Project Management and Workplace Respect

Do you know the 4 pillars of PMI’s Code of Ethics?

Here’s a helpful reminder. 

If you didn’t know the 4 pillars, can you think of ways that the Project Management Institute could improve the awareness of the Code of Ethics in our profession? 

You'll notice that Respect is one of our foundational ethical pillars - consider how issues related to workplace respect in the context of our PM work might intersect with ethics.

Business-savvy organizations and project managers are taking increasingly proactive steps to confront workplace bullying, reinforcing the value of ethical awareness and policies predicated on building trust, protecting employees, and instilling confidence in those who work for the organization and those who do business with them.

Anti-bullying advocates and experts offer tips to companies and project managers. Some of the most practical, proactive tips are the following:

1. Create organizational anti-bullying policies, effective methods to report and investigate alleged bullying, and make training mandatory: All organizations should establish clear and effective bullying policies and procedures for addressing bullying allegations. Training, awareness, and education are critical to the success of such policies. Hire experts to provide initial policy advice and to conduct the mandatory training. It further helps if staff sees members of senior management in training, sending the message of seriousness throughout the organization. If your organization has no anti-bullying policy, project managers should lobby hard for change.

2. Consider long-term project and organization well-being when addressing bullying: There are deep long term impacts on project and organizations. They include reduced likelihood of project success, team, financial, human resource, legal risk, public relations and employee health impacts. Looking beyond just the bully and target helps motivate organizations to deal with the problem - it is far better to proactively and directly address the bullying than to permit spreading poison throughout the organization.

3. Lead by example from the top: From the project manager/leader and organization's highest levels, it should be made clear that bullying isn’t acceptable. Even the slightest hint that it might be tolerated is often enough for a bully to cause damage. So, from the CEO and project managers, all the way down to lower-ranking staff, the message must be one of zero tolerance for bullying.

4. Respond to all types of bullying behavior: Bullying often begins with small actions such as eye rolling, sneering, or demeaning a colleague, either in private or publicly. Although such behavior may seem insignificant, it is unprofessional and project managers must address it immediately. The effects of bullying arise from these types of indignities and often lead to more serious problems if left unchecked.

5. Take bullying claims seriously but proceed with caution: Assuming a bullying allegation is merely a conflict between two coworkers who should sort it out between themselves represents a misunderstanding of bullying. It’s much more one-way and requires authoritative intervention. Take bullying allegations seriously, but don’t assume they’re true —this is for the investigation process will determine. Ensure that you take the initiative to respond and report and let the experts take over.

6. Bullying investigations must be impartial, fair, and fulsome: In order for a project team or the organization as a whole to feel safe and have faith that it takes this issue seriously, it is essential that investigations are unbiased, free from political interference, and result in appropriate responses if allegations are proven. An impartial investigator should be engaged to conduct this sensitive work and be permitted to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the activity. Fair treatment for all victims, bullies, and witnesses is needed to engender trust in the process.

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Not every unpleasant or challenging conflict with people at work or in a project is bullying. On the contrary, conflict is a normal part of life and, as you may know too well, conflict in projects is normal. So, it’s important to contrast normal work behavior and interaction from bullying.

Here are some helpful examples of reasonable and regular conflicts that take place while working on projects that wouldn’t qualify as bullying, unless they also involved some of the behaviors noted in the definition of “bullying:”

• Expressing differences of opinion;
• Offering constructive feedback, guidance, or advice about work-related behavior;
• Reasonable action taken by an employer or supervisor relating to the management and direction of workers (such as managing performance, taking reasonable disciplinary actions, or assigning work);
• Unpopular, yet defensible decisions related to project management (such as resource allocation, solving budget problems, project scale reduction, and scheduling decisions which increase workload); and
• Project cancellation or delay.

The key is to approach each situation with a reasonable, objective perspective in order to properly assess if there is bullying involved. Seek the advice from trusted colleagues or human resources specialists (but, it is best not to ask those within your organization for help until you’ve received credible advice). Ask PMI credential holders who are outside of your workplace to provide their insight. Use the PMI ethics tools and the five-step Ethical Decision-Making Framework provided on the PMI website to assist in evaluating the situation http://www.pmi.org/en/About-Us/Ethics.aspx.

Excited to be presenting in Orlando on the topic of "Bullying in Project Management - Are you a Victim?".

Encourage anyone who has been impacted by workplace bullying to attend. Hope to see you there!

Excited to see the date for our presentation on Preventing Disruptive Chapter Behavior at the LIM in Orlando. Hope to see you there!