Opinion: Do Fallen Leaders Hurt Their Charities’ Efforts?

Amid the damaging revelations about Lance Armstrong and doping, The New York Times Room for Debate opinion feature queries nonprofit leaders and others on whether his downfall makes his cancer foundation damaged goods.

“Should we be more lenient when it comes to leaders who are flawed individuals? If so—when do a leader’s personal demons taint a brand’s message or stop helping the greater good?” the Times asked, also noting the flap over Central Asia Institute founder Greg Mortensen’s alleged phony claims in best-selling memoirs that fueled much of the support for his organization.

Responses from Mentoring USA executive director Stephen Powell; Nathalie Laidler-Kylander, a senior research fellow at Harvard’s Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations; and others focused on whether charities can maintain public loyalty when their key figures lose public trust.