When organizations are faced with the public exposure of shocking, if not criminal behavior, the first instinct is generally to “circle the wagons” to protect the integrity of the organization.

This is almost always the wrong choice.  In almost all cases it only leads to the opposite; ensuring greater and longer lasting injury to the very institutions the actions are meant to protect.

The Catholic Church experienced this with the revelation of sexual abuse by priests. Rather than an open, honest, and painful public confrontation with these facts the Church instead attempted to focus on protecting itself and limiting the damage. 

I’m certain the people who took these actions thought they were doing the best for their beloved institution, but they were wrong. These actions still stain the Church, decades after it first came to light.  It will take generations for the damage of these actions to fade.

Or how about Penn State and the pedophile coach Jerry Sandusky?  Here again, the people at the highest levels focused on protecting the institution rather than addressing a known and public problem. The damage done to the institution was orders of magnitude greater than if they would have simply done the right thing and let the cards fall where they may. 

In these types of lose-lose situations, an institution’s best rule of thumb is full disclosure, take your pain, get over it, and move on

Right now, innocent people throughout the FBI, DOJ, and State Department are contemplating this same heart-wrenching decision -- do the right thing and come clean or remain silent and try to hide and muddy things in an attempt to protect their beloved institutions.

If they truly care about these institutions, the only possible choice is full, open, honest and public truth telling.  

We all must accept this process in all likelihood leads directly to the prior administration and our first black president. This sad fact will in all likelihood push many to choose the cover-up rather than full disclosure. 

During Iran Contra President Reagan had an Oliver North to take one for the team but I fear no person of such character is available for President Obama. In addition, Reagan existed before electronic communications, not so for Obama, Hillary Clinton, and all the rest.

The stench from the FBI, DOJ, and State Department is growing each and every day. A day of reckoning is coming. For the sake of this great country, let us hope the people at these organizations make the right choice. 

John Conlin is an expert in organizational design and change.  He is also President and founder of E.I.C. Enterprises, www.EICEnterprises.org, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to spreading the truth here and around the world primarily through K-12 education.