INNOVATION January-February 2012

p ract i ce ma t ter s

The requirement for Professional Courtesy

we have seen here, all of the recommendations from the Law Society are equally applicable to APEGBC members, licensees and members-in- training. The Law Society’s recommendations are as follows: Lawyers can reduce the risk of uncivil communications by keeping in mind that there are two aspects of incivility—tone and content—and by following these practices: • Avoid the use of obscenities • Avoid the use of adjectives or adverbs in correspondence, particularly where they editorialize and do not add material content • Recognize when emotions of anger or frustration are present and avoiding communicating until those feelings have resolved • Have another lawyer review and edit letters before sending them • Adopt a practice in difficult matters of corresponding by letter and drafting the letter and waiting until the next day to review and edit it before sending. (Copyright Law Society of British Columbia. Reprinted with permission) Engineers and geoscientists often face high-pressure situations due the demands of their work; however the expectation of professional conduct should, at all times, guide members’ behaviour. The Code of Ethics requires members to “conduct themselves with fairness, courtesy and good faith towards clients, colleagues and others, give credit where it is due and accept, as well as give, honest and fair professional comment.” Rather than lip service, this requirement for elevated professional behaviour is one of the keystones that fosters respect for and among professional engineers and geoscientists in the community, and supports an atmosphere of mutual respect in the work environment. v

A few years ago I wrote an article in this magazine on professional courtesy. At the time, we were dealing with a large number of complaints relating to unprofessional comments, particularly in e-mails. In my article I provided some thoughts on how economic activity, as well as the ease and anonymity of e-mail, might be contributing to the increase in complaints and suggested how the problem might be avoided. The volume of complaints subsequently declined, but I suspect that was due more to a slowdown in the economy than anything. Nevertheless, I think it is important to remind members periodically of this issue and how to maintain professionalism in what can sometimes be trying circumstances. A recent “Discipline Alert” bulletin from my own regulator, the Law Society of BC, provided some useful tips on reducing the risk of uncivil communications. The bulletin makes the important point that incivility is not just about what one person says to another: it brings the whole profession into disrepute. In my view, such conduct should not be tolerated or condoned. If incivility is not addressed, the engineering and geoscience professions, and the high regard in which they are held by the public, suffer for it. Based on the complaints

Geoff Thiele LLB Director, Legislation, Ethics and Compliance

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