You can call it sportsmanship or you can call it fair play. Whatever you call it, it has to do with fair give and take between players. Whether it’s on the playing field or in the networking arena, play fair.
Over the weekend I was reminded of this lesson. During a youth baseball tournament, one coach had asked another to switch dugouts with his team as he was scheduled to play multiple games in the hot Sun without shade. Could he trade for the shadier spot for their game.
The coach who was asked was polite and said, yes, he would trade for their game.
When it came time for the championship game, the same two teams met. When the coach who had complied with the request for shade asked the coach who had benefited from the earlier shady spot to return the favor, the coach said no.
Karma has a way of working out. Even though they were the higher seed, the now shaded coach’s team lost 9-0 to the non-shaded team.
The point is this: consider the consequences when you answer or pose a question. Consider, too, the long term result.
Relentless
