Ethics & LeadershipPresented to the Clarkson University

Senior ClassPresented by:

Donald Nims, P.E.

NSPE Code of Ethics

Interactive Polling

Interactive Polling All responses are anonymous.

The results of the voting and presentation will be available… so, please participate.

Your answer will show up in the LCD window in the upper left hand corner of your device. A small GREEN light will also go on when you register your answer.

At the end of the session, PLEASEPLEASE place your pollers in the center of the table.

Select your engineering discipline:

1. Chemical

2. Civil

3. Electrical

4. Engineering and Management

5. Environmental

6. Mechanical

7. Other

Chemical

Civil

Electr

ical

Engin

eering a

nd M...

Envir

onmental

Mec

hanical

Other

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Do you plan to obtain a Professional Engineering License?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

Yes No

Not sure

0% 0%0%

Do you plan to become a Project Manager or Technical Expert?

1. Project Manager

2. Technical Expert

Project

Man

ager

Tech

nical E

xpert

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Do you plan to work in government or for a company?

1. Government

2. Company

Govern

ment

Company

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Select the extent to which you have studied ethics:

1. Ethics was a required topic of my college curriculum.

2. Ethics was a required topic of my college curriculum and I have studied it on my own time.

3. I have only studied ethics on my own time.

4. I have not studied ethics.

Ethics

was

a require

...

Ethics

was

a require

...

I hav

e only stu

died e...

I hav

e not studied et..

.

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Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?“Good and bad, right and wrong are relative terms. We cannot be certain of what is good and bad, right or wrong.”

1. Agree

2. Disagree

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“Integrity” to me means…

1. Honoring one’s word

2. Wholeness of character

Honoring o

ne’s w

ord

Wholeness

of chara

cter

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To me, the greater ethical problem for a leader is being…

1. Hypocritical – Not being consistent between what you say and what you do.

2. Unjust – Not treating others fairly.

Hypocri

tical –

Not b

...

Unjust – Not t

reatin...

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Which of the following statements best describes how you tend to trust others?

1. Trust no matter what

2. Trust until proven otherwise

3. Trust but verify

4. Trust only if no other choice

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To me, ethics deals chiefly or primarily with the…

1. CONDUCT or ACTIONS we choose freely.

2. CONSEQUENCES of our free choices/decisions.

3. INTENTIONS behind our choices.

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What is Ethics?

A scene from the movie: Miller’s Crossing

DON: This is an image, not the video clip. I need to send the video separate because it is too

large. I can show you how to insert if you

need help.

What are the Mob’s values?

RELATIONSHIPS / LOYALTYRELATIONSHIPS / LOYALTY “I’m talking about… Friendship… Character…”

TRUST TRUST “if you can’t trust the fix…what can you trust?”

HONESTY HONESTY “Bernie ain't satisfied with the honest dollar he can make off the vig!”

MONEY / PROFITSMONEY / PROFITS“It's gettin' so a businessman can't expect no return from a fixed fight.”

PREDICTABILITY / ORDERPREDICTABILITY / ORDER“For a good return, you gotta go bettin'on chance, and then you're back

with anarchy. Right back in the jungle…”

ETHICSETHICS ”Hell, Leo, I ain't embarrassed to use the word, I’m talking about…

Ethics… The Mob has values… and a code of conduct.

No organization can last for long without ethics.

The Mob’s version of ethics is just as legitimate as any other except for one fundamental thing that it is missing:

… the GOOD What is the GOOD?

We have to know what constitutes the real, authentic and greater GOOD in each situation if we hope to Get it Right AND Get Along as professionals.

What is Ethics? In reality, people are chiefly praised and blamed on the basis of their

choices and the actions that follow.

Ethics is the science of finding and choosing the good. What kind of goods? Answer: the real, authentic and greater good in each and every situation.

The only object we can choose is action. And in choosing your own actions, you are choosing the way that you are relating to things. Strictly speaking, you are choosing relationships.

Getting it Right AND Getting Along reflect choices we make on how we are going to relate to ourselves and others.

So, ACTION or CONDUCT is the primary subject of ethics.

Why is Ethics important?

Safety

Competence

Truthfulness

Faithfulness

Obligation

Lawfulness

Environmental Stewardship

The environmental impact of the car and the associated parts of the entire transportation sector is devastating, yet the buying public wants something sleek, stylish, fast, and cost-effective.

Do you, as an engineer, have an ethical responsibility to not design a car at all because of its poor environmental and sustainability attributes?A. Yes

B. No

Yes No

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Do you have an ethical responsibility to design improvements that minimize environmental impact, reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil deposits, plan for future recyclability and reuse, and use different energy sources much more efficiently?

A. Yes

B. No

Yes No

0%0%

Your colleagues are responsible for their own actions, but do you have an ethical responsibility to talk to them about these issues and raise questions for them to consider?A. Yes

B. No

Yes No

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Do you have an ethical responsibility to talk to the leaders of your firm or company about its internal and external involvement in these issues?

A. Yes

B. No

Yes No

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Do you have an ethical responsibility to improve sustainability in your everyday life?

A. Yes

B. No

Yes No

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Do you have an ethical responsibility to future generations?

A. Yes

B. No

Yes No

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Safety

► Fundamentally, which has a higher priority the safety of the passengers or reducing emissions when designing a car?

► On a grander scale, what is a better approach?

► When can the safety of the passengers take a lower priority than reducing emissions?

Competence

► Under what circumstances can an inexperienced engineer design the brakes of a car?

► To be prepared what should the inexperienced engineer do?

Objective & Truthful Public Statements

► Fundamental canon is to "avoid deceptive acts."

► Honesty and candor is needed to solve problems.

► Honesty reinforces integrity.► Honesty and integrity lead to trust.

Avoid Deceptive Acts

► VW engineers designed software installed in their diesel vehicles that was able to sense when emissions testing was in progress based on the position of the steering wheel, vehicle speed, the duration of the engine's operation and barometric pressure. Once the software picked up on these inputs, it went into a type of "test mode" when the front wheels of the car were on a dynamometer. This allowed emissions controls to run full-tilt during official testing, but emitted 10 to 40 times the legal amount while on the road.

► Should the engineers at VW have considered, designed, or installed a such a sophisticated system?

► VW has lost 1/3 of its value.

Obligation to Client/Customer

► To whom is a VW engineer obligated?► What had a higher priority:

• Shareholder Profit?

• Public Safety?

• Environmental Impacts?

• Car Buyer Value?

► What compromises were made?► What should the engineers at VW have done?

Responsible & Lawful Conduct

► Did the engineers act responsibly?► What are the repercussions?

10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Joining the Work Force1. Flexibility2. Reality of Compromise3. Continuing Education4. Find Your Mentor5. Leadership6. Don’t Be Smug7. Networking8. Digital Profile9. Line of Credit10. Find the Release

Questions to Improve for Next Year

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Additional questions to improve for next year…

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