Statement of Expectations

ISPI’s Code of Ethics and Standards are intended to promote ethical practice in the profession of human performance technology.

The Principles

The Code of Ethics is based on the following six principles:

• Add Value
• Validated Practice
• Collaboration
• Continuous Improvement
• Integrity
• Uphold Confidentiality

Add Value Principle

Conduct yourself, and manage your projects and their results, in ways that add value for your clients, their customers, and the global environment.

Guidelines

• Base recommendations and actions on an objective need assessment conducted in partnership with the client.
• Define, justify empirically, and achieve useful results that can be aligned with both the organization’s mission, objective, and positive contributions to society.
• Focus on results and consequences of the results. Measure performance based on results, not on procedures performed for the client.
• Set clear expectations about the systematic process you will follow and about the expected outcomes.
• Add value by serving your clients with integrity, competence, and objectivity as you apply human performance technology.
• Respect and contribute to the legitimate and ethical objectives the organization.
• Help the organization move to where it needs to be in the future.
• Prevent problems from occurring rather than solve problems that could have been predicted and avoided.

Validated Practice Principle

Make use of and promote validated practices in performance technology strategies and standards. In the absence of validated practices relevant to the project goals, ethical practice includes sharing information with the client and using practices that are consistent with an existing body of theory, research, and practice knowledge.

Guidelines

• Deliver activities, methods, and procedures that have positive value and worth.
• Promote good performance technology practices by utilizing positive reinforcement.
• Conduct research required to have adequate knowledge of new technologies that may be beneficial to the client.
• Commit to the implementation of socially responsible practices, as well as those that make a positive fiscal impact on the organization.
• Make data based decisions.
• Clarify goals and desired accomplishments.
• Detect and analyze opportunities to improve human performance.
• Objectively evaluate the impact of interventions.

Collaboration Principle

Work collaboratively with clients and users, functioning as a trustworthy strategic partner.

Guidelines

• Integrate the company’s needs, constraints, and concerns when devising a solution.
• Meet the interests of all parties involved in an intervention, project, or process, so there is a win-win outcome.
• Anticipate the client’s issues; demonstrate empathy for their concerns and issues.
• Cooperate fully with your clients’ request to partner with others, even if they represent your own competition.

Continuous Improvement Principle

Continually improve your proficiency in the field of performance technology.

Guidelines

• Evaluate your skills and knowledge of performance improvement on a regular basis.
• Investigate new methods, concepts, tools, strategies, and technologies that may be beneficial to your client.
• Ask your clients how you can improve the effectiveness of your services.
• Promote the application of performance improvement.

Integrity Principle

Be honest and truthful in representations to your client, colleagues, and others with whom you may come in contact with while practicing performance technology.

Guidelines

• Acknowledge any factors that may compromise your objectivity, so your clients can make decisions that represent their best interests.
• Accept only engagements for which you are qualified by experience and competence.
• Exhibit the highest level of professional objectivity in gathering, evaluating, and communicating information about the activity or process being examined, or the results achieved.
• Let clients know when you believe they are going in the wrong direction.
• Give credit for the work of others to whom it is due.
• Do not use information for any personal gain or in any manner that would be contrary to the law or detrimental to the legitimate and ethical objectives of the client’s organization.
• Take responsibility and/or credit only for the portion of results that are clearly linked to your efforts. Do not advertise the attainment of results that cannot be clearly linked to your work.

Uphold Confidentiality Principle

Maintain client confidentiality, not allowing for any conflict of interest that would benefit yourself or others.

Guidelines

• Respect the intellectual property of clients, other consulting firms, and sole practitioners and do not use proprietary information or methodologies without permission.
• Respect and value the ownership of information received.
• Do not disclose information without appropriate authority.

Examples of Ethical Behavior

• Recommend interventions that you believe will meet client needs and goals, instead of simply agreeing with clients’ assessment of what is needed or what they want to hear.
• Let a client know that you receive a bonus if they choose a particular product that is included in your recommendations.
• Decline a job if you don’t have the expertise the client is requesting.
• When possible recommend a colleague who does have the expertise.
• Don’t be selective or skew the data to make your intervention look better.
• Scale graphs and visuals to show the situation honestly.
• Don’t promise results you can’t deliver.
• Even in the face of client resistance, use and promote the ISPI Standards.
• Avoid turf and territory battles.
• Listen objectively to client concerns, constraints, issues, etc.
• Never knowingly mislead or lie to your client.
• Hesitate before recommending solutions you haven’t been able to implement for yourself.
• Be responsible for the results of your work.
• Not advertise the attainment of results that cannot be clearly linked to your work.
• Inform the client if at any time you are no longer qualified to complete a process or task, and help obtain a specialist, if appropriate.
• Conduct research; (a) read journals inside and outside the fields of management, training, performance improvement, and educational research, (b) attend conferences and professional meetings, and (3) consult with credible colleagues in the field.

ISPI Standards, ©2002 International Society for Performance Improvement

Lucid Business Strategies - We Bring Your Business to Life!™