Ming YeungAdjunct Professor & Acting COO/CPO/CRO (contract)| Blockchain Venture Capital Inc.Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I was recently invited to speak to students pursuing a certificate in project management at a local college. One student asked whether a project manager followed any ethical guidelines in the face of dilemmas in project management.
The PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct immediately came to mind as the four values, namely responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty, were elaborated.
Still the question was profound and I would like to hear from you all on your thoughts on the explicit and implicit attributes an ethical project manager should exhibit. Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Mar 09, 2023 5:55 PM
Replying to Stéphane Parent
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The problem is that people take the four values as being separate and independnatn from each other. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The reality is we have to navigate which values must be given predominance, given situational circumstances.
For example, I could be brutally honest at the cost of respect and, possibly, fairness.
Each value must be met to the highest degree that makes sense for the situation.
Agree, Stephane.
The judgement if a decision is good or bad ethically, is not based on one human value but on a combination of all. In addition to the 4 values in PMI's code, research has found 4 more values to be involved
- community,
- autonomy/freedom,
- humility and
- care.
If any of these values is fulfilled or breached, we as humans feel good or bad. But as you said, for any situation, the mix of values that are affected is relevant.
How to come a judgement that can be considered good or at least the lest evil?
Three methods can be used:
1. the decision results in the highest value for most involved (utilitarism)
2. follow established rules (deontology)
3. take an outsider position (virtue ethics, Aristotle)
Only if we involve ourselves in ethics, have our mental model about it we can expect to become a better human and increase the morale of the communities we are part of. Saving Changes...
I'm going to avoid posting redundant info as there are already great responses here.
One often overlooked attribute of an ethical PM is their transparent and unbiased level of communication. Project Managers need to instinctively do what's best for the company without sugar coating results, bad behaviours or newly identified risks.
Seems table-stakes, but surprisingly not seen often. Saving Changes...
Bryan ShelbyRetired| Retired and volunteering, having left "employment" behind!New York, Ny, United States
Ming, thank you for raising this subject -- it is both simple and complicated!
By simple, I mean that I agree with those who refer to the PMI Core Values that you listed, and as expanded in the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. I would add that anyone on this site, or holding a PMI credential, or is a member of PMI, has already "checked the box" that they agree to abide by the Values and Code, so yes, that sounds simple in theory,
However, as the great baseball philosopher Yogi Berra is reputed to have said, "In theory, theory and practice are the same thing, but in practice, they are different."
In some situations and cultures, what is theoretically ethical and what is actually practical are two different things, and a project manager can be confronted with situations that the PM feels (or the Code states!) are ethically questionable but may be felt by stakeholders to be necessary to meet project objectives. That is where things get complicated! Saving Changes...
Ming YeungAdjunct Professor & Acting COO/CPO/CRO (contract)| Blockchain Venture Capital Inc.Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Great inputs on the attributes of an ethical (and humble and empathic) PM. We, as the collective parts of the PM community, benefit from leveraging The Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and the Ethical Decision Making Framework to act with honesty and integrity. It is all up to us to behave ethically! Saving Changes...
Ming YeungAdjunct Professor & Acting COO/CPO/CRO (contract)| Blockchain Venture Capital Inc.Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Thank you to the PM community for your thought-provoking comments. Like other professionals, we are often confronted with an ethical predicament, where it usually involves making a choice that are undesirable and unpleasant. PMI offers an useful tool, the Ethical Decision-Making Framework (EDMF) document, which describes a 5-step approach that can be used to guide us through a process to make a decision when confronted with an ethical dilemma. It also serves as a supplement to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Take note and act ethically. Thank you. Saving Changes...
Latha Thamma reddiSr Product and Portfolio Management (Automation Innovation)| DXC TechnologyMckinney, Tx, United States
Thanks for sharing. Saving Changes...
Ming YeungAdjunct Professor & Acting COO/CPO/CRO (contract)| Blockchain Venture Capital Inc.Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Mar 09, 2023 4:29 AM
Replying to Thomas Walenta
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Ming
this is pandora's box but worthwhile opening. Ethical dilemmas often occur in situations when 2 or more values collide and you have to decide somehow which value is more important or correct. Can you be respectful and honest all the time?
It depends on the circumstances and context how to decide dilemmas. And on our awareness of values and the situations, day be day. We often make decisions without knowing there is a dilemma and hurt others.
The 4 values from PMI's code of ethics are a good start and applicable to PMs. Yet there is a list of 8 values (including the PMI 4) that are felt by all humans, according to research by Rushworth-Kidder. These human values differ from beliefs, values can unite all humans (you feel disrespect, unfairness), beliefs divide humans, yet they are needed to form human communities with their cultures. Many nations think they are blessed by god (not the Germans after holocaust).
