You have just been appointed as Additional Director General of Central Public Works Department. The Chief Architect of your division, who is to retire in six months, is passionately working on a very important project, the successful completion of which would earn him a lasting reputation for the rest of his life. A new lady architect, Seema, trained at Manchester School of Architecture, UK joined as Senior Architect in your division. During the briefing about the project, Seema made some suggestions which would not only add value to the project, but would also reduce completion time. This has made the Chief Architect insecure and he is constantly worried that all the credit will go to her. Subsequently, he adopted a passive and aggressive behaviour towards her and has become disrespectful to her. Seema felt it embarrassing as the Chief Architect left no chance of humiliating her. He would very often correct her in front of other colleagues and raise his voice while speaking to her. This continuous harassment has resulted in her losing confidence and selfesteem. She felt perpetually tensed, anxious and stressed. She appeared to be in awe of him since he has had a long tenure in the office and has vast experience in the area of her work. You are aware of her outstanding academic credentials and career record in her previous organisations. However, you fear that this harassment may result in compromising her much needed contribution in this important project and may adversely impact her emotional well-being. You have also come to know from her peers that she is contemplating tendering her resignation. (a) What are the ethical issues involved in the above case? (b) What are the options available to you in order to complete the project as well as to retain Seema in the organization? (c) What would be your response to Seema’s predicament? What measures would you institute to prevent such occurrences from happening in your organization?

The above case study involves issues of Emotional Intelligence (EI), workplace ethics, leadership, gender sensitivity, organizational behaviour, conflict resolution, and talent management. The examiner expects you to go beyond rules and demonstrate empathetic leadership.

• Ethical Issues Involved
• Workplace harassment and dignity
• Continuous humiliation and public criticism violate Seema's dignity and selfrespect.
• Creates a psychologically unsafe workplace.
• Abuse of authority
• Chief Architect is misusing his seniority and positional power.
• Power asymmetry is being used to suppress a subordinate.
• Professional jealousy and insecurity
• Fear of losing recognition has resulted in unethical behaviour.
• Personal ego is overriding organizational interest.
• Gender sensitivity issues:
• A young female professional faces hostility in a male-dominated hierarchy.
• Potential risk of creating a discriminatory work environment.
• Conflict between Personal Interest and Public Interest
• Chief Architect's desire for personal credit conflicts with the organization's objective of delivering the best project.
• Talent suppression
• Valuable expertise and innovation are being discouraged.
• Meritocracy is being compromised.
• Emotional well-being and mental health
• Seema is experiencing anxiety, stress, and loss of confidence.
• Organization has a duty of care towards employees.
• Leadership Failure
• Senior leadership should mentor future talent rather than perceive it as a threat.
• Options Available

Option 1: Ignore the Matter

Merits

Demerits

• Avoids immediate confrontation.
• Seema may resign.
• Preserves superficial harmony.
• Project quality may suffer.
• Harassment becomes normalized.
• Sets a dangerous organizational precedent. Not advisable.

Option 2: Transfer Seema

Demerits

Merits

• Provides immediate relief.
• Punishes the victim.
• Loss of expertise for the project.
• Encourages bullying behaviour. Ethically unsound.
• Option 3: Initiate Formal Disciplinary Action Immediately Merits Demerits
• Sends a strong message.
• May damage morale.
• Protects workplace dignity.
• Could derail an important project.
• May create polarization.

Useful if behaviour persists after intervention.

• Option 4: Counselling, Mediation and Structured Intervention (Best Option)

With Chief Architect

With Seema

• Conduct confidential discussion. a •
• Highlight
• organizational goals over personal • recognition.
• Emphasize his legacy as a mentor rather than merely a project owner.
• Appeal to his professional pride and emotional maturity. Reassure her organizational support.

Project Structure of •

Establish collaborative leadership. Encourage continued • participation. Clearly define roles and contributions. Recognize contributions formally. Introduce based mechanisms. her • teamcredit Outcome

• Project benefits from both experience and innovation.
• Seema is retained.
• Chief Architect's dignity remains intact.
• Response to Seema's Predicament

Immediate Response

I would meet Seema personally and empathetically.

I would:

• Listen actively to her concerns.
• Acknowledge her emotional distress.
• Assure her of institutional support.
• Encourage her not to take any hasty decision regarding resignation.
• Reinforce confidence in her professional capabilities.
• Inform her that corrective action will be taken.

This reflects:

• Empathy
• Emotional Intelligence
• Compassionate leadership

Institutional Measures to prevent recurrence

• Zero-Tolerance Policy on Workplace Harassment
  • Clear behavioural standards.
  • Confidential grievance mechanisms.
  • Senior officers evaluated on mentoring junior talent.
  • Leadership workshops on:

Mentorship Framework

Emotional Intelligence Training  Self-awareness  Empathy  Conflict management  Workplace civility

• 360-Degree Feedback System
  • Subordinates can provide anonymous feedback.
  • Shift from individual glory to team achievement.
  • Promote respect and inclusion.
  • Regular sensitization programs.
  • Counselling services.
  • Employee wellness initiatives.
  • Reward integrity, cooperation, and mentorship.

Recognition of Collaborative Success

Gender-Sensitive Workplace Practices

Mental Health Support

Ethical Leadership Culture

Conclusion: As Additional Director General, my objective would be to transform this conflict into an opportunity for organizational growth. By combining empathy with firm leadership, I would ensure that Seema's talent is retained, the Chief Architect's experience is respected, and the project benefits from both innovation and wisdom. True leadership lies not merely in completing projects but in creating an environment where people can contribute their best without fear, humiliation, or insecurity. Such an approach promotes both organizational excellence and ethical public administration.