12 THE ELEMENTS OF ETHICS TAKING THE HIGH GROUND 13 Avoid cronies and "yes people." Seek competent and trustworthy col- leagues who have a reputation for propriety and wisdom. Ask for un- compromising forthrightness in the evaluation of your work. Finally, don't forget that excellent peer-review relationships are a two-way street. When the need arises, be sure to reciprocate the favor with honest evaluations of your colleagues' work. When colleagues ask for your opinion—whether it is about their conduct, decisions, or work products—take their request seriously, respect confidentiality, never disseminate their ideas or findings without their consent, and, by all means, tell the truth and pull no punches. Just as you expect your colleagues to pull you back from the ethical edges with timely warnings and clear criticism, be sure to offer equally constructive criticism when it is your turn. Remember that only honest feedback is helpful. Key Components • Deepen professional accountability by arranging peer review of your work. • Retain colleagues and experts with a reputation for wisdom and confidentiality. • Identify defensiveness and evasion as warning signs that peer re- view is needed. • Take collegialfredback seriously, and use it to avoid ethical trans- gressions while improving the quality ofyour work. • Reciprocate peer reviews with honest and confidentialfeedback to colleagues. 5 Present Your Credentials and Services Accurately As a psychotherapist and popular speaker, Shaun frequently found himself , having to clarify the exact nature of his credentials and temper others' un- realistic claims about his services. On the eve ofa major workshop to be con- ductedfor more than 1,000 mental health professionals, Shaun discovered that the promotional materials made reference to his 'doctorate in psychol- ogy" and the 'nearly miraculous" efficacy of his therapy approach for nearly any psychological problem. When the event organizer rejIsed Shaun's re- quest to reprint the promotional materials, Shaun began his presentation by making a public disclaimer. He told the audience that he held a master's de- gree, not a doctorate, and that the research evidence supported his therapeu- tic approach for certain disorders under certain conditions—not for all clinical problems. Several participants in the workshop already knew the realfacts about Shaun's education and research. On the workshop evalua- tions, these individuals indicated that Shaun's unwavering integrity and clear commitment to truth in advertising had inspired them just as much as the content he presented. Recall this embarrassing fiasco: In 2001, Notre Dame named George O'Leary as the university's new head coach of its storied football program. For O'Leary, who had been eminently success- ful as a coach and admired by fans, the appointment was the crowning opportunity of his career. His dream, though, quickly became a nightmare. Five d.

1. 12 THE ELEMENTS OF ETHICS TAKING THE HIGH
GROUND 13
Avoid cronies and "yes people." Seek competent and
trustworthy col-
leagues who have a reputation for propriety and wisdom. Ask
for un-
compromising forthrightness in the evaluation of your work.
Finally, don't forget that excellent peer-review relationships are
a
two-way street. When the need arises, be sure to reciprocate the
favor
with honest evaluations of your colleagues' work. When
colleagues
ask for your opinion—whether it is about their conduct,
decisions, or
work products—take their request seriously, respect
confidentiality,
never disseminate their ideas or findings without their consent,
and,
by all means, tell the truth and pull no punches. Just as you
expect
your colleagues to pull you back from the ethical edges with
timely
warnings and clear criticism, be sure to offer equally
constructive
criticism when it is your turn. Remember that only honest
feedback
is helpful.
Key Components

2. • Deepen professional accountability by arranging peer review
of
your work.
• Retain colleagues and experts with a reputation for wisdom
and
confidentiality.
•
Identify defensiveness and evasion as warning signs that peer
re-
view is needed.
• Take collegialfredback seriously, and use it to avoid ethical
trans-
gressions while improving the quality ofyour work.
• Reciprocate peer reviews with honest and
confidentialfeedback to
colleagues.
5
Present Your Credentials and Services Accurately
As a psychotherapist and popular speaker, Shaun frequently
found himself ,
having to clarify the exact nature of his credentials and temper
others' un-
realistic claims about his services. On the eve ofa major
workshop to be con-
ductedfor more than 1,000 mental health professionals, Shaun
discovered

3. that the promotional materials made reference to his 'doctorate
in psychol-
ogy" and the 'nearly miraculous" efficacy of his therapy
approach for nearly
any psychological problem. When the event organizer rejIsed
Shaun's re-
quest to reprint the promotional materials, Shaun began his
presentation by
making a public disclaimer. He told the audience that he held a
master's de-
gree, not a doctorate, and that the research evidence supported
his therapeu-
tic approach for certain disorders under certain conditions—not
for all
clinical problems. Several participants in the workshop already
knew the
realfacts about Shaun's education and research. On the
workshop evalua-
tions, these individuals indicated that Shaun's unwavering
integrity and
clear commitment to truth in advertising had inspired them just
as much as
the content he presented.
Recall this embarrassing fiasco: In 2001, Notre Dame named
George O'Leary as the university's new head coach of its storied
football program. For O'Leary, who had been eminently
success-
ful as a coach and admired by fans, the appointment was the
crowning opportunity of his career. His dream, though, quickly
became a nightmare. Five days after his hire and before running
a
single practice, Coach O'Leary was forced to resign in disgrace.
He did not hold a master's degree or play on his college
football
team as indicated on his résumé and exposed by the media. The

