How Toxic Followers Enable Toxic Leaders

By Rob Asghar
The Forbes
September 16, 2014

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robasghar/2014/09/16/how-toxic-followers-enable-toxic-leaders/

The crisis at the famed megachurch Mars Hill church has led to steep declines in attendance and revenues and sudden layoffs and closures. It came as a result of the reckless leadership style of its leader, Mark Driscoll (chronicled well in a recent piece by Seattle Times reporter Craig Welch).

Beyond the problems attributed to Driscoll’s behavior, other questions should arise. For example, why do these situations happen? Do toxic leaders build up toxic followers, or is it the other way around? It, in fact, seems to be a complicated tango, one in which each side gradually leads the other off the precipice.

Some years ago, former Los Angeles Times religion writer William Lobdell wrote about his experiences covering the sexual abuse scandals of the Catholic Church. Lobdell shared that what broke his spirit wasn’t the way the church leaders refused to see the truth, but rather the way the ordinary laypersons refused to see it–how they shouted down peers bold enough to speak honestly about their traumas, how they sought to rationalize any evil done by their beloved leaders.

That’s one crucial aspect of the link between toxic leaders and followers. In the case of megachurches, there’s also the appeal of protecting one’s part in a big, impressive show — like being a regular at the cool club that everyone talks about. The star of the show is usually an uber-charismatic, dramatic salesperson. Like the brash and humorous Driscoll.

Narcissism sells. People rally around it, even when they should know better. But as Jim Collins showed in From Good to Great, the leaders of the healthiest and strongest organizations (“Level 5 leaders”) are generally the antithesis of the high-drama, high-celebrity leader.

“We had no idea what was going on” isn’t a valid excuse on the part of followers in most cases of toxic leaders. Many followers too eagerly forgive a toxic leader’s obvious discretions because they’re charmed by the leader’s offsetting charms. Until it’s too late.

Open Your Ears, People

Who could have imagined that Driscoll could cause such damage to his own flock?

One response might be, “Anyone who was paying attention to his words.”

In his investigation, Welch cited a public boast by Driscoll that should have been an adequate preview of unattractions to come. “There is a pile of dead bodies behind the Mars Hill bus, and by God’s grace, it’ll be a mountain by the time we’re done,” Driscoll said. “You either get on the bus or you get run over by the bus.”

In the end, many codependent people—from congregants up through Driscoll’s chief lieutenants—must have turned a blind eye to the flock while its wolf pastor hoisted sheep after sheep onto the barbecue spit

Even though Mars Hill was famed as a place that could lure that Welch described as a band of edgy, independent, “pierced-and-tattooed congregants from Seattle,” enough of those flipped off their prized autonomy in order to vicariously experience it through a pseudo-bad-boy leader who delighted in portraying Jesus in his own thuggish image.

I realize I’ll be criticized for an unseemly rush to judgment. That’s okay. I concede that I am offering my assessment based on my own experiences and learning, and that I’m not qualified to offer a final, definitive, “just” judgment on Mars Hill. But I’ll also point out that, in these cases, there is a tremendous rush to pronounce innocence.

Blogger Warren Throckmorton, perhaps the chief chronicler of the Mars Hill saga, has rightly wondered if the rush to innocence has already happened in Driscoll’s case.

A key to broad acceptance of whatever decision is made regarding charges against Mark Driscoll by the Mars Hill Board of Advisors and Accountability is the perception that the BOAA is objective. In light of remarks by BOAA chair Matt Rogers and reported in the Seattle Times yesterday, some former Mars Hill leaders are questioning the BOAA’s objectivity. Rogers told the Seattle Times:

“The hard part is that some of what’s out there is true, and he’s owned it and apologized for it and is trying to correct it, and some is not,” said Mars Hill Pastor Matt Rogers, who chairs the church accountability board examining accusations against their leader.

“If someone went through and dragged out every example of where I’d been short with my wife, or rude to a co-worker or done something stupid, and trickled that out week after week after week for months, you would have no respect for me, either.”

According to the most recent reports from former pastors close to the situation, the investigation is only at the very beginning stages with some interviews scheduled but few, if any, conducted as yet. In other words, the jury should be out. However, Rogers appears to have his mind made up about the nature and accuracy of the charges.

The long-simmering Driscoll controversy drew heightened attention five weeks ago, when the Acts 29 church network booted Driscoll from its ranks and publicly urged him to step down and seek help. Even then, Throckmorton noted a peculiarly ambivalent and contradictory tone in Mars Hill’s leaders’ assurances that they were taking Driscoll’s case seriously. He cited a church communique from Michael Van Skaik, chairman of Mars Hill’s Board of Advisors and Accountability:

There is something else puzzling to me about this letter. Note that chairman Van Skaik denies the concerns expressed by the Acts 29 board: “There is clear evidence that the attitudes and behaviors attributed to Mark in the charges are not a part and have not been a part of Mark’s life for some time now.” [Emphasis is Mockthornton's]

But in an early part of the letter, Van Skaik describes the culture at Mars Hill in negative terms. “I told the lead pastors at the recent annual retreat that we are making real progress in addressing the serious reconciliation and unhealthy culture issues that have been a part of Mars Hill Church for way too long.”

It seems like Van Skaik wants to claim that problems are being worked on but that there really aren’t any problems. The problems have been in place “for way too long” but they haven’t been a problem “for some time now.” It is hard to understand how the board can find that there is nothing to the charges when in fact they are working to correct a problem that has been in place for “too long.”

In the end, will there be premature forgiveness at Mars Hill, that enables toxic leaders to retain some or all authority? That will surely be a mighty struggle for the women and men of Mars Hill in coming weeks and months.

Rob Asghar is the author of the newly released Leadership Is Hell, with all proceeds supporting programs to increase college access for under-served youth in the Los Angeles area.