Building confidence and skills to have difficult conversations about ethical issues.
Having conversations about ethical issues is challenging. The ethical choices may not be obvious, the right answer may not be clear, and the conversation may be emotional. But as CPAs, we need to be able to raise, discuss, and resolve ethical issues to fulfill our professional obligations and to live our Code of Conduct.
This course offers a framework for planning for a constructive conversation about ethical issues along with strategies that will equip you with the confidence and skills to initiate and participate in constructive conversations about ethical issues.
In the planning phase, you will explore how to define the ethical issue, clarify your purpose, ensure message clarity, build psychological safety, and secure commitment. This includes understanding different conversation types and how to tailor your approach based on the situation's nature and criteria.
For having the conversation, you will learn to utilize the STATE framework: Share facts, Tell your story, Ask for other views, Talk tentatively, and Encourage testing. Practical techniques are provided for initiating different types of conversations, managing your emotions under stress, and maintaining psychological safety throughout the dialogue.
By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the skills and confidence to approach ethical issues constructively, fostering a more ethical culture in your environment.
FCPA, FCMC, ACC
With more than 25 years of experience advising and coaching organizations and leaders in complex contexts, I have established a strong reputation for helping organizations and individuals to realize their goals. I have designed, delivered and facilitated hundreds of presentations and group meetings. As co-owner of an executive search and HR consulting firm, I led and managed the firm’s growth and national expansion. I’ve been a consulting partner and principal with two large public accounting and consulting firms and have held senior finance leadership roles in the public sector and in a global not-for-profit organization. I have taught at the university undergraduate and high school continuing education levels. I am a Fellow of the Chartered Professional Accountants, a Certified Executive Coach and Associate Certified Coach with the International Coaching Federation, a Fellow Certified Management Consultant, and have a Master of Business Administration Degree. I am certified to interpret Gallup Clifton Strengths assessments, the Hogan Assessment, and the Management Research Group LEA Self-Assessment and LEA 360 Assessment.
This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.
If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.