4. glaring lies now were public. In his resignation statement,
O'Leary
admitted lying on his résumé as a young coach in the hopes of
ob-
taining a job. As the years went by, expunging these fibs from
his
record became increasingly difficult. A statement by Notre
Dame
poignantly captured the sentiment such duplicity can arouse:
"These inaccuracies constitute a breach of trust that makes it
im-
possible to move forward in the relationship." Few things
under-
mine relationships—personal or professional—more quickly
than
the revelation that a partner has lied.
Integrity demands clarity in the presentation of one's
credentials,
achievements, and experience. Ethical professionals refuse to
inflate
or misrepresent the nature or efficacy of their services. Whether
mo-
tivated by egotism, inadequacy, or greed, inaccurate
presentation of
credentials or services always constitutes a fundamental ethical
breach.
steph
Text Box
W.Brad Johnson and Charles R. Ridley
14 THE ELEMENTS OF ETHICS M TAKING THE HIGH

5. GROUND 15
Professionals must stridently refuse the temptation of making
false, deceptive, or fraudulent statements about any aspects of
their
work. Statements about (1) training and experience, (2)
academic de-
grees, (3) credentials, licenses, or competence, (4) affiliations
with in-
stitutions or organizations, (5) achievements, and (6) the nature
and
scientific basis for our services never are negotiable. Only by
insist-
ing on a fill and accurate accounting of one's background and
achievement can the slippery slope of misrepresentation be
avoided.
And remember one last thing: Creating false impressions or
misun-
derstandings through omission or vague reporting is just as
inappro-
priate as overt lying. These behaviors are a misrepresentation of
the
truth. Lying will come back to bite you, sometimes when you
least
expect it.
Why do professionals who seem to have it all together make
false statements? There are many reasons, but three stand out.
First,
eager for success or financial reward, new professionals may be
tempted to overstate the nature of their credentials. The long-
term
implications of such duplicity may not be something they
consider.
So be careful in how you try to "jump-start" your career.

6. Second,
some professionals struggle with integrity. Lying about their
cre-
dentials, their background, and their capabilities is merely one
more venue for self-serving manipulation. Third, some
profession-
als try to bolster their deflated egos. Their narcissistic need for
trib-
ute, admiration, and adulation makes lying about their
experiences
and accomplishments nearly intoxicating. Consider the strange
phenomenon of fake Navy SEALS. Several organizations now
track
down and expose thousands of men each year who lie on their
ré-
sumés, claiming prior service with the Special Forces. The
motiva-
tion for the fakery is often a desperate effort to compensate for
a
personal sense of inadequacy.
But the potential for aggrandizement, power, and fame resides
in all of us. During your career, you will encounter endless
oppor-
tunities to find short-term success through inflation,
exaggeration,
and deception. Whether claiming degrees from phony diploma
mills, overstating your achievements, or allowing inaccuracies
to go
uncorrected, many among us will succumb to this temptation.
Therefore, vigilance to the dangers of misrepresentation can
never
be too gre t.
Key Components

7. • Avoid making any false or deceptive statement about yourself
or
your services.
• Takeresponsibility to ensure that any work done or statement
made
on your behalf is fully accurate.
Acknowledge and guard against the human tendency to self-
aggrandize.
• Recognize that deception or duplicity in anyform sabotages
profes-
sional relationships.
6
Ensure Your Personal Fitness to Practice
(Maintain Self-Care)
Yvonne was arising star in her lawfirm. A highly recruited
graduate of an
Ivy League law school, she quickly established herself as
afront-runnerfor
early promotion to partner. Yvonne was held in high esteem by
colleagues,
feared by opponents in the courtroom, and respected in the legal
community
for her professionalism and attention to detail. With all her

8. early successes,
Yvonne was not well prepared, however, for the sudden death of
her par-
ents in an automobile accident. The resulting need to assume
responsibility
for two younger siblings and battle her depression in the months
that fol-
lowedproved to be too much. Her initial effort to maintain a
regular work
schedule was valiant. It was vintage Yvonne at work. But to her
conster-
nation, it wasn't long before she recognized that she was
emotionally dis-
engaged, overwhelmed, and, for thefirst time in her lft,falling
below her
own standards ofperformance. Itjust was not like her to be ill
preparedfor
meetings andproceedings. After consulting with two trusted
colleagues and
a closefriend, she decided to take a leave of absence, followed
by a return in
half-time status. She accepted that this decision probably meant
the end of
her ambitionfor partner status. Although this was not an easy

9. pill to swal-
low, she came to the conclusion that her ethical obligations to
clients, her
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