Civil rights organizations consider the use of Native American names and/or symbols by sports teams to be a harmful form of ethnic stereotyping. The term redskin is considered a slur and dictionaries define it as something that’s disparaging to Native Americans. When ESPN reporter John Barr asked The Washington Redskin’s owner, Dan Snyder, “What is a Redskin?”, he replied, “A Redskin is a football player. A Redskin is our fans, the Washington Redskin fan base. It represents honor, represents respect, represents pride, and, hopefully, winning” (Steinberg, 2014). Does Snyder’s response reflect the qualities of an ethical leader? Does he fit the leadership model explained by Bennis? According to George and McLean’s findings, is Snyder a leader that has lost his way?
In a 3- to 4-paragraph Journal entry, respond to the following:
Why is the Redskins management decision to retain their name and logo an ethical dilemma for the various stakeholders involved?
From a leadership and ethical perspective, how should leaders respond and make decisions when faced with ethical dilemmas?