Ethical Leadership

Running an Ethical Program is Complex

What are ethics? From a practical standpoint it can be difficult to connect to the concept because they are ideals and principles we aspire and work towards. Ethics can be easy to read about and then set aside as something you don’t really need or might come back to some day. However, ethics are something you use everyday in decision making, relationships, and interactions with children, families, colleagues, and your community.

As an early care and education professional, I would frequently be faced with any of the following ethical scenarios:

1. Responding to a parent when they ask me to keep their 3 year old from napping because they are not sleeping at night.
2. Unpacking a child’s lunch that included a sandwich made out of chocolate chips, marshmallow crème and sprinkles—every day. Yes every day!
3. Overhearing a team member complaining about another team member.
4. Being asked by my supervisor to “just do this today because licensing is coming by.”

How did I navigate these challenges? Sometimes not too well. But once I learned there was a tool to use, the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Code of Ethical Conduct, I was much better prepared to recognize and respond to ethical dilemmas when they occurred! The NAEYC created the Code of Ethical Conduct to guide professionals in how to navigate ethical situations and dilemmas. Let’s first dive into some definitions and foundational concepts.

Commonly Used Words

Ethics, ethical responsibilities, and ethical leadership are big topics that we will introduce in this module.

Ethics are moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity.

Ethical responsibilities is the ability to recognize, interpret, and act upon multiple principles and values according to the standards within a given field and/or context.

Ethical Leadership is defined as “leadership demonstrating and promoting ‘normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relations’.”

Is there a connection between values, morality, and ethics? Generally, the words are used interchangeably. There is, however, a difference:

• Values are the qualities we believe intrinsically to be desirable and that we prize for ourselves
• Morality is usually more theoretical; it is a philosophical concept that is about our beliefs about right and wrong
• Ethics are the practical application of morality in daily life. The term ethics refers to a conscious deliberation regarding moral choices.

The difference is that of theory and practice. If a person has a moral character, he or she will generally deal with other people in an ethical manner.

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct

A code of ethics is adopted by a profession to assist the members in distinguishing right from wrong within the context of early childhood education and independent of personal values and belief systems. While it may seem that right and wrong or very concrete and easy concepts, in the work with children and families it is not always an easy choice to make. For leaders, the decisions can be even harder and often leads to a choice that makes someone unhappy. Remember, the Code of Ethical Conduct is based on our profession, not our personal values.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children has created and shared the Ethical Code of Conduct and the Ethical Code of Conduct for Administrators to guide the decision making of ECE professionals. But what is our code of ethics? And why is it important to our profession? Great questions!

The Code of Ethical Conduct is sectioned by category of responsibility. Ethical responsibilities to children, families, colleagues, and community.  (code of conduct will be hyper linked here).  As you work through this module, you will notice that each section is divided into Ideals and Principles to offer guidance in our work with children and families.  Take a look at the Ethical Code of Conduct and familiarize yourself on how it is organized and what the profession has determined is important to know and understand.

Deeper dives can be found on the NAEYC website. There are many resources available and you are encouraged to see the resources at the end of the modules for further study.

Seven Videos on the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct:

NAEYC recognizes that those who work with young children face many daily decisions that have moral and ethical implications. The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct offers guidelines for responsible behavior and sets forth a common basis for resolving the principal ethical dilemmas encountered in early childhood care and education. The Statement of Commitment is not part of the Code, but is a personal acknowledgement of an individual’s willingness to embrace the distinctive values and moral obligations of the field of early childhood care and education.

After reading the Code of Ethical Conduct and watching the videos, think about the challenges listed at the beginning of this module. Would the Code of Ethical Conduct have been helpful? Why or why not?

Many of the decisions you make on a daily basis are fairly easy or follow a specific program policy. Some decisions are tougher and can involve values and beliefs systems or cultural differences, which can lead to an ethical dilemma.  Ethical dilemmas occur when it is not clear what the best solution is and choosing one solution violates the other.

