Miami Dolphins Report: Beyond the Law

The investigative report pertaining to the alleged harassment by the Miami Dolphins Offensive Line was released on February 14, 2014 by the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, & Garrision, LLP.  The report provides a detailed accounting of the incidents that lead up to Jonathan Martin checking himself into a facility for treatment related to the harassment.  The report outlined incidents and behaviors related to the various employees involved in the harassment.  For the purposes of this blog - We will focus upon the self reporting by the coaches and athletes and also on pages 59-65 of the report as the information does relate to behavioral issues and potentially concussion related issues.

A thought to consider as the report is read by many:

"Just because a behavior is done in the past does not mean that the behavior is or was appropriate."  

There is a law for that.  Title VII, hostile work environment, and other regulations set forth by the US EEOC.

The next factor to examine is the related historical behaviors of both players.  Incognito v. Martin

Martin:  History of Depression, Suicidal Ideations, Anxiety, and Self-described internal social issues (self-belief vs. actual belief of outside world).  Martin has admitted to Marijuana and Alcohol use within the report.

Incognitio:  Self reported history of aggression beyond the sport; organizational history of aggression by teams; impulse control issues as exhibited by the report of behavioral misconduct/harassment based upon unwanted touch of a female volunteer during a charity event; impulsive behavior during social gatherings; aggressive verbal behavior and threats during communications in the locker room; loud, aggressive, and having lack of boundaries or a filter as described by a teammate; history of depression and anxiety; and a demonstration of cross addictive behaviors (stimulant/depressant behaviors such as drinking coffee (stimulant) and later drinking alcohol (depressant)).  Alcohol, caffeine, and marijuana all have an impact upon serotonin in the brain and may impact behavior.  Alcohol and caffeine have a certain "shelf life" until the user seeks out more of the chemical.  Incognito self reported that he utilized alcohol (a known depressant) while taking Paxil a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor or SSRI (a known treatment for depression designed to increase serotonin levels in the brain).

Why is all of this important - do we really need science to explain an athlete's behavior?

Well, yes and no.  No to the fact that the behavior occurred without a logical explanation of why.  Yes in the sense that the pre-frontal cortex (the area behind your forehead) is responsible for memory and cognition. This is where we begin to interprete the how and why we do what we do and our understanding of our life's situation (perceptions).  When professional athletes experience a concussion, they may experience a traumatic brain injury which may impede the athlete's cognitive functioning.

TBI is typically described in terms of mild or moderate/severe with definitions varying.  Mild to moderate cognitive impairments are generally defined as:

(i)   an external blow to the frontal lobe and brain;
(ii)   has experienced confusion, disorientation, or loss of consciousness for less than 30 minutes; and
(iii)  post-traumatic amnesia experience for less than 24 hours.

Additional symptomatology includes behavioral changes which include:
(i)    Aggression or increased aggression not related to the actual sport;
(ii)   Disinhibition or lacking a social and emotional filter
(iii)  Difficulties setting appropriate life rules to live by and follow.

As researchers, we look for behavioral clues to determine potential causes for the behaviors. We will preface this by stating we are not creating a diagnosis for any athlete involved in the Dolphins incidents; rather, we are simply pointing out some well known symptomatological information pertaining to head trauma and TBI.  Brain injuries can range from a contusion to subarachnoid hemorrhage.  Additionally, there are behavioral changes related to TBI which come into play.  These include increased aggression, lack of self-regulation, and difficulties setting appropriate social boundaries.  Lacking a filter, even as the individual recognized that the behavior is inappropriate or unacceptable while continuing the behavior, is a function of dysregulation. Incognito, by all accounts, had many of these symptoms throughout his playing career. Diagnosed or undiagnosed a second truth could be stated:

"That said, if Incognito does have a disability, the disability does not take away accountability for one's own actions."  

Each athlete is responsible for their own behaviors and attitudes in the locker room and in the community. Having a potential mental health or physical disability does not allow athletes to utilize an anything goes attitude as described in the report.  Part of having a mental health disorder is learning to apply filters successfully to all areas of the athlete's life.  It is called boundaries.  It also is called seeking treatment and sticking with the treatment plan.  If the treatment is not working the athlete should continue to seek medical care until the symptoms are resolved.

