A lesson in ethics
March 30, 2018
Saturday morning, the 24th of March 2018. I woke up to the news that the Australian cricket team was caught cheating during the third Test match against South Africa in Cape Town. Opening batsman Cameron Bancroft used sandpaper to alter the condition of the cricket ball, attempting to gain an unfair advantage. Worst yet, his actions were premeditated, and the ex-Australian Captain knew of the fact that a senior player had devised the plan at the lunch interval.
For those who follow cricket and this ball tampering story, I think there is a lesson for all of us. And that lesson is simply the difference between laws and ethics.
Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its laws but also within the ‘Spirit of the Game’. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the official governing body for cricket internationally. The actions of ex-captain Steven Smith and his teammates were wrong and against the laws of cricket. For that reason, he was suspended by the ICC for one Test match and fined his entire match fee.
“The decision made by the leadership group of the Australian team to act in this way is clearly contrary to the spirit of the game, risks causing significant damage to the integrity of the match, the players and the sport itself and is therefore ‘serious’ in nature. As captain, Steve Smith must take full responsibility for the actions of his players and it is appropriate that he be suspended.” – ICC Chief Executive Mr. David Richardson
However, the actions of Smith and his teammates were also highly unethical and not within the ‘Spirit of the Game’. Consequently, Cricket Australia (CA), the national governing body for the game in Australia, decided that further and more significant sanctions needed to be handed down. CA made it clear that the actions were unacceptable and were not a reflection of Australian cricket.
While most of us may never become the captain of our nation’s cricket team, we all are leaders in our own right. Whether you are the CEO of a multinational organisation or an intern in a local business, we will all one day face a moment where a critical decision we need to make, defines us as a person. Sometimes a decision may only need to be perceived to be negative by others for it to hurt our reputation, whether that is you as a person or who you represent.
Don’t let pressure or that moment of stress define you. We will all experience failure one day. Sometimes unintentional, and we may have to pay the penalty. We can learn from those lessons and move on. But don’t let a regrettable decision haunt you for the rest of your life. Don’t let people around you be impacted by your lack of judgement.
