Presented by:
Speaker’s Name
Before We Watch Gilbane Gold,
Let’s Consider:
 How Engineering Addresses Public Needs
 The Importance of Ethical Leadership
 Characteristics of Ethical Leaders
Public
Needs
Public
Good
Maintenance
Ethics
&
Engineering
Teamwork
Construction
Design
Creativity
Planning
What is Important for
Ethical Leaders?
An effective ethical leader will…
…Create “Candor” in the workplace…
…an environment where the
engineer feels safe bringing up and
resolving ethical issues.
Effective Ethical Leaders?
An effective ethical leader will …
… Foster an environment of “Trust”
among individuals in the Workplace…
…and this trust will encourage openness
among team members without fear of
retribution.
Characteristics of Effective
Ethical Leader
An effective ethical leader will:
Treat everyone as intrinsically
valuable…
and not as a means to an end.
How Do We Develop
Ethical Leadership Skills?
To achieve “Ethical Leadership
Skills,” engineering leaders, in both
education and industry,
need to possess the following traits:
Effective Leaders Will Have:
Understanding
... A clear
understanding of
professional ethics
Effective Leaders Will Have:
Communication Skills
An ability and willingness
to communicate ethical
issues.
Effective Leaders Will Have:
Ability
to recognize ethical issues.
Effective Leaders Will Have:
Appreciation
for the frequency at which
ethical issues occur.
Effective Leaders Will Have:
Awareness
that guidance on ethical
dilemmas is available from a
variety of sources
Effective Leaders Will Have:
Comprehension ...
“Knowing What’s Right”
Effective Leaders Will Have:
The Desire
Willingness &
Courage …
...
to “Do What’s Right”
Effective Leaders Will Have:
Ability
to resolve ethical issues by using traditional
engineering methods of inquiry, namely:

Listing options
Testing the options

Making a decision, and

Most importantly, Acting !
Question
How does all this tie together?
SOCIETAL
NEED
ENGINEERING
ANALYSIS
Engineering
Leadership
ENGINEERING
DESIGN
ENGINEERING
KNOWLEDGE
Idea for graphic based on Professional Responsibility: The Role of the Engineer, Jnl. of Science and Engineering Ethics, Vol. 3, No. 3, 1997
by Drs. Steve Nichols and Bill Weldon, UT/Austin
Answers to ethics questions?
Sometimes there are several right
answers to ethics issues...
Sometimes there are no right answers...
But, like engineering design problems,
there is a personal best answer.
Resources for Leaders
• Text Books and Articles
• Ethics Centers & Institutes
• Ethics Newsletters …
•examples 
Where Can We Get
Guidance?
From:
- Rules of Professional Conduct - Codes of Ethics -
Rules of
Professional Conduct
Expectations of Company
Licensing Boards
Professional Societies
Technical Societies
Guidance from the
National Society of Professional Engineers
Board of Ethical Review
Over 200 NSPE-BER Cases on the
Internet at www.nspe.org
An Interesting Thought
On Engineering Ethics
If the “Ethics Rope” Breaks
Now Let’s Watch
Synopsis of Story
Gilbane Gold is the name given to dried
sludge from the city of Gilbane wastewater
treatment plant. It is sold to farmers as a
commercial fertilizer. The annual revenue
generated saves the average family about
$300 per year in taxes.
Synopsis of Story
Z CORP, a computer components
manufacturer, discharges wastewater
containing small amounts of lead and
arsenic into the city sewers. By current
city test standards, the discharge meets
allowable levels.
Synopsis of Story
Z CORP environmental engineers know of a
newer test which shows that the discharge
may still meet the letter of the law, but
exceeds the spirit of the law.
Synopsis of Story
Protection of the health,
safety, and
welfare of the public
is the principal concern.
List of Characters
DAVID JACKSON:
Environmental engineer working for Z CORP
TOM RICHARDS:
Engineering consultant fired by Z CORP
PHIL PORT:
Manager of environmental department
FRANK SEEDERS:
Z CORP's engineering manager
DIANE COLLINS:
VP in charge of Z CORP's Gilbane plant
LLOYD BREMEN:
Former commissioner
WINSLOW MASSIN:
Professor emeritus, Hanover University
MARIA RENATO:
TV reporter
Ethical Concepts include:
Protection of public health and the environment
(spirit versus letter of the law)
Quality of life and welfare of people
(jobs and taxes)
Free enterprise
(profitability & competition in the marketplace)
Personal integrity
(view of self and living up to personal standards)
Let’s consider these
concepts and:
Think of them from:
1. A Personal Viewpoint
2. A Responsibility Viewpoint
Suggested Strategy
for
Study and Discussion
After Watching Gilbane Gold,
break into small groups and:
From a “personal” viewpoint, list two or three major
ethical issues in the video.
Then
From a “responsibility” viewpoint, assume you are
the President of ZCORP. List two or three actions
you would take immediately (within the next 2 days)
Questions & Discussion