By: Laszlo J. Kremmer MBA, CLC, CSM®, CSPO®, PMP® - Member of PMI Ethics Advisory Team
Several specific problems characterised the project.
1.One problem was weak continuity in key areas of support and decision-making. When an ERP implementation is still in its early stages, the need for subject matter expertise is especially high. Business processes are being clarified, requirements are still stabilising, and local operational realities need to be surfaced before they become design issues. When expertise becomes inconsistent or unavailable during that phase, the quality of decision-making suffers. People start making assumptions where confirmed knowledge is needed. Open questions remain unresolved because the right voices are absent. Over time, that weakens confidence in both the plan and the team.
2.A second problem was insufficient recognition of location-based complexity. Two locations may sound straightforward compared with a multinational rollout, but even two sites can introduce meaningful differences in process, culture, staffing, readiness, and operational constraints. If those local differences are not actively managed, the project can fall into the trap of assuming consistency where none exists. Ethical leadership requires paying attention to those differences because the consequences of a poor assumption are borne by the end users, not by the plan itself.
3.A third problem was the erosion of visible accountability once the project hit delays. When a project is healthy, roles often appear clear. When the project struggles, that clarity is tested. The question is not whether accountability exists on an organisational chart, but whether it is being lived in practice. On this project, a difficult truth was that pressure did not always produce clearer ownership. In some instances, it produced less. That is precisely the point at which delivery risk becomes ethical risk, because stakeholders and users continue to depend on a structure that no longer functions as intended.
4.A fourth problem was the gap between formal progress and lived readiness. ERP projects can create the illusion of progress because plans can still be updated, meetings can still occur, and milestones can still be discussed. But actual readiness depends on something deeper: aligned decisions, engaged experts, trained users, and confidence that the system and the organisation are moving toward the same outcome. When those elements begin to separate, the project may continue administratively while becoming weaker operationally. That disconnect is dangerous because it can mask the project's true condition until much later.
The lessons learned from this experience have stayed with me throughout my career.
1.The first lesson is that a small or early-career project can still carry major ethical significance. At the time, I might have thought of this as a relatively contained ERP implementation: 25 named users, two locations, limited scale compared with enterprise-wide transformation programs. But for the people involved, it was not small. It affected their work directly. That taught me that project ethics is not reserved for the largest or most visible initiatives. It applies anywhere project decisions affect people, trust, and outcomes.
2.The second lesson is that accountability must become more visible when a project struggles. If a project begins to slip, the right response is not reduced presence. It is stronger ownership, more direct communication, and clearer escalation. Difficulty is when leadership matters most.
3.The third lesson is that subject matter expertise is not a support function to be consulted when convenient. In an ERP implementation, it is an essential infrastructure for responsible decision-making. When that expertise is absent, ignored, or inconsistently available, the project becomes vulnerable not only to design errors but also to ethical failure, because decisions are made without adequate grounding.
4.The fourth lesson is that honesty is a protective discipline. Clear language about risk, readiness, and unresolved issues can feel uncomfortable, especially early in a PM career when authority may feel limited. But honest communication protects the project and the people affected by it. It allows for earlier intervention, resetting expectations, and preserving trust even when progress is slower than planned.
5.The fifth lesson is that ethics often becomes visible through behaviour under pressure, not through formal statements of intent. Most teams can align around principles at kick-off. The real test comes later, when timelines tighten, participation fluctuates, and the project becomes less predictable. That is when responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty become observable.
What stays with me most from this project is not only what went wrong, but what it taught me about the kind of project professional I wanted to become. Early-career experiences often shape our instincts. This one taught me that when a project begins to struggle, the work is not just to recover the schedule. It is also to protect integrity. That means staying present, naming risks clearly, respecting the people affected, and refusing to let silence replace ownership.
An ERP implementation may be judged by whether the system eventually goes live, but that is not the only measure that matters. It should also be judged by whether the process was led responsibly, whether users were treated with respect, whether burdens were shared fairly, and whether the truth about the project was communicated honestly. Those are not secondary concerns. They are part of what professional project management requires.
To open discussion, these questions may help start a thoughtful conversation:
1.When an ERP project begins to slip, what are the clearest signs that a delivery problem is becoming an ethical problem?
2.How should project managers respond when key contributors or subject matter experts become less available at the exact point their engagement is most needed?
3.Early in a project management career, how can a PM raise concerns honestly and constructively when accountability appears to be weakening around them?
