Leadership & Ethical Decision-Making Flashcards

A city manager is approached by a local nonprofit seeking a sole-source contract for social services. The manager's spouse sits on the nonprofit's board. The manager should:

Answer: Disclose the conflict, recuse from the decision, and delegate it to an appropriate official

Disclosure and recusal are the standard ethical response to a conflict of interest, allowing the process to proceed fairly without the manager's influence.

The concept of 'stewardship' in public administration ethics refers to:

Answer: Acting as a trustee of public resources and authority on behalf of citizens

Stewardship means the manager holds public resources and authority in trust for citizens, not for personal or organizational gain.

When building a high-performing municipal team, research suggests the most important factor in long-term team effectiveness is:

Answer: Establishing psychological safety so members can take risks and speak up

Google's Project Aristotle and related research identify psychological safety—believing you won't be punished for speaking up—as the top predictor of team performance.

A city manager who consistently shares information with staff before making major decisions, explains the reasoning behind choices, and solicits feedback is demonstrating:

Answer: Procedural justice, which builds trust and organizational commitment

Procedural justice—fair processes with voice and explanation—is strongly linked to employee trust, satisfaction, and commitment even when outcomes are unfavorable.

Under the ICMA Code of Ethics, which of the following would constitute an improper political activity for a city manager?

Answer: Publicly endorsing a candidate running for city council

ICMA members must not publicly endorse candidates for elected office because it compromises the nonpartisan nature of professional management.

A newly appointed city manager inherits a culture of siloed departments that rarely collaborate. The most effective long-term strategy is to:

Answer: Model collaborative behavior, redesign incentives to reward cooperation, and celebrate cross-department successes

Sustainable culture change requires leaders to model desired behaviors, align incentives, and recognize collaboration rather than relying solely on mandates.

Which ethical framework most closely underpins the idea that a city manager should always choose the policy option that produces the greatest benefit for the greatest number of residents?

Answer: Utilitarian ethics

Utilitarianism evaluates actions by their outcomes, favoring choices that maximize aggregate welfare across the affected population.