102 How to Conduct a Successful, Educational and Entertaining Ethics Day Program SCCE Compliance & Ethics Institute 2014

National Institutes of Health • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

How to Put On a Fun and Successful Ethics Day (Without Losing Your Sanity)

Bruce A. Androphy, Esq.Director, NIEHS Ethics Office

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences andNational Institutes of Health

September 2014 Chicago, Illinois

National Institutes of HealthU.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Let’s Set the Stage

• NIEHS is a large research and grant providing Institute within NIH located in North Carolina, which also is home to the National Toxicology Program.

• NIEHS had put into ethics receivership as a result of Congressional inquiries, lapses in its ethics program, and overall Institute shortcomings in a comprehensive management review.

• Morale was low and NIEHS was not highly regarded by HHS or within NIH.


And...

• As a result of a recommendation in a Corrective Action Plan that NIEHS have a full time Ethics Director, I was hired in October 2009.

• We held our 1st Ethics Day in June 2010 and in each successive year. Our 6th Ethics Day is scheduled for June 2015.


Rule #1

• Make sure the leader is on board.

• Give the leader the kick-off speech and a special role.

• Whether you like the leader or not, his or her support is pivotal.


Rule #2

• Get the word out and cajole, bully, bribe people to attend. Nothing is to going to sink your Ethics Day more if nobody attends or if you get a low turnout.

• People WILL come for free food.



Use Force When Necessary

• Assign roles to senior executives.

• Make the Leader require that her deputies attend (and they’ll make their deputies attend).

• People want to be seen if leadership is present.


Rule #3

• Chose your speakers carefully; you want to engage your audience, not bore them.

• It can be attention grabbing. In 2012, I invited a colleague who was involved in a particular high profile investigation.


Rule #4

• Play games! People enjoy a little competition!

– Who wants to be an Ethics Millionaire!

– Ethics Bingo!

– Ethics Quiz Show!

– Ethics Jeopardy!


Rule #4: Games


Rule #4: Games

Answer: Conflict of Interest


Rule #4: Games

• People enjoy working within groups. Make the groups random.

• Don’t make the questions too hard – its about re-learning ethics rules and NOT about embarrassing anyone.

• Make it like pee wee soccer, as many winners as possible.


Rule #4: Games

Answer: B


Rule #4: Games

Who is Bruce Androphy?


Rule #5

• Keep your program moving.

• Empty time is bad – people will walk out or start checking their email.

• As soon as a speaker was finished, we’d run one of our videos to lead into the next speaker.

• 2 hours is probably enough.


Rule #6

• Keep it fun!

• Make sure the program is not too serious.

• Nobody wants to be lectured to.


Rule #7: Murphy's Law


Rule #7

• Be prepared to change your speaker order or have a back-up speaker just in case.

• Double check all of your AV/computer needs. There is nothing worse than a presentation that won’t play.

• Practice.


Rule #8

• Make sure you and your staff enjoy! It’s a great team building experience.

• Introduce the staff and give them roles.

• My staff and I always go out afterwards.

• One week later, assess what worked and didn’t work.

• Don't burn yourself out – you have to start planning next year's Ethics Day as soon as possible!



Thank you!