Student Center for the Public Trust

I looove March Madness. It doesn’t matter if I haven’t watched a single regular season game of college basketball, when March comes around I’m a shameless bracket-maker. I don’t care if it’s Coastal Carolina playing Albany, I’ll watch it.

There’s a problem, though… Many of the games are played during the day, which often interfere with work and class schedules. I worked all through college, so I was working or going to class almost every day. That didn’t leave me with much time for watching the tournament.

It was difficult to focus when I knew my favorite team was on the court, or my bracket needed to be updated. Now that I work full-time, I still face the same challenge. Am I the only one who gets distracted while I’m working?

Research says no.

In business, the average employee steals about four hours of time each week. Between videos, personal conversations, texting and extended lunch breaks, the time adds up quickly. The work habits you build during college, often carry over into your career.

So in light of this surprising figure about how much time employees steal, I thought it’d be good to share some tips on enjoying March Madness without compromising your integrity or committing any ethical violations.

1. Be Present Mentally and Physically
Believe it or not, class attendance is about more than just showing up to class. When you go to class, you have the opportunity and responsibility to pay attention in class, contribute to group discussions, and learn as much as possible. Watching the tournament may be fun now, but once it’s time to take the exam, you’ll wish you had more class time to review the course content.

2. Bypass the “Boss” Button
This neat little feature is included on several March Madness websites and allows users to temporarily minimize the website, while opening a screenshot of an email or document. One second you’re watching Marcus Paige drain a three-pointer, the next second you’re “just taking class notes on your laptop”… Unless you’re the type of person who aims to mislead your professor, avoid using the boss button. Your integrity is more important than your bracket.

3. Turn Off Your Phone
Sometimes we have good attentions, but get distracted by others. When a friend sends you a text letting you know your school just went into overtime, it may be tempting to leave class and head back to the dorm or student center. Sometimes, the best way to avoid the temptation of responding to a text, is to simply turn off your phone. The highlights and replays will all be there after class, so you can still relive the best moments from the tournament.

No one can predict who will win or lose in this year’s March Madness. But, as ethical leaders, we can know how our integrity will fare after that last line on the bracket is filled in. It’s entirely up to us.

Always remember, Leadership is a Lifestyle.

— Ryan W. Hirsch
Program Manager, NASBA Center for the Public Trust