Accountability, Narrative, and Protecting the Integrity of Organizations
Leadership is not just about holding a title. It is about responsibility, accountability, and a willingness to put the mission of the organization above personal pride. Yet, too often, individuals step into leadership roles without fully grasping the responsibilities that come with them. Mistakes are natural and forgivable when acknowledged and corrected. But when a leader refuses accountability and instead uses narrative control to shift blame, the damage to the organization can be long-lasting.
A recent situation at a Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) provides a clear example of what happens when roles are misunderstood, responsibilities are ignored, and narrative becomes weaponized. At one of the local Winter Garden Middle School’s an audit uncovered significant financial mismanagement by the Treasurer. Rather than accept responsibility, this individual reframed the issue as a misunderstanding about “receipts,” cast herself as a victim of bullying, and used alliances within the board to push her version of the story.
The episode highlights a universal lesson: leaders who fail to understand their fiduciary duties can do harm, but the greater danger comes when they distort the truth and undermine institutional trust.
The Weight of Responsibility
Every leadership role carries both authority and responsibility. Authority is the visible side—signing checks, making decisions, presiding over meetings. Responsibility, however, is the invisible foundation—ensuring processes are followed, safeguards are in place, and the organization’s integrity is preserved.
In nonprofits like PTSOs, fiduciary responsibility is paramount. Treasurers are not simply collectors of receipts; they are guardians of trust. They must follow accounting best practices, ensure compliance with bylaws (like dual signed checks), and provide transparent reporting to both the board and the membership. When these duties are neglected, it is not a minor oversight—it is a breach of trust with the parents, teachers, and students the organization serves.
The Audit Findings: A Case Study in Mismanagement
When the Middle School’s PTSO underwent its annual audit for the fiscal 2024-2025 school year—required by the school district—it uncovered a troubling list of deficiencies under the Treasurer’s tenure. These findings were not small mistakes but systemic failures that exposed the organization to risk.
Key Errors Identified
- Lack of financial safeguards: Each check during the audit period had only one signature, a direct violation of financial policy and the then current By Laws. Debit cards were used by unauthorized individuals. Zelle transactions and reimbursements were often processed without required forms or approvals.
- Missing documentation: Receipts for reimbursements were incomplete. Treasurer reports were missing. Cash verification forms and deposit records were absent.
- Failure of transparency: General membership meetings lacked sign-in sheets to establish quorum, yet votes on budgets and elections proceeded. Minutes included little to no financial data.
- Conflicts of interest and questionable transactions: Purchases such as award store items, coffee far from the school, alcoholic drinks, and even unrelated personal items like men’s underwear or Amazon or a Miscellaneous Error raised red flags.
- Improper accounting practices: Expenses from June 2025 were adamantly insisted to be incorrectly booked in the new fiscal year, despite explicit guidance to the contrary.
- Poor management of donations: Programs like “Legacy Bricks” lacked proper protocols to ensure accurate cash flow tracking.
Recommended Corrective Actions
The audit did more than identify problems—it laid out a roadmap for solutions. These included:
- Removal of the Treasurer for failure to perform duties in accordance with bylaws and generally accepted accounting practices.
- Adherence to stricter financial controls, such as requiring two signatures on all checks, and adoption of new financial control policies.
- Ending peer-to-peer payment methods like Zelle for organizational expenses.
- Ensuring complete treasurer reports and supporting documentation are presented at every meeting.
- Mandating cash verification forms and two-person counts for all cash transactions.
- Adherence to conflict-of-interest policies to prevent personal benefit from organizational funds.
The findings painted a picture of not just failed oversight but ongoing neglect of fundamental financial stewardship.
When Narrative Becomes a Weapon
Faced with the audit, the Treasurer resigned. But instead of acknowledging the breadth of the failures, she reframed the issue narrowly—insisting it was “just about receipts.” She cast herself as a victim of bullying and enlisted friends on the board and outside the Board to back her version of events.
