Collegial Ethics –Not Fully Collegial Ethics –Not Fully Realized and NeededRealized and Needed

Michael Kuhar, Ph.D.Michael Kuhar, Ph.D.Yerkes National Primate Res. CenterYerkes National Primate Res. Center

and the Center for Ethics and the Center for Ethics of Emory Universityof Emory University

Situations where support Situations where support is neededis needed

Everyday hasslesEveryday hassles

Commission of error that has impact.Commission of error that has impact.

Failure to succeedFailure to succeed

Other personal failingsOther personal failings

Attack by otherAttack by other

An accusation of wrongdoingAn accusation of wrongdoing

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.Do we need it?Do we need it?Avoiding it, games we play.Avoiding it, games we play.Evolved instinctsEvolved instinctsHow do we become supportive?How do we become supportive?Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.Limitations of collegial ethics.Limitations of collegial ethics.

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.Do we need it?Do we need it?Avoiding it, games we play.Avoiding it, games we play.Evolved instinctsEvolved instinctsHow do we become supportive?How do we become supportive?Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.Limitations of collegial ethics.Limitations of collegial ethics.

Collegial ethics offers Collegial ethics offers guidelines on how to treat guidelines on how to treat and support colleagues, and support colleagues, not a focus on how to not a focus on how to expose or report them!expose or report them!

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.

Do we need it?Do we need it?Avoiding it, games we play.Avoiding it, games we play.Evolved instinctsEvolved instinctsHow do we become supportive?How do we become supportive?Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.Limitations of collegial ethics.Limitations of collegial ethics.

Do we need it?Do we need it?Little or no current training for it in existing Little or no current training for it in existing programs.programs.

It can be a positive counterbalance to It can be a positive counterbalance to existing training in ethics which can be existing training in ethics which can be accusatory.accusatory.

Impulse of “Don’t get involved” – Self Impulse of “Don’t get involved” – Self preservation not always best in long run.preservation not always best in long run.

Collegiality has been shown to be effective.Collegiality has been shown to be effective.

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.Do we need it?Do we need it?

Avoiding it, games we playAvoiding it, games we play..Evolved instinctsEvolved instinctsHow do we become supportive?How do we become supportive?Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.Limitations of collegial ethics.Limitations of collegial ethics.

Avoidance GamesAvoidance Games

Self-righteous judgment.Self-righteous judgment.

Say that it’s smart to avoid Say that it’s smart to avoid trouble.trouble.

Invoking excessive fairness.Invoking excessive fairness.

Avoidance Games, cont’dAvoidance Games, cont’d

I Can’t endanger my family.I Can’t endanger my family.

Allow dislike of someone to overly Allow dislike of someone to overly influence your actions.influence your actions.

A Genuine paralyzing fear of A Genuine paralyzing fear of actionsactions

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.Do we need it?Do we need it?Avoiding it, games we play.Avoiding it, games we play.

Evolved instinctsEvolved instinctsHow do we become supportive?How do we become supportive?Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.Limitations of collegial ethics.Limitations of collegial ethics.

Evolved InstinctsEvolved Instincts

Millions of years of evolution have Millions of years of evolution have provided us with automatic responses provided us with automatic responses to promote survival.to promote survival.

But, in today's world, the responses But, in today's world, the responses are not always beneficial in the long are not always beneficial in the long run.run.

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.Do we need it?Do we need it?Avoiding it, games we play.Avoiding it, games we play.Evolved instinctsEvolved instincts

How do we become How do we become supportive?supportive?Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.Limitations of collegial ethics.Limitations of collegial ethics.

Situations require Situations require judgment and courage judgment and courage

to act appropriatelyto act appropriately

Guidelines and PrinciplesGuidelines and Principles

Use common sense. What is in it for us?Use common sense. What is in it for us?

Apply the Golden Rule.Apply the Golden Rule.

Use neutral or supportive language.Use neutral or supportive language.

However you act, do no harm, or minimize However you act, do no harm, or minimize harm .harm .

Be ready to use conflict resolution, and Be ready to use conflict resolution, and win-win thinking with colleagues.win-win thinking with colleagues.

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.Do we need it?Do we need it?Avoiding it, games we play.Avoiding it, games we play.Evolved instinctsEvolved instinctsHow do we become supportive?How do we become supportive?

Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.Limitations of collegial ethics.Limitations of collegial ethics.

Dramatic advances in ethics Dramatic advances in ethics in recent decadesin recent decades

Protection of animals and humans in Protection of animals and humans in researchresearch

Guidelines for authorships, quoting, data Guidelines for authorships, quoting, data management, etc.management, etc.

Procedures for misconduct chargesProcedures for misconduct charges

Protection of whistleblowersProtection of whistleblowers

Ethical training is Ethical training is requiredrequired..

Use the same approach for Collegial Eth.Use the same approach for Collegial Eth.

Collegial Ethics Training.Collegial Ethics Training.Organize material (into a course). Organize material (into a course).

Read guidelines and cases in discussion Read guidelines and cases in discussion groups.groups.

Write new cases that are examined and Write new cases that are examined and discussed by colleagues.discussed by colleagues.

Practice collegial actions.Practice collegial actions.

Review and revisit the material.Review and revisit the material.

Teach collegial ethics to mentees.Teach collegial ethics to mentees.

The effects of training are The effects of training are substantial, and can have substantial, and can have

a big impact on our a big impact on our behaviorbehavior

Topics Covered:Topics Covered:Definitions and meanings.Definitions and meanings.Do we need it?Do we need it?Avoiding it, games we play.Avoiding it, games we play.Evolved instinctsEvolved instinctsHow do we become supportive?How do we become supportive?Collegial skills and training.Collegial skills and training.

Limitations of collegial Limitations of collegial ethics.ethics.

Limitations of Collegial EthicsLimitations of Collegial Ethics

Uninterested colleagues – how do Uninterested colleagues – how do we handle them?we handle them?

Limitations in availability of Limitations in availability of training.training.

Follow-upFollow-up

This lecture is only a brief overview.This lecture is only a brief overview.

Kuhar, MJ. Collegial Ethics: What, why Kuhar, MJ. Collegial Ethics: What, why and how. and how. Drug and Alcohol DependenceDrug and Alcohol Dependence. . 119119:235-238. 2011.:235-238. 2011.

See the website: See the website: www.www.collegialethics.com/. . The website is The website is comprehensive.comprehensive.

Lecture composed on March 22, 2012Lecture composed on March 22, 2012..