Fast Company has taken a look at at least two whistle-blowers. One, Jeffrey Wigand continues to fight the good fight following his travails with the tobacco industry. And the Women of Enron pursue new careers in the field of corporate governance.
In a recent entry in his blog How to Save the World, Dave Pollard queries asks, “Whistle-blowers: Heroes or fools?” In the lengthy essay, Pollard considers the motivations of whistle-blowers, responds to a recent Salon piece that contends the legal system limits whistle-blowers, and offers four guidelines for wise whistle blowing.
- Never reveal your true identity.
- Suggest where the bodies are probably buried, but don’t dig them up yourself.
- Do your own research, but only within the law and within your authority.
- Document everything.