Scott Eblin is an executive coach, speaker and author of 
What the Lance Armstrong Story Teaches About Sustainable Leadership October 25 2012
Anyone in the market for a 24” by 36” signed color portrait of Lance Armstrong leading the Tour de France? I’ve had one on my office wall for four or five years but I’ll be taking it down now. Over the past several weeks, Armstrong has experienced one of the most dramatic self induced falls from grace ever. The guy who thrilled and inspired millions of people and raised millions of dollars for cancer research has been stripped of his seven Tour titles, lost his endorsement deal with Nike and former sponsors are apparently going to sue him for claw backs because his core story wasn’t true.
Living a life that is aligned with the story you’re telling is at the heart of sustainable leadership. You might be able to fake it for awhile but eventually the truth comes to light. Armstrong was the “clean” cyclist who battled back from cancer to win seven Tours. He built his story on the idea that it was only his hard work and dedication that enabled him to win all of those races while everyone else in his sport was doping. As The New York Times reported, the evidence now shows that he was doping and insisted that every rider on his team dope as well. He presented himself as something he wasn’t.
A story is a promise. Armstrong broke his. The good work he’s done with LiveStrong and all of the yellow bracelets is over. Who’s going to wear a yellow bracelet at this point when it represents not just battling cancer but such a lack of integrity on the part of the movement’s founder?
You could argue that the good Armstrong did through LiveStrong outweighs the lies he told about his story. There’s no doubt that he did a lot of good. So have a lot of other organizations battling cancer. In the end, though, Armstrong’s leadership wasn’t sustainable because his story wasn’t true. There are a lot of ways that leaders can break trust with the people who admire and follow them. Nothing does it faster than being exposed as something you said you weren’t.
What are your thoughts and lessons learned from the Armstrong story?
Dear Scott, Excellent article! You have articulated very well the whole story in these sentences: "A story is a promise. Armstrong broke his." What else is there to contribute?
Shesh
Excellent observations. It reminds me of advice I was given when in my 20's, When faced with the choice to do the right thing or step on the slippery slope I was told to ask myself this…."Would you want your Mother or Dad reading about it on the front page of the New York Times." We are all faced with questionable decisions from time to time…..this one stuck with me.
Why is there no comment or discussion of the then current field of cycling and the lack of enforcement and that all played this game. At the time everybody was glad to take the money and glory. If anybody needs to be questioned about ethics it is the leadership of the competitive cycling industry. It is noted that there are NO other competitors who will be award the shirt in his stead, because they were ALL dirty.
well said. As somebody once said, there is no short cut to the results of hard work
Imagine how relieved Lance Armstrong must feel, now that he is no longer "living a lie". He will go through a metamorphasis and emerge a better human being, albiet out of the lime light I am sure.
Tks for the link to NY times article. I suspect the harm Armstrong has done outweighs the good he's done from his foundation. why? Trust has been obliterated which affects not only Armstrong and his foundation but causes a ripple effect towards all other charitable organizations. I for one do not like being deceived and will remember that as Lance's parting gift to the world. I disagree with Brenda though, past behavior has a way of predicting future behavior.