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Ethics in Supervision
Definitions of Ethics
• “The discipline dealing with what is good
and bad and with moral duty and
obligation.”
• “The code of conduct or behavior
governing an individual or group.”
• “The ideals , beliefs, or standards that
characterize or pervade a group,
community or people”.
Principle
• “A comprehensive and fundamental
rule, doctrine, or assumption.”
Moral
• “Conforming to a standard of what is
right and good.”
Ethical Principles
• “Those fundamental rules of conduct
which serve the common good.”
Ethical Supervision
• “Principles of conduct which assist
employees in the performance of their
job duties and their professional
development.”
Ethical Supervision
• “Principles of conduct which
demonstrate respect for the rights of
others and genuine concern for the
well being of children and parents
served by the agency.”
Principals of Ethical Supervision
• Be truthful and make it safe for others to
tell the truth.
• Support subordinate leaders professional
growth
• Build their competence to assess situations
and take the initiative to develop adaptive
solutions.
Principals of Ethical Supervision
• Mentor rather than intimidate
subordinate leaders
• Require subordinate leaders to study
their profession
Principals of Ethical Supervision
• Use power in accordance with “what’s
right”.
• Nothing destroys trust in the chain of
command so quickly as a leader’s
exploitation of institutional power to
coerce a private gain from
subordinates, be it sexual, financial,
careerist or otherwise.
Principals of Ethical Supervision
• Everyone watches the trustworthiness
of those who wield power above
them; and this “fishbowl factor” is farreaching
Principals of Ethical Supervision
• Trust is the master concept that links
cohesion, leadership, and training. In
fact, they are the things that build
trust.
Power and Authority
• Inherent tensions in the work; mandate to
protect and provide for child safety while also
engaging parents/families.
• Supervisors can be effective role models for
their staff on ways to negotiate this tension.
• Specifically, this is an opportunity to
demonstrate active engagement with staff while
holding them accountable to meet performance
expectations.
Ethics Mandates and Guidelines
• RCW 42.52 Ethics in Public Service; includes sections on activities
incompatible with public duties, confidential information, financial interests
in transactions, and use of persons, money or property for personal gain.
• RCW 9A.80.010 Official Misconduct; defines official misconduct and states
it is a gross misdemeanor.
• DSHS Administrative Policy 18.64 standards of Ethical Conduct for
Employees; includes sections on required standards of behavior and conduct,
and specifically prohibited employee actions.
• Children’s Administration operations manual 8110 Ethical Standards; includes
references to the above and accessing information only on a “need to know”
basis.
• National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics; 23 pages divided into
sections for ethical responsibilities to clients, to colleagues, in practice
settings, as professionals, to the social work profession and to the broader
society. NASW considers ethics as “the core of social work.”
If you have any questions, feel free to
contact Michael Tyers at (425) 339-4802 or
at [email protected]