"Disclose all known and potential conflicts of interest before they arise. Members shall only proceed with the service if they are satisfied that the conflict, or perception of conflict, will not impair the member’s impartiality and independence" (CDANZ, 2016).
So what does 'impartiality' actually mean? The Oxford English Dictionary states it is "The quality or character of being impartial; freedom from prejudice or bias; fairness" (Simpson & Weiner, 1989, p. 700). We could say then that impartiality is our ability to NOT have skin in the game, and to reduce our own biases as much as we can. While we can never remove biases, we can acknowledge them, then do our best to step away from our known biases (our "bias through ignorance"; Mullane & Williams, 2013).
It is essential that career practitioners do not take a view either way of what our clients' decisions will be; that we all our client decisions to be client decisions. We must accept that our role is that of the impartial observer in assisting our client to the best of our professional ability. We must - as a career professional - hold up a 'reality' mirror so the client can see the likely ramifications of their decisions.
There are apparently three aspects to impartiality; those of "institutional independence, outcome neutrality, and political neutrality" (Hooley, 2023, p. 41), where our organisations need to be objective, the outcomes need to be objective, and politics too needs to be out of the loop. Further, we need to ensure that our client relationships do not become too complex, so undermining the benefits of our time together (Crocket, 2011). Complexity intersects with impartiality in the following example of institutional independence, where as career professionals, we may be employed by a University, and providing post-graduate advice to an undergraduate. As a result, we may need "to operate in ways [which] serve[... the best] interests of [our] clients, but which may not serve the short-term interests of [our] employers" (Hooley, 2023, p. 42).
Where we can run into trouble with outcome neutrality is by having "preconceptions about what [is] the best or right outcome for an individual" (Hooley, 2023, p. 45); we step back into our own biases and have an 'opinion' instead of using our developmental skills to allow the client to self-determine; to be autonomous.
Lastly, political neutrality can be compromised when we "take sides in relation to political, environmental, economic or ethical controversies" (Hooley, 2023, p. 45). While similar to outcome neutrality, this particular impartiality boundary is where we run afoul of our own 'sacred cows'. For example, if we are an evangelical greenie, we may see all issues as being related to climate change. And that too is to be avoided.
As career professionals, it is our role to work towards the client reaching "the best possible outcome", not "sublimating such outcomes to the interests of institutions or outside agendas" (Hooley, 2023, p. 45). Nicely said.
Let's be careful out there.
Sam
References:
CDANZ. (2016). Code of Ethics. Career Development Association of New Zealand. http://www.cdanz.org.nz/uploads/CDANZ_CoE_Word%20English%20Final.pdf
Crocket, K. (2011). Multiple Relationships. In K. Crocket, M. Agee, & S. Cornforth (Eds.), Ethics in practice: A guide for counsellors (pp. 127-131). Dunmore Publishing.
Hooley, T. (2023). Impartiality: A critical review. Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling (NICEC), 50(1), 41-53. https://doi.org/10.20856/jnicec.5005
Mullane, K. & Williams, M. (2013, September 17). Bias in research: the rule rather than the exception? Retrieved from https://www.elsevier.com/editors-update/story/publishing-ethics/bias-in-research-the-rule-rather-than-the-exception
Simpson, J. A., & Weiner, E. S. C. (Eds.) (1989). Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed., Vol VI Hat-Intervacuum). Clarendon Press.
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