Deflategate Aubree Holt Ethical Leadership June 19 2016

Deflategate Aubree Holt Ethical Leadership June 19, 2016

The scenario/problem, the participants, and the roles of the participants. • 11 of 12 footballs used by the New England Patriots in the Playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts were purposely deflated below the NFL regulations. • Accused, former Super Bowl MVP, Tom Brady, asked two equipment managers to release air out of the footballs. • The lighter footballs are easier to grip and throw. Especially, in poor weather conditions, like rain.

The scenario/problem, the participants, and the roles of the participants continued. • Each NFL team uses their own footballs when they are on offense. • The New England Patriots won the game 45 -7. • The league was notified before the Super Bowl of possible tampering of footballs by the Patriots. • Goodell decided to take no action.

The scenario/problem, the participants, and the roles of the participants continued. • It was discovered that Tom Brady was aware of these inappropriate actions. • Tom Brady ordered the destruction of his mobile phone during the investigation. • Tom Brady was suspended for the first four games of the regular season, fined $1 million and the Patriots lost two draft pick. • The NFL also suspended the two equipment staffers who chose to carry out the plan and deflate the footballs. • Tom Brady damaged the integrity of the NFL and attempted to hide evidence.

Legal and Ethical Aspects • Integrity of the game is at stake. • Tom Brady was interviewed and seemed to dismiss the whole scandal. • My concern: A win at any cost mentality that Brady portrayed. • Ethics is how we act when no one is looking. Brady and his team failed miserably in regards to this test.

Legal and Ethical Aspects cont’d • If the NFL cared about integrity, honesty, fairness and ethics, they would have taken action that any other high performing company would do, suspend him and those involved. • The line between cheating and gamesmanship is consistently being blurred. • Cheating is accepted as part of the culture. If you don’t get caught, it isn’t cheating. • “If morality is in the eye of the beholder, then everyone is seeing things equally well. ” (Shafer-Landau, 295)

Personal Ethical Position cont’d • It is up to the individual athlete to be their own caretaker. • Brady’s original message is “Everybody does it. ” A true bandwagon approach. (Logical Fallacies Handlist, nd) • No matter how big of super star you are, each player has an obligation to comply by the rules and must be held accountable for their actions. • Cheating in professional sports has been accepted as a cultural norm.

Personal Ethical Position cont’d • Ethically it is just wrong to destroy your cell phone in a criminal investigation. • Cheating is wrong rather if your phone works or not. • Tom Brady, the Patriots and the NFL failed to reject corruption and stand for honesty and integrity. • Its your duty as a leader, to do the right thing all the time, especially when other team members depend on you.

Resolution • “The first step is describing a violation in terms of a set of morally relevant features, thereby determining the correct description of the violation” (Gert, p. 19). • Reiterate the biggest mistake a player makes would be one that costs his team. “Being selfish is placing far too much importance on your own well being relative to the interest of others” (Shafer-Landau, p. 215). • Honesty: Admit the mistake and take ownership of the issue. Don’t make a generic “I am sorry” statement, apologize for the specific action that were taken.

Resolution cont’d • Be clear about the culture the Patriots and NFL will adopt. • How Ethical Are You? Dr. Bruce Weinstein five basic principals • • • Do no harm Make things better Be fair Be compassionate Respect others

Resolution cont’d • Morality of their actions depend on their maxims. (Shafer-Landau, 164) • Formulate your maxim clearly – state what you intend to do, and why you intend to do it. • Imagine a world in which everyone supports and acts on your maxim. • Then ask, can the goal of my action be achieved in such a world?

Resolution cont’d • Following the three steps Shafer-Landau points out of optimific social rule: • Carefully describe the rule. • Imagine what a society would be like if just about everyone in it endorsed the rule. • Then ask the question; will the society be better off with this rule than with any competing rule? (Shafer. Landau, p. 154)

Possible Negative Outcomes • Ethical intelligence isn’t just knowing what is right; it also means having the courage to do it. • “Morality is a human construct – we make it up – and like the law, or like standards of taste, there is no uniquely correct set of rules to follow. ” (Shafer. Landau, p. 293) • Challenge of reacquainting athletes with principles of ethics. • Keeping the idea of fairness front and center

Possible Negative Outcomes cont’d. • Shifting of the mindset to achieving more by working together rather than working alone. • Resistance of, “Utilitarians tell us to do what brings about the best overall situation, by choosing the act that creates the greatest net balance of happiness over unhappiness. ” (Shafer-Landau, p. 123) • Values of player need to equal values of the league

Possible Negative Outcomes cont’d. • Brady has to have the courage to take the higher road, without worrying about judgement. • “You create a prisoner if you are acting better than the other. ” (Dahli Lama, 2016) • When Goodell or NFL players witness people doing something they shouldn’t, it may be easier to do nothing. • The NFL, Brady, and Goodell will be challenged with putting ethics first, before winning and money.

References • T. (2009). How Ethical Are You? Take The Ethics Guy's Quiz on CNN. Retrieved June 10, 2016, from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Lhwhgf 01 Ozw • Shafer-Landau, R. (2015). The Fundamentals of Ethics (3 rd Ed. ). New York: Oxford University Press. • Gert, B. (2004). Common morality: Deciding what to do. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. • Logical Fallacies Handlist. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 10, 2016, from https: //web. cn. edu/kwheeler/fallacies_list. html

Reference Continued • A Federal Court Reinstates Tom Brady’s Suspension For Cheating. (2016). Retrieved June 11, 2016, from https: //ethicsalarms. com/2016/04/26/a-federalcourt-reinstates-tom-bradys-suspension-forcheating/#more-32266 • A Failure Of Leadership: Deflate. Gate's Real Villain Is Roger Goodell. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http: //cognoscenti. wbur. org/2015/07/30/tom-bradysuspension-e-m-swift • Personal foul: The ethical fallout from Deflategate. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 11, 2016, from http: //www. lifehealthpro. com/2015/01/28/personalfoul-the-ethical-fallout-from-deflategate

Reference Continued • Google. (n. d. ). Retrieved June 12, 2016, from https: //www. google. com/? ion=1