Simona BonghezManaging Partner| Colors in Projects ltdBucharest, Romania
A quote about bravery states “Many people believe being brave means being fearless. But the truth is, being brave means being scared of something but doing it anyway”. Is Ethics for brave people only? If you have a bad message to deliver, an unsuccessful result to convey, would you as a Project Manager tell the truth loud and clear? Or will you fear the consequences (including getting fired) and resort to “window dressing”?
Note: "window dressing" refers to manipulate the message to show a more favorable situation. Saving Changes...
Simona BonghezManaging Partner| Colors in Projects ltdBucharest, Romania
Oct 28, 2019 7:04 AM
Replying to Tarik Chougua
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If I have a really bad news, as a Project Manager I would say the truth but I would also immediatly come with some solutions to the problem.
Thank you for your answer, Tarik, indeed this is what is expected from a good PM: if you have issues, communicate clearly, and propose measures to solve those issues. Saving Changes...
Simona BonghezManaging Partner| Colors in Projects ltdBucharest, Romania
Oct 28, 2019 8:48 AM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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Simona -
This goes back to the prevailing culture of the organization, department & team. If there is an appropriate level of psychological safety within the system where the message needs to be delivered and if radical candor is appreciated then the level of fear/risk is low.
Otherwise, it comes back to which is more important to the individual: being true to a set of values (including the Code of Ethics) or playing it safe. Over my career, I have had no concerns with speaking truth to power even if it means talking myself out of a job as I'd rather be able to look at myself in the mirror!
Kiron
That's so true, Kiron. For some of us, being able to look at ourselves in the mirror is more important than playing safe. On the other hand I can understand that this is easier when you have a certain level of experience and confidence. Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
I would never condone telling untruths. I would avoid brutal candour. It is important that we convey our message with our audience in mind. I would be careful using humour to deflate bad news: it makes the speaker look indifferent or uncaring.
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1 reply by Simona Bonghez
Nov 03, 2019 3:12 AM
Simona Bonghez
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Thank you, Stephane. Indeed the way we convey the truth should always respect the audience.
Saving Changes...
Simona BonghezManaging Partner| Colors in Projects ltdBucharest, Romania
Oct 28, 2019 1:23 AM
Replying to Alankar Karpe
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Thank you Simona for posting this very pertinent question. In one of my earlier organization, the term 'bad news first' was very popular which means that earlier we share the bad news, better it is to digest and mitigate risks associated. And I have seen benefits for this like client increased trust, long term profits. But this happened with the support of leadership. So in my opinion, Ethics is for the brave people who not only know what will happen but also ready to face it because they know that they are right.
Thank you, Alankar, a great perspective: choosing the hard right (with long term benefits) over the easy wrong. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Personally, I would always tell the truth loud and clear because as much as it might not be the news someone wants to hear, it is the right thing to do always.
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1 reply by Simona Bonghez
Oct 28, 2019 5:00 PM
Simona Bonghez
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I fully agree with you, Rami, you are an experienced professional and you know that this is the right thing. But what if we talk about a very young professional who just got promoted to PM, with a bad-mannered boss and the sensible family situation. How will he/she act?
Saving Changes...
Simona BonghezManaging Partner| Colors in Projects ltdBucharest, Romania
Oct 28, 2019 11:06 AM
Replying to Rami Kaibni
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Personally, I would always tell the truth loud and clear because as much as it might not be the news someone wants to hear, it is the right thing to do always.
I fully agree with you, Rami, you are an experienced professional and you know that this is the right thing. But what if we talk about a very young professional who just got promoted to PM, with a bad-mannered boss and the sensible family situation. How will he/she act?
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2 replies by Kiron Bondale and Rami Kaibni
Oct 28, 2019 5:04 PM
Rami Kaibni
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He or She should not act any differently. They need to understand that they always have to do what best serves their project, not them or their bosses personally so regardless how their boss is, they have an obligation to report everything with full transparency loud and clear. This is my humble opinion.
Oct 28, 2019 7:27 PM
Kiron Bondale
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I'd suggest that a young professional should go out of his/her way to find a seasoned, trusted advisor who they can use as a sounding board for tricky decisions.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Oct 28, 2019 5:00 PM
Replying to Simona Bonghez
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I fully agree with you, Rami, you are an experienced professional and you know that this is the right thing. But what if we talk about a very young professional who just got promoted to PM, with a bad-mannered boss and the sensible family situation. How will he/she act?
He or She should not act any differently. They need to understand that they always have to do what best serves their project, not them or their bosses personally so regardless how their boss is, they have an obligation to report everything with full transparency loud and clear. This is my humble opinion. Saving Changes...
I fully agree with you, Rami, you are an experienced professional and you know that this is the right thing. But what if we talk about a very young professional who just got promoted to PM, with a bad-mannered boss and the sensible family situation. How will he/she act?
I'd suggest that a young professional should go out of his/her way to find a seasoned, trusted advisor who they can use as a sounding board for tricky decisions.
Kiron
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1 reply by Stéphane Parent
Oct 28, 2019 8:37 PM
Stéphane Parent
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You mean some decisions are not tricky?
Saving Changes...
Stéphane ParentSelf Employed / Semi-retired| Leader MakerPrince Edward Island, Canada
Oct 28, 2019 7:27 PM
Replying to Kiron Bondale
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I'd suggest that a young professional should go out of his/her way to find a seasoned, trusted advisor who they can use as a sounding board for tricky decisions.
Kiron
You mean some decisions are not tricky? Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Let me start by saying that YES ethics is for brave people only. Behaving ethically means that you often have to do something that will make you stand out like a sore thumb, sometimes making you a target so you have to be brave. People who are not brave are always hunkering down to protect their position at any cost only emerging after the 'kill' like vultures to lay claim to their part of the victory.
Sharing news, good or bad goes with good judgment as much as it goes with ethics. Embellishing the truth is never ethical but knowing when to share bad news is probably as more important than the bad news itself. We need to sensitive to the audience and the environment and it probably goes with the HOW you say it that was mentioned before.
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1 reply by Simona Bonghez
Nov 03, 2019 3:20 AM
Simona Bonghez
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Thank you, Anton, very well pointed out: project management is for those who can stand by their ethical beliefs.
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