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By Dr. Basil Springer |
"What is paradigm paralysis? Or more basically, what is a paradigm? As you probably know, a paradigm is a model or a pattern. It's a shared set of assumptions that have to do with how we perceive the world. Paradigms are very helpful because they allow us to develop expectations about what will probably occur based on these assumptions. But when data falls outside our paradigm, we find it hard to see and accept. This is called the Paradigm Effect. And when the paradigm effect is so strong that we are prevented from actually seeing what is under our very noses, we are said to be suffering from Paradigm Paralysis" Excerpt from speech by John C. Harrison (1994) www.mnsu.edu
Bridgetown, Barbados, March
28, 2005: My column of
March 07 2005 was entitled 'WI damage control needed'. I noted
the WICB President's remarks that 'The Board expects the players
named by the Selectors to respond to its invitation to make themselves
available for the Home Series by Friday March 11 so that the
Board may decide by March 14 whether the tour is to proceed.'
I queried 'Why did the WICB even mention the cancellation of
this Home Series?' and commented that 'A sensible solution is
just not to select the seven offending players'.
My daughter, last week, in a very measured tone as we walked
passed each other at home said 'Dad, it seems as though the WICB
took your advice'. The comment reassured me that she still
reads my column and confirmed that daughters have an uncanny
way of boosting their fathers' egos. Not to be outdone,
later in the week my wife reported that at her weekly 'interactive
dialogue' at the beauty parlour there was favourable reference
to said column.
As if that were not enough, I received the following email
from a regular female respondent: 'Basil, I'm sure you
know when you touch cricket and customer service topics you'll
hear from me. While I have a lot of sympathy for the WICB and
WIPA, I fail to see why sensible adults cannot see beyond the
present and understand the long-term damage this yearly foolishness
is causing. Barbados cricket is suffering and also WI cricket
simply because persons are myopic. If we continue on the path
we are going, then one thing will suffer and that is the game'.
She went on to say 'Coupled with this folly and the inferior
cricket they are playing I am surprised that WICB can actually
get sponsors...we have got a mediocre product and certainly if
I had a business I could not spend my advertising funds to sponsor
a team like the WI unless I was hoping to get mileage from their
poor performance'. 
Yet another respondent wrote 'You have pointed to a major problem
confronting the planning for the World Cup 2007, which is that
if/when that event comes to pass, the West Indies cricket
team may not still exist, at least in a version
that will be able to win games against even such minnows as Bangladesh
and Zimbabwe'.
We seem reluctant to depart from the paradigm that superstar
Brian Lara must be part of the team, because we think it gives
us the best chance of winning or drawing in this home series
with South Africa and Pakistan.
Sponsorship is necessary for the survival and growth of WI cricket,
even though sponsorship conflict is not. The sponsorship impasse
is therefore offensive. It has not allowed us to choose a team
with our superstar Brian Lara. Even though each cricketer
has the right to maximize his earnings, there is an element of
poor advice or greed or both among the six other cricketers with
Cable & Wireless contracts. This is at the centre of
the conflict.
By the way, it was very principled of Brian Lara not to leave
them in the lurch when it was discovered that he was deemed eligible
by the WICB to be selected. The onus is on the six to invoke
the exit clause in their own long-term interest. How many
of them are equipped to otherwise earn at a fraction of the rate
that the Digicel sponsorship will afford them in the next five
years? How will Cable & Wireless benefit if the 'six'
are not in the WI team? Let common sense prevail.
Looking at it from another perspective, is this not a case of
the paradigm effect where 'The data falls outside our paradigm'?
Lara, superstar that he is, is not in the dawn of his days, but
we find it hard to see and accept that Lara has to go some day.
Let him go now. We are witnessing a paradigm effect. If
we keep on trying to find ways of picking Brian Lara, amidst
the conflict, are we not guilty of paradigm paralysis?
The 14 selected for the home series plus the 'six' constitute
20 players from which any balanced 11 are, in my opinion, likely
to perform as a team as well or as badly as any other eleven.
So our focus now should be to let Bennett King work with the
team without Brian Lara. This may be our best bet to build
a team of which we shall be proud in 2007.
(Dr. Basil Springer GCM is Change-Engine Consultant, Caribbean
Business Enterprise Trust Inc. www.cbet-inc.org)