Project managers often face ethical dilemmas in their professional life. At such times, they need help from people or resources to help them solve the dilemma.
I had a case of a project manager from the healthcare/pharmaceutical domain who faced a dilemma dealing with a resource from his team. He turned to PMI's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct to serve as a guide. As he was studying and analyzing the Code to help him, his organizations called him and wanted him to review and comply with their organization's internal code of ethics. This was a separate document that he then had to go through.
The project manager realized there was a Code of Ethics given by a preeminent healthcare/pharma council, the highest body at a national level, and wanted to check that one too. As a student and practitioner in the domain, the council's Code had been an important document at all times.
While all three codes talked about similar values such as responsibility, respect, honesty, integrity, fairness, etc., the process to be followed for each was different.
The project manager needed help understanding how he should move forward. I would love to know your thoughts... Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
At the end, it is the organization's code of ethics that supercedes any other code of ethics since he is dealing with an employee within the organization.
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Apr 05, 2023 11:20 PM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
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Thanks for your comments. I agree with you!
Saving Changes...
Thomas WalentaGlobal Project Economy ExpertHackenheim, Germany
Deepa,
as humans we are used to be members of a variety of communities like family, friendships, clubs, employments, schools, professions. We easily can navigate this cacophony of cultural standards, rules and taboos.
Sometimes the standards are codified, as in PMI's code, corporate codes, other professional codes. Following codes for ethical decision making is called deontology, and is only one of three major ethical decision making frameworks (the other 2 being utilitarism or consequentialism, as expressed in Kant's categorial imperative and Aristotle's virtue ethics). We always apply all three frameworks, consciously or not.
In situations where multiple codes apply and seem to contradict, the usefulness of deontology vanes and we rely more on the other 2 frameworks.
Thomas
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Apr 05, 2023 11:23 PM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
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Thanks Thomas for that excellent insight. I was not aware of it. I agree with you that we have multiple frameworks to follow and at times it gets chaotic. I think the values of each of these codes (PMI, personal, professional, sectoral etc) could be the same. Its the process that one needs to negotiate to get through the maze.
Thanks and I agree with your points.
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
It is simple: is not a matter of code in paper, is a matter of personal decision.
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Apr 05, 2023 11:24 PM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
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Thanks so much Sergo. While I agree its a personal choice, will all those who matter agree and allow us to follow that? Just a thought.
Unfortunately, this is the same as dealing with multi-level regulations in that rarely has someone done the hard work of distilling requirements across all levels for practitioners.
In the case of written (vs. personal) ethics, it comes down to the PM ensuring they are meeting all three - PMI's, the organization's and the councils. Hopefully there are no direct conflicts between the individual code of ethics, and hopefully the PM's own set of ethics aligns with the union of the external ones!
I had joked about having a Political Correctness Officer on projects in a recent article so maybe in such multi-level contexts we need a Project Ethics Officer to keep everyone safe?
Kiron
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Apr 05, 2023 11:27 PM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
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Kiran, thank you for the excellent response. Lissa and Albert from Ethics team have given a very interesting webinar (link as follows) that addresses your point and I think its very valid. I think we agree with most of these values but when the PM faces this dilemma and the work stops or is delayed, something needs to be done to get the project on track and that's where the processes come in..
Lissa and Albert - https://www.projectmanagement.com/videos/8...my-organization
I think we should try to meet all of them. Sometimes we need to find balance among them, which could be challenging. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dear Deepa If your organization's code of ethics is aligned with the Principles that govern humanity (what should correspond to the personal code of ethics), then what should follow is your organization's code of ethics.
The most interesting thing is that what is being installed in our society and, consequently, in organizations is the ethics of convenience, regardless of the codes of ethics being engraved everywhere. Saving Changes...
Bryan ShelbyRetired| Retired and volunteering, having left "employment" behind!New York, Ny, United States
I would suggest that the decision on the priorities of the (possibly) competing codes depends on the nature of the dilemma. My tendency would be to give primacy to the organization's code, since that is where the PM and team member work and where any reputational or financial impact from an ethical lapse would be felt. However, if there was a potential adverse health-related outcome from actions taken (or not taken) by a team member, then perhaps the healthcare council's code should govern. Finally, if the dilemma related to the care with which a team member was following PM best practices but that there was only minimal risk of damage to the organization or of adverse health consequences to patients, then the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct should have the primary role (sorry PMI g!).
I want to add that I agree with the position stated by others that, one hopes, there is little if any conflict across the three standards, at least with respect to how one should act. However, it is very possible that there will be differences related to reporting unethical or inappropriate behavior -- this might be required by some or all of the standards. That is a separate question and, again, in my opinion, depends on the type of dilemma the PM has encountered.
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1 reply by Dr. Deepa Bhide
Apr 05, 2023 11:28 PM
Dr. Deepa Bhide
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Thanks Bryan for your excellent comments. I agree with you.
Saving Changes...
Ming YeungAdjunct Professor & Acting COO/CPO/CRO (contract)| Blockchain Venture Capital Inc.Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Thank you for the thought-provoking scenario.
I would echo the comments of fellow PMs to strive to adhere to all three sets of codes in a balanced, fair, equitable, and ethical manner.
At the end, it is the organization's code of ethics that supercedes any other code of ethics since he is dealing with an employee within the organization.
Thanks for your comments. I agree with you! Saving Changes...
as humans we are used to be members of a variety of communities like family, friendships, clubs, employments, schools, professions. We easily can navigate this cacophony of cultural standards, rules and taboos.
Sometimes the standards are codified, as in PMI's code, corporate codes, other professional codes. Following codes for ethical decision making is called deontology, and is only one of three major ethical decision making frameworks (the other 2 being utilitarism or consequentialism, as expressed in Kant's categorial imperative and Aristotle's virtue ethics). We always apply all three frameworks, consciously or not.
In situations where multiple codes apply and seem to contradict, the usefulness of deontology vanes and we rely more on the other 2 frameworks.
Thomas
Thanks Thomas for that excellent insight. I was not aware of it. I agree with you that we have multiple frameworks to follow and at times it gets chaotic. I think the values of each of these codes (PMI, personal, professional, sectoral etc) could be the same. Its the process that one needs to negotiate to get through the maze.
Thanks and I agree with your points. Saving Changes...
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