The Code of Ethical Conduct reads:

• P-1.1—Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children. This principle has precedence over all others in this Code.
• P-2.4—We shall ensure that the family is involved in significant decisions affecting their child.
• P-2.2—We shall inform families of program philosophy, policies, curriculum, assessment system, cultural practices, and personnel qualifications, and explain why we teach as we do—which should be in accordance with our ethical responsibilities to children.

In this example, the Code of Ethical Conduct would offer guidance as to how to communicate with the family about what is developmentally appropriate for the child and what your program policies are. You could empathize with the family and share your understanding about how difficult it can be when children don’t sleep. You could share that your program policies state that children are offered rest time and if they fall asleep they are not to be woken up. You could discuss different options (if any) and select a choice that honors the family and adheres to the ethical code of conduct. One solution could be a family member picking up the child during nap time and returning them in the afternoon after nap is over.

Ethical situations are a challenge in every early care and education setting.  This is why it is critical that professionals understand the different terms, how they connect, and how the Code of Ethical Conduct can support professionals in navigating ethical situations.

The Code of Ethical Conduct is not just about situations with children and families. It is also used to support leaders in understanding their ethical responsibilities.  As a leader you have the opportunity to influence other people’s behaviors and share your knowledge and experiences. This means that you must be careful and consider your actions through the lens of ethics.

Ethical Leadership

What do you think is important for a leader to be? What values do you hold for yourself and others in leadership positions?

Leaders by their very nature wield power over others in some capacity. Even in a Collective Leadership Model, you are often able to make decisions, allocate resources, and behave in ways that greatly impact other people.  This power can be tempting to use in ways that may not be ethical; e.g., to favor one person’s needs over another or to demand compliance over a questionable policy.

Three key questions for ethical leadership include:

1. What is the relationship and balance of power between me as a leader and those I have influence over? Do I have too much power as a leader? Do others feel they have input in decisions I make that impact them?
2. Do I sometimes feel tempted to ignore a rule or offer an exception?
3. Am I trustworthy? Do I follow through on what I say and am I there to support my team members?

Communication is one of the areas where ethics and leadership can get caught up in culture, values and beliefs. In some cultures, it is a cultural norm to:

• To be untruthful, be vague or less than forthcoming with all of the truth to spare someone shame or embarrassment or be very direct and open.
• To appeal to another person’s emotions to get what you want or to be factual and analytical with your request.
• To keep secrets or to share everything with others.

In the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct supplement for Early Childhood Program Administrators, there are a couple of key principles that can offer guidance in these situations:

• P-3.1—We shall provide staff members with safe and supportive working conditions that respect human dignity, honor confidences, and permit them to carry out their responsibilities through performance evaluation, written grievance procedures, constructive feedback, and opportunities for continuing professional development and advancement.
• P-3.2—We shall develop and maintain comprehensive written personnel policies that define program standards. These policies shall be given to new staff members and shall be easily accessible and available for review by all staff members.

In each case, leaders must carefully weigh the policies of the program with the individual skills and competencies of each team member. Educating other professionals about the Code of Ethical Conduct is a great place to start!

Think of different people you have worked with who demonstrate one or more of these cultural values and beliefs listed.  How might you approach each situation differently as a result of learning about the Code of Ethical Conduct?

Ethics and Confidentiality

Why is it important to maintain confidentiality when working with children and families?  What type of information is important to keep confidential?

Confidentiality is critically important when working with children and families. Confidentiality is defined as keeping information secure and separate, only available for those who need to have it. There are several principles in the Code of Ethical Conduct that speak directly to confidentiality.

The following principles from the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct relate directly to confidentiality.

P-1.4–We shall use two-way communications to involve all those with relevant knowledge (including families and staff) in decisions concerning a child, as appropriate, ensuring confidentiality of sensitive information.

P-2.12–We shall develop written policies for the protection of confidentiality and the disclosure of children’s records. These policy documents shall be made available to all program personnel and families.  Disclosure of children’s records beyond family members, program personnel, and consultants having an obligation of confidentiality shall require familial consent (except in cases of abuse or neglect).

