Behaviour Doesn’t Lie
Recognising the common denominator we can all tap into
Overnight, The Ashes (the biggest series in world cricket) will begin between England and Australia. As this series is being played in England, there will be a barrage of hostility thrown at the Australian team. This is standard, but this time it will have extra sharpness as Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft take the field after coming back from suspension due to their involvement in Sandpapergate Scandal that took place in South Africa in 2018.
On the eve of the first test both captains faced the media for their respective press conferences. Tim Paine, the Australian captain was asked a lot of the usual questions like how they would handle the crowd’s antics, the ground conditions, and what the selection of the side will be. Expectedly, he was also asked about his own side’s behaviour. This is expected as Australia had built up a reputation over the past 20-30 years of being an overly aggressive team with a ‘win-at-all-costs’ mentality. The sort of mentality that got them into trouble in South Africa.
Paine answered by quoting Winston Churchill. One of the coaches in the Australian team, Brad Haddin, introduced this quote to Paine and it has become a mantra for the team on this tour. The quote is “behaviour doesn’t lie”.
There are a few things to unpack here:
In the circumstances, an Aussie team taking inspiration from a British Icon seems both respectful and a little cheeky all at the same time. There humility and audacity being utilised all at the same time.
Responding to the question by basically telling the media and public to judge them on what they do and not what we say is a strong and powerful message that oozes clarity and confidence.
It turns out with a little bit more investigation, that Churchill may not have said this quote at all! We are not sure who said it, but a part of me feels that it doesn’t matter. It will be interesting to see how Paine reacts when asked about this, but the quote itself is a cracker.
In the small moments as well as the big ones, it is our daily behaviours that we can all work on, control, and strengthen. They are the common denominator of our performance, and they speak louder than words ever can.
Taking an audit of our behaviours in specific situations, or preparing ourselves to display certain behaviours when we are about to take on a project or go into a meeting is an awareness process we can all do to ensure we are sending out positive and constructive signals to those around us.
Behaviours never lie. They tell a truth. A truth all can see, respond to, and hopefully be inspired by.
Learn more about the Behaviours That Matter at paulfarina.com.au