Pages 59-65:  Clues

The report outlines medical information relating to each athlete which circles us back to pages 59-65 of the report.  Again, this is not a diagnosis of an athlete, rather an examination of the symptomatology related to a disability which may or may not have been diagnosed.  Research requires clues in order to create solid explanations which are not used as excuses for behavior.  In the end, even with disabilities, indiividuals have choices and individual responsibilities for their own actions. The willing participants in these workplace violations clearly violated organizational workplace rules and federal statutes regarding hostile work environment found in Title VII and other EEO laws and regulations.

The report states that their is a uniqueness of the NFL locker room.  Past history has shown that although sports is a unique workplace; the uniqueness of the NFL locker room is no different than the uniqueness of an Army Unit in the forward position of a battle or war where much of the action takes place.  Each specific type of organization has a game plan and a "battle" to win.  As an Army veteran, it was always more important to follow the rules and plan a winning strategy in order to win the "war".  The "battle" was always only one step towards a winning outcome.  How employees go about winning the "battle" is crucial to the successful outcome of the "war".  So it goes in football. It is only then that true job satisifaction occurs.

For more information about the report, please go to:  Report Dated February 14, 2014

Traumatic Brain Injury and Career Transition

Traumatic Brain Injury and Career Transition

Dr. Helen L. Horvath, PsyD

Over the past five years there has been a tremendous amount of information published pertaining to the relationship between head trauma, concussions, and general changes in mood, affect, and behavior.  Mild to moderate cognitive impairments have created an aging generation of professional athletes whose quality of life has become a significant factor in professional and psychological development outside of sports.  Many athletes are no longer able to work in their post-NFL career fields as a result of their symptoms.  The question becomes what can be done to negate and create learning as the neural pathways in the brain are reconnected after single or multiple traumatic brain injuries?  

Health Issues and the NFL Athlete:  Six Facts

FACT:  Every NFL athlete has the potential of having their "bell rung" and experiencing at least one mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) during his career in professional sports (Amen, Wu, Taylor, & Willeumier, 2011; Slobouniv, Zhang, Pennell, Johnson, & Sebastianelli, 2010; Smith, 2011; Wilson, 2012).

FACT:  TBI creates psychological changes in the brain of the athletes due to frontal lobe damage.  

FACT:  Athletes adapt to the damages in the brain in the areas of memory access (long and short term memory); cognitive functioning (ability to learn and retain information); and behavioral changes (such as increased impulse control or disinhibition).  The athlete's adaption to the damages in the brain may lead to the athlete's inability to retain information (Amen, Newberg, Thatcher, Jin, Wu, Keator, & Willeumier (2011).

   

FACT:  Psychological changes also occur as part of the TBI.  Athletes will potentially experience an increase in sexual drive, known as hypersexuality, which may lead to indiscriminate sexual behavior.  This is a function of impulse control and disinhibition.   Disinhibition is a disregard for social convention, poor risk assessment, and impulsivity.  

FACT:  Disinhibition directly affects and athlete's coordination or motor skills, instinctual behavior (i.e. hypersexuality), emotional, cognitive, and perceptions. 

FACT:  Long and short term memory require the learner to create a pattern of behavior that permits the linkage from the short term memory to long term memory.  Think of a highway that you have driven upon. When you first drive on the highway you pay attention to all the signs and conditions on the road.  Yet, as you drive on the highway repeatedly; you begin to learn to navigate without much thought to all the signs. Your long term memory is able to access the speed limits, signs to your destination, and about how long it will take to get there. This is an example of translating short term, long term, and back to short term memory.  Short term memory is where the information resides when learning and developing ideas.  Then the ideas and learning are stored back into long term memory.  For an individual with mild to moderate cognitive issues the individuals may not be able to remember the driving route on the highway without visual or auditory cues.  Accessing and retaining memory generally takes visual, auditory, reading and kinesthetic sensory experiences to translate short term memory into long term memory that is retained and available for access.