This tactic is not unique to one PTSO. In many organizations, when leaders face accountability, they pivot to controlling the narrative. By simplifying complex failures into a single talking point, or by recasting accountability as persecution, they muddy the waters. This not only distracts from the facts but also erodes trust among members who may be unsure whom to believe.
In this case, the Treasurer’s reframing turned a systemic problem into a personal story. And when personal stories enter organizational politics, emotion often overshadows fact.
The President’s Dilemma: Neutrality vs. Narrative
The new PTSO President faced a difficult balancing act. At the first general meeting of the year, she addressed the Treasurer’s resignation and the audit findings with restraint. She avoided personal attacks, provided documentation to the membership, and emphasized the board’s commitment to transparency.
Her statement struck a professional, almost presidential tone:
- She acknowledged the vacancy in the Treasurer’s position.
- She explained that the audit identified issues and that corrective actions were being implemented.
- She highlighted steps taken to fill vacancies and strengthen bylaws.
- She reaffirmed the organization’s mission to support teachers, parents, and students.
This approach avoided defaming the former Treasurer. It demonstrated professionalism and prioritized the institution over personal conflict.
But neutrality can have unintended consequences. In the absence of a strong counter-narrative, the former Treasurer and her allies seized the vacuum to cast aspersions on the President and the new board. What began as a defense of reputation turned into an offensive attack against leadership credibility.
The Importance of Controlling the Correct Narrative
So how can leaders respond to false or misleading narratives without descending into personal attacks? The key lies in sticking to process, documentation, and mission.
Best Practices for Narrative Control in Organizations:
- Ground all communication in facts and documentation. Instead of opinions, present the audit, bylaws, and official minutes.
- Keep communication systemic, not personal. Frame issues as organizational failures corrected by organizational solutions.
- Reinforce the mission. Remind stakeholders that accountability ensures resources serve the ultimate goal—in this case, supporting students and teachers.
- Be transparent but firm. Share information openly, but make it clear that accountability measures are not optional—they are required by organizational documents and oversight bodies.
- Close the loop. Every identified issue should be matched with a corrective action. This shows progress and prevents the impression of lingering dysfunction.
In the Middle School PTSO case, the President was correct to attach the audit report, bylaws, and budget documents to the agenda. Doing so gave members the tools to understand the truth for themselves. Over time, transparency and consistent reporting will outlast personal narratives.
The Universal Lesson: Accountability Outlasts False Narratives
What happened at that PTSO is a story about more than one Treasurer. It is about a principle that applies across nonprofits, schools, businesses, and even governments: it is okay not to know everything, but it is not okay to refuse accountability.
Leaders who accept responsibility, admit shortcomings, and work toward solutions build trust—even when they make mistakes. Leaders who deflect blame and rewrite the story erode trust, even if they avoid immediate consequences.
Ultimately, truth and accountability have staying power. Personal narratives may sway opinion in the short term, but in the long run, organizations that prioritize transparency, fiduciary duty, and mission will regain credibility.
Conclusion
Leadership is not about appearances, titles, or friendships. It is about responsibility to the people and mission you serve. The Middle School PTSO’s audit and the fallout that followed show the risks of misunderstood roles, neglected responsibilities, and manipulated narratives. But they also show the power of transparency and process to restore order.
Every leader—whether in a school PTSO, a nonprofit, or a business—should take note: it is better to admit when a role is beyond you than to risk the trust of those you serve. Accountability is not punishment; it is the lifeline of institutional integrity.
Mark Kaley is the author of the book “From Pennies to Millions” and the PR Manager with Otter Public Relations. He has been featured in Forbes, Fox Business, Authority Magazine, Modern Marketing Today, PR Pioneer, Market Daily, O’Dwyer PR, DKoding, and Consumer Affairs. Mark is also a contributor with Hackernoon, you can view his contributor profile here. Learn more here.
