrassment shared by the 2017 Councillors?? Its clearly not, but we think it should be.

CLEAR AIR

As much as this issue is about the PMSA taking responsibility - it is also about giving “clear air” for the community to move forward. Clear air for them to forgive and rebuild trust in the PMSA. And while you’re at it PMSA – for goodness sake, give your own newly appointed “change managers” (ie. the PMSA’s new CEO and the new BBC and Somerville House Principals) the same “clear air” to implement change and make their mark. How can the PMSA be authentic about change when it’s current Board is still populated with the architects of the 2017 disasters? And how can these new “change managers” do their jobs authentically and with personal passion when they will clearly need to “negotiate” the implementation of change with those who have a vested interest in ensuring history treats them kindly?

YOU CAN’T RE-WRITE HISTORY, BUT YOU CAN STILL BUILD A POSITIVE LEGACY

We all want a positive legacy. So many historical figures and institutions occupying positions of authority have sought to “rewrite” their own history. But all students of history know that it can’t be done. It’s about as smart as trying to build a hypothetical ‘perpetual motion’ machine in a futile attempt to defy the laws of thermodynamics. Those authors of history ALWAYS get found out. And the problem with the 2017 PMSA Councillors continuing with that kind of thinking in the modern age is all of those pesky historians who just love to research the truth and ensure that our shared history is accurate! In the internet age, their job is becoming easier and easier.

Ironically, the opportunity for swift redemption also flows as a counterbalance, because acting quickly to authentically accept responsibility can lead to a rapid recovery of both personal and corporate brands. That’s a FACT….if its done properly and authentically.

No one doubts that social and electronic media has taught us all this truth. A Forbes article by Ron Torossian talking about the biggest PR crises of 2017 is case in point and provides some clear lessons for the importance of apologising authentically in order to prevent and repair brand damage:

(See https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/05/23/the-biggest-pr-crises-of-2017/#5a8653ca50a8).

All of the case examples in the Forbes article are useful. Most include relevant discussions of the serious implications for brand damage arising from ‘half-arsed’ apologies. One however, included a crisis at a school in the US. The relevant school didn’t handle a particular incident properly and tried to cover it up, but once the truth was uncovered its Board moved swiftly to apologise – and did so properly. The author stated: “In a crisis, taking responsibility is one of the most important things you can do. The public deserves an apology and will perceive the brand, organization, or in this case, the school, as indifferent to the situation if an apology isn’t made.” Here here ! (Common sense it seems to all of us, but perhaps the PMSA’s communications advisors didn’t google this extremely relevant article when they were desperately searching for much needed guidance in late 2017??)

IT AIN’T OUR JOB TO HELP YOU IMPLODE !

It is not Beyond PMSA’s job to in-authentically facilitate the PMSA’s flawed governance reforms (or to perpetuate its own delusions about its failing brand) by staying silent on these important matters. That doesn’t help anyone – certainly not the PMSA, and least of all our Schools, in the long run.

Delivering clear air is, and always has been, the responsibility of the PMSA. That is why we will continue to push for it to be delivered properly. AUTHENTICALLY, RESPECTFULLY,…AND WITH EYE CONTACT !

THE AUTHORS OF IRONY

And so, back to the ironic article that we came across and referred to at the start of this blog. We were particularly struck by a number of statements by it’s author, but the IRONY of one statement in particular is extracted here. The author stated:

“…there can be no turning of the page, no meaningful advance toward genuine reconciliation, without a willingness to tell the truth about ourselves, to lay bare and accept our guilt.”

This statement was reinforced by a statement of the publishing entity in an inset article on the same page which said:

“…we believe that true repentance involves both an apology and a change of attitude and we hope the Government takes further action to clearly demonstrate its commitment to the apology,...”

So why are these statements (in fact the entire article) so ironic? Well, because it was published by one of the very Churches that sits above the dysfunctional joint venture that is our PMSA. To read it in full, check it out in the March 2008 edition of “The Journey” (online version) at page 7. It is entitled “AN APOLOGY WITHOUT GUILT MEANS NOTHING”:

https://journeyonline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/jny0803.pdf

Is it just Beyond PMSA that finds it incredibly IRONIC that a governing body aligned with and operating under the denomination that enthusiastically endorsed this article for publication does precisely the OPPOSITE of what one of it’s own Churches preaches?

For the record, we could not find ANY articles that have been published by the Presbyterian Church in Australia discussing the nature of authentic apologies. (Although we did search, we are very happy to be corrected on that point and publish a correction…if anyone can find one).

Happy reading.

We are not going away.

Beyond PMSA