Related Content
•
CoSIDA.com/CoSIDA360 Magazine Archive
Note: This story appeared in the Spring 2021 May edition of CoSIDA 360 Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
ACTION: Due to the rapidly changing world of communications and technology, codes of ethics must be revisited on a regular basis. CoSIDA’s Advocacy Committee is currently considering an update of CoSIDA’s code. If you have thoughts about what should be included or amended, email Executive Director
Doug Vance at
dougvance@cosida.com.
Ethics and the Clash of Values
How would you weigh these three ethical dilemmas?
by Laurie Bollig – CoSIDA Director of Membership Engagement @LaurieBollig
We’ve all been there, right? A coach wants something done their way, and it doesn’t line up with how we, as athletic communicators, think it should be done. In fact, it goes against our beliefs and values for how to do our job.
Athletic communications professionals can find themselves in sticky situations when dealing with coaches, student-athletes and colleagues.
Honesty, kindness, professionalism, integrity and fairness are examples of values carried from home to work to play every day. Values differ from person to person.
When values are put into action, ethical behavior is the result, but when value systems clash among people or organizations, the result is an ethical dilemma. Values must be ranked. Decisions weighed. Typically, there is no right or wrong answer and not a clear “winner.” When leaders make ethical decisions based on competing value systems, there is often a cost or pain in that choice.
Mature adults measure responses by how they rank their values. Putting values into action takes work. It’s messy.
What constitutes an ethical dilemma?
Is
using Photoshop to put masks on spectators an ethical situation?
Is
willfully ignoring a broken rule like the Houston Astros cheating scandal in baseball an ethical dilemma?
Is
withholding a football depth chart from reporters an ethical situation?
Your definition may not match that of someone else. Following are three situations that might be considered unethical by some standards. Hear how CoSIDA award winners would choose to handle them.
The football coach does not want to release a depth chart to the media. How do you respond based on your values?
Alan Cannon, Texas A&M
2018 Arch Ward Award winner/CoSIDA Past President
“To the best of my memory, which is fading very fast these days, I do not believe I have been faced with this dilemma. I have always tried to take the approach that I am an advisor for my coach and school. On some things the coach and school take the advice, other times, they do not. In this instance, I would advise the coach that someone is going to put out a depth chart whether it is a media member, or a bulletin board poster. Wouldn’t you like the information to come from our program? I love to use “or” when it is possible and appropriate to keep options open. Every game is now televised and broadcast on radio so you have crews who need assistance with preparing their boards for the broadcast. I understand at the start of the season the depth chart can be a bit of a crap shoot, but once you start playing games, the starters and backups become more apparent.
“An example from this past year, we had a veteran offensive line and luckily they stayed fairly healthy. Backups were listed at each position on the depth chart each week, but in pre-game we made sure announcers were aware if something were to happen to the starting center, the guard would move over and snap and the backup guard would come into the game. Just doing what we can to assist the broadcasters preparing for the games.”
Pete Moore, Syracuse
2021 Arch Ward Award Winner/CoSIDA Past President
“This is quite a dilemma. In addition to considering the ethical complications of this, there are other factors sports information directors have to think about before taking action.
“Each of us has an employer – a university or college. We also have a structured reporting line to a supervisor and we also work cooperatively with other department staff, including coaches. Our goal needs to be to serve the employer as best we can while not jeopardizing our own position.
“The ethical side of this dilemma, in most cases, would be that it is appropriate to release a depth chart to the media. With that in mind, the first response is to discuss this with the football coach. The best-case scenario would be to convince the football coach that releasing the depth chart would be the appropriate thing to do. If you are unable to persuade the coach, a decision has to be made – how important is releasing the football depth chart to the university and athletic department missions? Is it worth taking it to an athletic administrator? Whomever you involve in the discussion, remember you will most likely need to continue a good working relationship with each.
“Ethical dilemmas are not always clear cut. Think through it and come up with the solution that best serves all involved.”
Student-athletes want to use their voice to support a controversial cause. How does the department respond based on its values?
Mindy Brauer, MIT
2016 CoSIDA Achievement Award Winner
“In 2017 our women’s basketball team did an act of solidarity following the Muslim Travel Ban (an executive order on immigration signed by President Donald Trump). Simply put, there was full support by our administration (athletic director and Dr. G. Anthony Grant and Vice President and Dean for Student Life Suzy Nelson) and there were no concerns regarding any potential consequences from the department or MIT.
“In terms of a timeline, our team learned about the executive order while en route to a Saturday road game. The team wanted to do something during the national anthem, possibly taking a knee. Our coach was in support of this but also wanted them to think things through and become educated about the circumstances, especially if they were trying to raise awareness. She felt it would be important to continue the dialogue or facilitate conversations in the event that there could be fallout or backlash from their friends or family members. Regarding an act of solidarity, her major concern about taking a knee was that it would potentially dilute the message as it related to Black Lives Matter, especially since the team hadn’t been doing this during the season.
“After meeting with the team, our coach had a face-to-face conversation with our AD. Basically, she didn’t want to be surprised by anything. Our AD then spoke with the Vice President and Dean for Student Life (our AD’s direct report) as a means of a heads up and also to protect the student-athletes if there was any backlash. Our coach also talked to the opposing head coach, who was supportive of what our team was doing (she had student-athletes taking a knee during the national anthem in support of Black Lives Matter).
“Ken Johnson (Director of DAPER Communications, Promotions and Marketing) gave the Division of Student Life Senior Director of Communications a heads up but we didn’t need him to approve the content in the release/statement.
“The team did this for the remainder of the season.”
A peer at another school has behaved in an unprofessional manner toward you. How do you respond based on your values?
Larry Happel, Central College
2006 Warren Berg Award winner
“There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. It’s not a fun spot to be in. Much depends on exactly what happened and the nature of the relationship. I always think the best approach, if possible, is to deal with the colleague directly, ideally face to face or otherwise over the phone. Email is a poor way to communicate and often results in an escalation of conflict. Texting is even worse. Let the person know why you think the behavior is unethical, but also be prepared to listen without being judgmental before reaching conclusions. Hope that a productive discussion results, particularly since this is likely a person you will need to deal with in the future. That’s easy to write and hard to do, especially when emotions are involved.
“However, if the behavior was serious enough to warrant any kind of consequences, I would speak with my athletics director rather than try to handle myself. My athletics director would likely then speak with the other institution’s athletics director. It’s important to go through the proper channels.
“I feel like I’ve given two completely different answers but every situation is different and determining a course of action is difficult. However, open, honest and empathetic communication is never a bad approach.
“Much easier to write about than to put into practice! Not something I’m good at doing.”
CoSIDA has a code of ethics for its professionals. It’s worth taking a look at if you need help defining your values and considering options in ethical situations.
Resources
CoSIDA Code of Ethics
Another example of a code of ethics for communications professionals is from the Public Relations Society of America.
Need a process to help you analyze ethical dilemmas? Two models can help you:
ACTION: Due to the rapidly changing world of communications and technology, codes of ethics must be revisited on a regular basis. CoSIDA’s Advocacy Committee is currently considering an update of CoSIDA’s code. If you have thoughts about what should be included or amended, email Executive Director Doug Vance at dougvance@cosida.com.
Talk about these stories on the
CoSIDA Slack Community.