Chapter 3 Ethics Flashcards
Ethical behavior matters in public service: _____ trust in government is based on the behavior and performance of the people who represent the government—from the chief elected official to every employee. (Page 32)
Citizens
As a _______, you are responsible for your own ethical behavior, plus you must ensure your employees are aware of their ethical responsibilities, that they take advantage of resources provided by the organization to create and sustain an ethical culture, and that they behave ethically. (Page 32)
Supervisor
Most local governments have an ethics policy or _____ that describes behavior that is expected of all employees.
(Page 33)
Code of Conduct
Some governments also have ______ that outline the belief underlying the ethics policy or code. (Page 33)
Value Statement
The most useful government ethics policies are ____, _____, and ______. (Page 33)
- Practical
- Easy to Embrace
- Based on Organizational Values
The toughest choices you will make as a supervisor are not choices between right and wrong, but between _____ and _____. (Page 33)
Right and Right
The strongest influence on employee behavior is the behavior of _____ and _____. (Page 34)
- Managers
2. Supervisors
______ is an ongoing process. It involves understanding the government’s principles and guidelines, living those principles daily, and making decisions based on those principles. (Page 35)
Ethical Behavior
What are the three A’s that help to define ethics in action? These guiding principals not only help you carry out your supervisory responsibilities, but also provide a framework to guide your employees on ethical behavior.(Page 35)
- Accountability
- Awareness
- Authenticity
In practical terms, having professional ethics means striving to do your best as a supervisor, including: (Page 35)
- Using consistent & supportive communication practices.
- Genuinely listening to your employees and colleagues.
- Making your expectations of employees clear.
- Providing fair and consistent feedback on performance.
What are some guidelines that will help you model ethical behavior: (Page 36)
- Know the rules
- Walk the talk
- Teach they way
- Hold the line
In the public sector, the _____ sets a high ethical bar for all local government leaders and employees. (Page 36)
Community
As a supervisor, coaching is a daily responsibility designed to: _____, _____ , and _____. (Page 38)
- Help employees with personal and professional development.
- Improve current work performance
- Increase performance results
While most of your coaching as a supervisor will focus on job knowledge, skills, and performance, ______ is a particularly important area for which you need to provide, guidance, coaching and feedback. (Page 38)
Ethical Behavior
Ask, Listen, Think, Thank, Respond, Involve, Make Changes, and Follow-up. They are things that supervisors can use when making decisions. These eight steps are used to coach employees on all aspects of behavior, including ethics. These steps are apart of the _______
Behavioral Model
As a supervisor, you are responsible for creating: (Page 38)
- A strong ethical environment in your unit by modeling
ethical behavior. - Making ethically sound decisions.
- Helping employees solve their ethical challenges
ICMA’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making: You can use these six questions to assess whether a possible action is ethical. (Page 39)
- The Law
- Policy
- Integrity
- Appearances
- Clear Thinking
- Perspective
What are the four useful test that can help with decision making?
- Role Model Test
- Parent or Child on Shoulder Test
- Newspaper Headline Test
- Golden Rule test
______ is essential to ensure that all employees understand ethical lines, know how to use tools, and test to assess challenging situations, and have an opportunity to discuss tough issues with colleagues and staff who have experience in ethical decision making. (page 41-42)
Ongoing training
You can lead your employees towards ethical behavior by: (Page 42)
- Making ethics apart of daily life in your work unit
- Using Staff Meeting as an opportunity to talk about the values of your organization and to discuss ethical challenges
- Share with your employees tools for helping them make ethical decisions
- Offer Simple reminders once a week to keep employees thinking about ethical behavior.
- Encourage and supporting employee participation in both required and optional training sessions related to values and ethics.
Most local governments today have employee ________ for ethical practice and behavior. (page 43)
codes of conduct and guidelines
_____, ____, and ____ are equally or even more important. (page 43)
Supervisory Guidance
Regular Training and Enforcement
Constant Modeling of Ethical Practices
_____ is a standard of conduct for professional and personal behavior based on shared values. (Page 33)
Ethics
Ethics principles and guidelines are just the beginning. What really matters is not what a local government says in its principles and guidelines, but ______. (Page 34)
What it does.