Solutions:  Virtual 3D and Learning

One may question what virtual 3D immersive technology has to do with learning?  When learning is viewed from a psychological perspective; there are several factors which must be negated to create learning and development.  These include:  Short and long term memory as mentioned previously; kinesthetic learning; and the actual training environment.

Kinesthetic Learning:  The process of how an athlete learns is as important as what the athlete learns (Kolb, 1984).  If a disabled athlete is unable to grasp information then learning will not take place.   As athletes adapt to the damages in the brain, a change in learning patterns create a need for a change in learning and facilitation patterns.  The symptoms an athlete may experience include paranoia, social phobias, memory and cognition issues, and behavioral issues.  By creating an intervention that utilizes a psychologically based solution supported by a five sensory experience known as kinesthetic learning; the possibility exists that short term and long term memory in the form of learning retention will happen (Brown & Standen, 2006; Wilson, Foreman, & Stanton, 1997).  

Virtual 3D immersive environment:  The use of virtual 3D immersive environments is increasing in the business market place.  Yet many environments do not include the psychological components of a disability in the development of the program.  The environments generally have a generic feel and do not represent specific parts of the world.  The belief is “an office is an office”.  Yet is it?

In order to decrease symptoms of head trauma and cognitive impairment the software developer must understand the psychological cues associated with TBI and other mental health disorders in order to create a simulation that will meet the psychological needs for learning and cognitive growth.  The key to this would be to develop an environment which is geared towards symptom resolution and individual change through group interaction.  Learning will take place once the individual symptoms are resolved within the simulation or 3D environment.  The simulations will allow the TBI survivor to practice social skills, develop emotional safety zones, and be observed by qualified staff to create a behavioral and cognitive change in the athlete. 

The use of virtual 3D immersive technology has roots in several areas of career development.  Are you ready for a change???

Technology: Learning Management System

Trimming the Fat from your Corporate Budget

Recently, while completing a dissertation project, I began reviewing the various methods that people utilize to accomplish learning online and the various methods of service delivery.  The National Football League (NFL) utilizes a standard face to face method of training athletes.  The athlete are required to soak up as much information in a set period of time, normally 3-5 days, while hoping that the information continues to stay with the athlete.  This training method utilizes PowerPoint slides, hand outs, videos, and live speakers.  The training method only reaches approximately .02% of the eligible trainees who may be interested in the courses.  This leaves the issues of service delivery as a "gap analysis" or improvement which could be made.

Universities currently utilize 2 dimensional training online in the form of open source programs such as MOODLE.  Other universities utilize BLACKBOARD or other Learning Management Systems (LMS) to deliver course material.  This method of training generally requires the user to type information into the LMS; never speaking directly to the instructor.  Other LMS systems, such as those used by the federal government, utilize telephones, videoconferencing to see the instructor, and the keyboards to speak to each other.  If one piece of technology is not working then the entire training session becomes ineffective.  Other organizations utilize webinars which utilize the internet, a web based communication program, headphones, and the keyboard. 

Yet, are these learning management systems the appropriate method of facilitating training programs?  These programs are not immersive in the sense that the participants cannot view the behaviors and actions of others in the group as if they were in the class.  As there is a lack of immersive quality in the training; the question changes to are the educational needs of all participants met?  Are we teaching to the choir or only the solo singer?  These are important questions to ask yourself as you begin the process of learning and creating organizational training programs.  The method of delivery is just as important as the material being taught. Teaching to multiple learning styles is indicative of a larger population of individuals retaining the information.

How is a company able to "trim the fat in the budget" while still meeting organizational training needs?  Corporations can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for training while not meeting the actual organizational needs of the corporation.  Trimming the fat requires one to examine the cost effectiveness of training individuals in a face to face setting versus an online setting.  Additionally, teaching new technologies requires buy-in from the users and corporation.  Sometimes it takes a pilot program to steer the ship in a new direction creating synergy for change as new technology is introduced to the corporation. 

