By Charmaine Rand,
Program Development Specialist at the Defence Ethics Program Directorate,
Department of National Defence
Are you putting responsibility last on your list?
Which ethical value has special meaning for you? Do you favour honesty or loyalty? Perhaps you prefer courage, fairness or responsibility. Could it even be that, for you, integrity encompasses a number of ethical values that you deem important?
Whatever your answer it could be that the Directorate – Defence Ethics Program (Dir – DEP), which is the values-based ethics program for the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Forces (CF), has the pen for you.
In February, the Dir – DEP produced the first of its new line of promotional pens. Its purpose was two-fold: promoting the program and the six Statement of Defence Ethics obligations (or values). These values of equal weight, integrity, loyalty, courage, honesty, fairness, and responsibility, illustrate the four families of values found in the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service.
It wasn’t until Dir – DEP personnel met with participants at the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Conference that they realized that these pens would act as the catalyst for dialogue on the various values held by Defence personnel and spark the Dir – DEP’s observational study on ‘pen picking behaviour.’
Placed at the DEP kiosk were six containers, each labelled and filled with pens marked with one of the obligations from the Statement of Defence Ethics, and identical in look and colour.
It was interesting to note that once people realized that each container held pens representing the six ethical obligations, visitors would then reassess which pen they wanted to keep as their own, since they could only take one pen.
What was very intriguing was the noticeable and often animated reaction of those who inadvertently chose a responsibility pen. “Even the word responsibility seems to invoke uncomfortable feelings in some people,” said a Dir – DEP staff member who manned the kiosk. “Some couldn’t get their responsibility pen back into the container fast enough!”
Considering how responsibility is recognized as a key leadership element and a critical component of ethical behaviour within the CF and DND, it was interesting to see how many people seemed to want to avoid the notion of responsibility. It was the only Statement of Defence Ethics obligation that received reactions so marked and obvious. Pens representing other ethical values seemed to be chosen in relatively equal numbers.
The observations made by Dir – DEP staff at the EAP conference sparked a non-scientific observational study. Shortly thereafter, they hosted a kiosk during National Public Service Week (NPSW) in Ottawa, where the same pens were made available to visitors. This time, Dir – DEP staff began asking DND employees and CF personnel the reasons why they were choosing one particular value pen over the others, while at the same time staff tracked the popularity of the value pens. They observed that the first of the value pens to disappear into the hands of Defence personnel were the integrity pens, followed by loyalty then courage. Interestingly, the aversion to the responsibility pens did not appear to be as strong as it was at the EAP event. The noticeable difference in reaction had Dir – DEP staff searching for possible reasons.
The visibly strong aversion to responsibility at the EAP event may be due to the difference in position held by kiosk visitors at both events. Employees at the EAP conference tended to be in management positions whereas visitors during NPSW held a wider range of positions, with varying levels of responsibility.
This reaction seems to tie in with perceptions expressed at meetings with senior leaders. In one such meeting, Colonel Yvon Desjardins, Director of the Defence Ethics Program, surveyed attendees as to which of the six ethical values they thought DND/CF personnel would choose to eliminate if given the opportunity. Overwhelmingly, they answered responsibility. “The six ethical obligations were identified through a Canada-wide consultation with military and civilian personnel as being shared values that exist among Defence personnel,” explained Colonel Desjardins . “Therefore, the Statement of Defence Ethics is actually a reflection of the values held by Defence personnel.”
From an organizational standpoint, the Statement of Defence Ethics outlines the way in which the CF and the DND should carry out the special responsibility granted them for the defence of Canada. It also details ethical principles and obligations for military and civilian personnel which allow them to work together as a team while at the same time ensuring the ethical and professional integrity of Defence.
“The pertinent question at this point would be ‘What are the ethical consequences of putting responsibility at the end of the list?’” asked Colonel Desjardins. “Responsibility and accountability are key elements in ethical behaviour of individuals, and ethical behaviour of DND employees and CF members is the Defence Ethics Program’s primary focus - we have the responsibility to be ethical.”
It is relevant to point out that the preliminary results of the 2007 Defence Ethics Survey show that almost 80 per cent of DND/CF personnel agree or strongly agree that their immediate supervisor is accountable for his or her actions. Also, more than 70 per cent say that the people they work with are accountable for their actions.
“Those are encouraging scientific results,” said Colonel Desjardins, comically adding with a chuckle, “Perhaps folks who visit information booths like to play games with the people behind the counter.”
Would you choose a responsibility pen? Why or why not? Please write and let us know at opsve-bvefp@cpsa-afpc.gc.ca.
The full Statement of Defence Ethics can be viewed on the DEP Web site at http://www.forces.gc.ca/ethics/expectations/statement_e.asp
If you would like to know more about the Defence Ethics Program, please visit the DEP Web site at http://www.forces.gc.ca/ethics
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