P-2.13 We shall maintain confidentiality and shall respect the family’s right to privacy, refraining from disclosure of confidential information and intrusion into family life.  However, when we have reason to believe that a child’s welfare is at risk, it is permissible to share confidential information with agencies, as well as with individuals who have legal responsibility for intervening in the child’s interest.

P-2.14–In cases where family members are in conflict with one another, we shall work openly, sharing our observations of the child, to help all parties involved make informed decisions.  We shall refrain from becoming an advocate for one party.

P-3A.2–When we have concerns about the professional behavior of a co-worker, we shall first let that person know of our concern in a way that shows respect for personal dignity and for the diversity to be found among staff members, and then attempt to resolve the matter collegially and in a confidential manner.

As you can see, confidentiality encompasses your work with children, families, and coworkers. Most organizations have confidentiality policies that include written and verbal confidentiality. Those policies may include:

• Keeping children’s files in a secure location.
• Keeping staff files in a secure location.
• Not posting sensitive information (such as medical info) in public view.
• Not providing children’s last names on written labels.
• Directing staff to not have conversations about children or families within hearing of other staff, children or families.
• Directing staff to not have conversations about children or families with others who are not engaged with the family or child.

It is critically important to know what your organization’s policies are regarding confidentiality!

Maintaining confidentiality can be challenging sometimes. It can be incredibly difficult for educators to avoid talking with their friends or partners about sensitive situations at work.  We care about the children and our close relationships with them. Think about a time you had to maintain confidentiality for sensitive information. What actions did you take? How did these actions align with the Code Of Ethical Conduct?

Ethics and Culture

Culture reflects the agreed-upon set of morals and beliefs that indicate how people within a specific group interact. As you interact with different groups, you bring your personal set of values and beliefs to these relationships. The more individuals engage, the more opportunities for values and ethics to come into conflict.  Therefore, as a profession, it is critical that professionals adhere to the Code of Ethical Conduct.

But that is not always easy!  Personal biases, beliefs, and experiences influence our judgement and how we interact. Portions of the Code of Ethical Conduct can be open to interpretation by individuals, making it challenging to know what is the “right” thing to do.

Questions you must ask yourself…

• Are you willing to ask questions to better understand cultural differences?
• Are you willing to educate yourself on the cultures of the families you serve?
• Are you willing to confront your personal biases and work towards resolving them?
• Are you willing to speak out when a policy or procedure seems unfair?

Understanding that an  acceptable behavior in one culture may not be acceptable in another can go a long way toward untangling complex ethical challenges. It is up to you as a leader to commit to ethical behavior that is reflective and respectful.

How do culture and values impact ethical dilemmas? Great question! Let’s dive deeper in a few examples.

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct says:

I-2.5—To respect the dignity and preferences of each family and to make an effort to learn about its structure, culture, language, customs, and beliefs to ensure a culturally consistent environment for all children and families.

What are the cultural norms that influence your communication with others? How do you feel about the examples? Do they resonate with you? Why or why not?

Ethical leadership can look different from leader to leader and organization to organization. That is why it is so important to keep ethics as a constant guide and learning tool!

The following ethical leadership commitment statements can assist you in navigating this complex concept:

• I will advocate for truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity of communication.
• I will support freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and respect.
• I will strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages.
• I will promote access to communication resources and opportunities as necessary to contribute to the well-being of families, colleagues and communities.
• I will promote communication messages of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of those I work with and serve.
• I will condemn communication that degrades individuals through distortion, intimidation, and coercion, and through the expression of intolerance and hatred.
• I will commit to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice.
• I will advocate for sharing information, opinions, and feelings when facing significant choices while also respecting privacy and confidentiality.
• I will accept responsibility for the short- and long-term consequences for my communication and expect the same of others.
• I will be trustworthy and offer and expect respect from those I work with and serve.

When we make a commitment to ethical leadership, we are acknowledging the complexity and “messiness” that comes with honoring diverse views, respecting each person, and doing the “right” thing.  We know that we will make mistakes and learn about ourselves and others in the process.

Citations

Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment | NAEYC. (2011). NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/ethical-conduct