SPRAINS,STRAINSANDFRACTURES-AVOIDINGTHEGROUPTHINK

MENTALITYWithJoeRichardson,Esq.BacchusMOMSpring2018

KeyAreas●EthicsDefined●GroupthinkMentality●DoingBetterThanLegal(AvoidingSocialNegligence)●BroadViewofRiskManagement

Sprains,Strains,Fractures● Sprain:asuddenorviolenttwistorwrenchofajointwithstretchingortearingofligaments

● Strain-toinjure(abodypartormuscle)bytoomuchtension,use,oreffort-tobepulledorstretchedinaforcefulway● Fracture-theactorprocessofbreakingorthestateofbeingbroken;especially:thebreakingofhardtissue

Ethics

Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP

EthicsDefined

●Merriam-Webstersdefinesethicsas“asetofmoralprinciples:atheoryorsystemofmoralvalues.”●Ethics/Morals:Theyareaboutwhatisright,whichsurpasseswhatis(merely)legal.

WhatEthicsLooksLike● Example:IfIamwalkingdownthestreet,andseeseesomeonelayinginthestreetinobviousdistress,butIdidnotcausethemtobethere,whatshouldIdo?Whyisthechoicesoclear?

● HowDoestheFactthatyouhavenolegalresponsibility(i.e.youdidnotcreatetheperil)changeyouropinionaboutwhatyouneedtodo?

●Whyarethosethatarespecialinyourlife(i.e.,family,bestfriend,etc.)importanttoyou?

KeyQuestion●Inyourconductasacampusmember,andgroupleader,doyouthinkonlyaboutwhatislegal,ordoyouthinkaboutwhatisright?

GroupthinkMentality:TheEnemyofEthics

GroupthinkDefined● Thepracticeofthinkingormakingdecisionsasagroupinawaythatdiscouragescreativityorindividualresponsibility.

● Farceof“SafetyinNumbers”●WantingtoBelongCanLeadtoLiabilitywithevenGood,Well-MeaningStudents

FarceofSafelyinNumbers● Youfindyourselfabitmore“bold,”orlikelytodosomethingyouwouldnototherwisedowhenyouwerearoundagroup.

● Elementsmakeapersoninagroupmorelikelytoactdifferentwhentheyarearoundtheirothergroupmembers

● “Groupthink”canstillinfluenceyouwhenyourgroupmembersarenotaround.

WanttoBelong?●WantingtoBelongCanLeadtoLiabilitywithevenGood,Well-MeaningStudents

●Haveyoueverfeltpressuretodrink,tocomeontosomeone,ortodoanythingelseinapartyatmosphere?Ifyourecognizeditaspressuretodosomethingthatyouwouldnototherwisedo,howdidyoudealwithit?Doyouhaveanyregretssittingheretoday?Whatcould/wouldyoudifferently?

Conduct● amodeorstandardofpersonalbehaviorespeciallyasbasedonmoralprinciples.

● Somethingsmaynotbeagainstthelaw,butareagainstthecodeofconduct.Soquestionisnot

-What’sillegal?But,instead-HowshouldIbeconductingmyself?-Youron-campusrulesshouldbeyourFIRSTStop,becausetheyindicate“aboveandbeyond”

KeyThought●Evenifcriminalorcivilliabilityislesslikely,adherencetorulesisstillimportant●Somethingsmaynotbeagainstthelaw,butareagainstacodeofconduct.

Ethical(Social)Negligence-Duty-Breach-Causation-Damages

RiskManagement●Definedat“Theidentification,analysis,assessment,control,andavoidance,minimization,oreliminationofunacceptablerisks.”

www.businessdictionary.com

RMinLargerContext● Goal:Facilitateanenvironmentthatalltypesofstudentscanenjoy.

● RiskManagementStartsWiththeMessagesYouConveyAboutWhoYouAreasIndividualsandGroups...i.e.allthetime

RM-Bewareof●LackofOrganization(timing,optionsatevent)●LackofDiscretion(not“anythinggoes”attitude”)●LackofExecution(ensureeventbroughttofruitionthebestwaypossible.

YourBiggest“Risk”

● Thatyouoryourorganization,throughyourconduct(includingevents),becomessomeonethatotherscannotrecognizeorrespect.●“ThisisWhoWeAre”

KeyQuestion●Areweconveyinganythinginourmessaging(socialmedia,etc.),thatisinconsistentwitha.whoweareareagroup(i.e.actuality),orb.whatwewanttoconveyaboutwhoweareasagroup(i.e.perception)?

KeyWaytoAvoidSocialNegligenceAvoidingGroupthink-Specifically:Committhatyouwillnotparticipateinusingtheleverageofwantingtobelongtotakeadvantageofimpressionablestudentsandimploreirresponsiblebehavior.

Conclusion:Don’tMinimizeRuleBreaking

●Manythathavebrokenbonesdon’tknowit(knowledgeofthelaw)● Manythatminimizesprainsandstrainshaveneverhadthem.

(minimizingrulebreaking-canlimitopportunities)● ManythatfindoutasprainhasoccurredstillFELTliketherewasafracture.

(noliabilitybutseriousdamagetoafratbro,classmate)Moral:Dowhat’sright,andyouwon’thavetoworryaboutdegreeofwrong.

Thanks!