It takes vision to create the next generation or NEXTGEN of applications in the LMS arena.  Sometimes the best response to the old and new way is to create a blended course which provides online training with the same features as a face to face course.  Later after the learner has been able to assimiliate the basic information; they will be able to practice the course material either in a face to face meeting or in the virtual environment.  The NEXTGEN is coming; watch for it...@ILKA-Technologies.com.

For more information about Virtual Learning Management Systems (VLMS) and network infrastructure; please feel free to contact ILKA Technologies, Inc. at info@ilka-technologies.com.

Technology and Human Systems: Is your technology plan up in a cloud of smoke?

TECHNOLOGY AND THE CORPORATION

Have you ever walked into an office and there were computers, tablets, I-Pads, and other marvels of technology that were available?  How many people were incorporating the technology in their work life?  The technology is used avidly by some and ignored by others as being too "complex".  Is it generational or simply a Human Systems Engineering (HSE) issue?  What many firms forget is that it is more about the Human Systems Engineering and the reaction of the Human System to the technology that will be the driver of the technology that is selected.  Many firms forget this important factor when designing or developing a technology plan.  Their technology plans may end up in a cloud of smoke.

Technology is a wonderful thing.  Thirty years ago the thought of the world being guided by cell phones, tablets, and the Internet was unheard of.  The US Army had paid for the development of the packet switching research that lead to the large mainframe computers that were partially housed at Computer Systems Command at Fort Lee, Virginia.  Now, organizations are working on the basis of supercomputer hubs and virtual offices.  The technology world is ever changing.  Are you able to keep pace??

HUMAN SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY

Human systems engineering (HSE) is a structured approach to influence the intangible reality in organizations in a specific, desirable direction. HSE has the advantage of turning a complex technology issue into an advantage.  Through the use of HSE our firm is able to ease innovation processes in organizations while mastering problems that are rooted in negative emotions and lack of motivation.  There have been many stories on the Internet pertaining to the failure of the human systems as it relates to the conflict between personal and organizational values systems; people often feel as if they do not belong to an organization.  Each relationship may be considered a commercial interaction instead of a personal interaction.  It often takes a personal "touch" to create a sense of personal value as a team member.  Often corporations fail to ask employees their thoughts on how the technology will have meaning to the team and organization.  Ask and you will know; it is that simple.

A systemic approach to incorporation of technology into the workplace from the point of view of the learner; relies upon the learning interaction between the personnel and the organization.  This is a double looped method of learning.  The firm expects personnel to accomplish the learning; yet, the firms are not willing to learn from the personnel.  

In the systemic (HSE) approach, the 3 systemic levels incorporate the individual, group, and organization as the main players in the firm.  These 3 systemic levels have the capacity to influence the firm and do lead to levels of influence in the firm's "society" and "supranational system" that provides the impetus for the firm to insert itself in the industry or local environment.  This process allows managers and leadership to understand that the organization is a complex and organic system that is rooted in functional relations, hierarchy and processes that are only the top of the trees.  The roots or base structure beyond the seen is often see as the invisible part that is just as important and tangible to the structure and readiness of the organization. 

In order for the firm to receive the maximum value for their fiscal investment in new or upgraded technologies; the question needs to be asked "what is the human side of technology"?  What will the staff learn from the use of the new technology?  Will the cost expended meet the desired outcome of improved efficiency and job satisfaction?  What will the firm learn from the people involved in the learning experience as the technology is rolled out?  It is not only the employee value proposition (what the employee brings to the table); it is also about the corporate value proposition. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

In order for a firm to be successful in a technology roll out scenario, the firm must address the issues of human factors and how the employees will react to the technology.  Consideration should be given to the amount of training needed and the learning that will take place on the part of the firm and also the employees.  Technology roll outs are not a one sided part of a firm's attempt to improve the technology footprint in the global marketplace.  Technology acquisition is about utilizing the three systemic levels of the HSE to create synergy and buy-in for the technology that will be implemented.  It is about the HUMAN touch.

For more information about ILKA Technologies, Inc.; please visit www.ilka-technologies.com or email us at info@ilka-technologies.com.