A Matter of Ethics:
Facing The Fear of Doing
The Right Thing
Dr. Teri Traaen
General Manager – Human Resources
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Proactive Responsibility
Human Resources Departments’ must
develop a comprehensive approach to
promoting ethical behavior
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Code of Ethics
Varied backgrounds
Doing what is right – rarely enough
Input from all levels
Guidance for clear conduct
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Leadership
Actions speak louder than words
A dedication to ethical management
Participate in training
Take affirmative steps
Set the moral tone through observable
exemplary behavior
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Training & Higher Education
Evidence indicates that formal ethics training
fosters improved ethical behavior
Goal – the enhancement of maturity and
professionalism
Formal education appears to reinforce
previous established ethical values in
individuals
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Hiring Practices
Applicant selection process
Testing process – raises red flags, reduces
susceptibility to unethical behavior
Promoting ethics and increasing diversity –
standards lowering
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Is this where we are?
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Shaping Your Beliefs
Who has shaped or influenced your standard
of ethics the most?
How did he/she shape your standard of
ethics?
How do you continue to feel their impact?
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Ethical Environments
Synergistic environments = those
characterized by rigorous interchange among
people…foster inquiry
Environments that separate people depress
inquiry
–
By Bruce Joyce and Emily Calhoun, ASCD
Educational Leadership. 1995
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Ethical Inquiry
Serious inquiry often leads us beyond the
information we are accustomed to using
–
By Bruce Joyce and Emily Calhoun, ASCD
Educational Leadership. 1995
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Trustworthiness
It is about the business of character,
integrity, maturity and an abundance
mentality. It includes competence – in a
technical, conceptual and interdependent
sense. A trustworthy person evidences great
judgment and wisdom
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Template For Change
1. Identify four actions that you need to take
that you have been putting off
2. Answer these questions about the four
items above:
–
–
Why haven’t we/the organization taken action?
What pain have we/the organization linked to
take this action?
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Core Ethics Training Items
Ethics values –
Ethics –
Honesty –
Integrity –
Morals –
Promise keeping –
Values -
Accountability –
Inspiration –
Legacy –
Permanence –
Perseverance –
Priorities –
Responsibility -
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Affirming The Ethical Diversity
Valuing the diversity of different ethical
values raises the question of how you can
value everyone else’s ethics, even if they are
different from yours. While the behaviors
that you expect are second nature to you,
they might not be second nature to someone
else’s boundaries……
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Ethics Norms and Regime Values
Ethical norms (within an organization) come
from the application of the strictest values of
the organization. What does your
organization expect from its employees on a
daily basis? How is this communicated?
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Ethics Differences
… Especially if their ethical influence comes
primarily from another country or culture.
Think about your work group… what
different cultural or ethnic influences are
represented in the ethics-based decision
making process? How are these differences
affirmed?
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Core Virtues
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Prudence
Trust
Effacement of self-interests
Courage
Intellectual honesty
Justice
Cognizant of other alternatives
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Diagnosis Unlimited
1. Values as a basis of your ethical system
2. Values as a basis for your organization’s
ethical system
3. Values as the foundation for your
professional industry
City of Scottsdale, AZ
What Constitutes An Ethics
Legacy?
Personally … I will ……
Professionally … I will ……
Community role model … I will ……
City of Scottsdale, AZ
The Savvy Ethics-Based Leader:
1.
Studies power dynamics – how decisions get made,
who has access to and influence on power
2.
Builds and maintains key networks
3.
Knows cultural norms and core values
4.
Understands how to implement ideas
5.
Promotes himself/herself with integrity
6.
Challenges ideas and addresses difficult issues
without embarrassing others
City of Scottsdale, AZ
The Savvy Ethics-Based Leader:
7.
Creates an accurate perception of his/her ideas,
talents, and potential
8. Factors in timing, setting, conflicting agendas,
allies, and advocates in deciding which “battles”
can be won
9. Detects patterns of deception, personal and hidden
agendas, and self-serving information
10. Uses verbal discipline with people he/she does not
trust
11. Holds firm on integrity issues and is willing to take
a stand
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Setting the Ethical Tone
Reinforce the need to achieve business goals,
while living your organizations’ core values and
following your newly adopted Code of Ethics
and Rules of Conduct handbook
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Ethics Policy Comparison
OREGON GOVERNMENT
STANDARDS & PRACTICES
CITY OF SCOTTSDALE
CODE OF ETHICS
• Applies to all public officials (e.g., elected
officials, appointed officials, employees,
volunteers)
• Applies to all elected officials, appointed
officials, task force members, city
employees, and volunteers
• Cannot use position for financial gain or
avoidance of financial detriment that is not
otherwise available to the general public.
• Cannot purchase, sell, or lease any real or
personal property if there is a financial
interest at a value below or above that
available to the general public.
• Soliciting & Receiving Gifts limited to $100
aggregate value from a single source in a
calendar year.
• Prohibited from soliciting, receiving, or
accepting gifts of any kind from anyone
engaged in a general practice or specific
situation that involves the City’s decisionmaking or permitting process if it may be
construed as an attempt to create a more
favorable relationship than that enjoyed by
any other citizen.
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Ethics Policy Comparison
OREGON GOVERNMENT
STANDARDS & PRACTICES
CITY OF SCOTTSDALE
CODE OF ETHICS
• Entertainment limitations are $100/person for
a single occasion not to exceed $250 in a
calendar year and purchaser or provider
must be present.
• City officials can accept entertainment,
hospitality (including meals), transportation,
and token mementoes directly associated
with events that an official is attending as a
representative of the City. If any gift or
personal benefit exceeds $25 in value, the
City official must declare it to the City Clerk.
• Enforcement administered by the Oregon
Standards and Practices Commission
• Enforcement includes processes in place for
individuals to file a complaint. False or
frivolous complaints are subject to criminal
prosecution for perjury and potential civil
liability for defamation.
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Ethics Policy Comparison
OREGON GOVERNMENT
STANDARDS & PRACTICES
CITY OF SCOTTSDALE
CODE OF ETHICS
OTHER POLICIES
OTHER POLICIES
• Personal Use of phones
• Open Government
• Personal use of computers
• Executive Session
• Preservation and Availability of Public
Documents
• Undue Influence on Subordinates
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Q&A