Pham Van PhuongProject Manager| FUJI CAC JOINT STOCK COMPANYHo Chi Minh, Viet Nam
As project managers, we are responsible not only for scope, budget, and schedule but also for decisions that directly affect people, society, and organizational values.
In reality, there are many moments when business interests (ROI, cost, deadlines) conflict with ethical values (safety, transparency, sustainability).
I would like to hear from the community:
How do you usually approach situations where “numbers” and “values” are in conflict?
Do you apply any frameworks or guiding principles to balance ROI with ethical considerations?
Have you ever faced a “difficult” ethical dilemma in a project, and how did you handle it?
My hope is that this can be a space for us to share experiences and approaches—because ethics is not just theory, but very real choices we face in our projects. Saving Changes...
When numbers and values conflict, I prioritize transparency and long-term impact over short-term ROI. My approach is to involve stakeholders early, evaluate risks to people and reputation, and use guiding principles like PMI’s Code of Ethics (responsibility, respect, fairness, honesty). In my experience, choosing ethics not only protects the organization but often creates stronger trust and sustainable results. Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Pham Van Phuong Thank you for raising such an essential (and often overlooked) topic.
Ethical dilemmas in project decision-making are not rare exceptions, they are part of the real landscape we navigate every day.
And often, the tension doesn’t come from “big scandals,” but from subtle pressures: cost vs. care, speed vs. inclusion, efficiency vs. responsibility.
In my own practice, I’ve come to believe this:
Interests can be negotiated. But principles must be upheld.
Even when the pressure is high, I find that the long-term legitimacy of a project depends on whether we were ethically conscious when it mattered most.
To navigate these moments, I apply a few guiding tools:
- RCPCV™ Decision Cycle — a 5-step ethical decision framework I developed to guide teams through:
Recolher (Gather), Pensar (Reflect), Comunicar (Engage), Verificar (Verify), Recolher novamente (Reassess).
It ensures we pause, engage, and verify before acting—especially when values are at stake.
- PMI Code of Ethics — still a critical compass. But I also encourage case-based reflection and team discussion to bring it to life.
- Systemic Impact Questions
• Who benefits?
• Who might be harmed—directly or indirectly?
• What are we legitimizing with this choice?
In one project, we were asked to fast-track a launch that excluded vulnerable users.
On paper, it made business sense.
But we paused, reframed the decision, and prioritized inclusion.
It took longer but it strengthened both trust and outcome.
Ultimately, ethical leadership isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being consciously responsible when it’s hard.
I’m eager to learn how others navigate these tensions.
...
1 reply by Akin Fadare
Sep 18, 2025 1:06 PM
Akin Fadare
...
"Interests can be negotiated. But principles must be upheld," Luis Branco, 2025.
That is a thought-provoking phrase, my friend. Negotiating interest require special skills, but principles must be upheld, and sometimes it might require walking away with one's dignity still intact.
Pham Van Phuong Thank you for raising such an essential (and often overlooked) topic.
Ethical dilemmas in project decision-making are not rare exceptions, they are part of the real landscape we navigate every day.
And often, the tension doesn’t come from “big scandals,” but from subtle pressures: cost vs. care, speed vs. inclusion, efficiency vs. responsibility.
In my own practice, I’ve come to believe this:
Interests can be negotiated. But principles must be upheld.
Even when the pressure is high, I find that the long-term legitimacy of a project depends on whether we were ethically conscious when it mattered most.
To navigate these moments, I apply a few guiding tools:
- RCPCV™ Decision Cycle — a 5-step ethical decision framework I developed to guide teams through:
Recolher (Gather), Pensar (Reflect), Comunicar (Engage), Verificar (Verify), Recolher novamente (Reassess).
It ensures we pause, engage, and verify before acting—especially when values are at stake.
- PMI Code of Ethics — still a critical compass. But I also encourage case-based reflection and team discussion to bring it to life.
- Systemic Impact Questions
• Who benefits?
• Who might be harmed—directly or indirectly?
• What are we legitimizing with this choice?
In one project, we were asked to fast-track a launch that excluded vulnerable users.
On paper, it made business sense.
But we paused, reframed the decision, and prioritized inclusion.
It took longer but it strengthened both trust and outcome.
Ultimately, ethical leadership isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being consciously responsible when it’s hard.
I’m eager to learn how others navigate these tensions.
"Interests can be negotiated. But principles must be upheld," Luis Branco, 2025.
That is a thought-provoking phrase, my friend. Negotiating interest require special skills, but principles must be upheld, and sometimes it might require walking away with one's dignity still intact. Saving Changes...
Thank you for this thoughtful question. Some ethical dilemmas might require walking away by submitting a resignation letter, especially when the PM’s core values and lifelong principles are challenged. Professionally, I have yet to reach that point, but I once had a senior colleague who was in a similar situation and decided to quit. Thanks for sharing.
Ethical dilemmas often appear when “numbers” say one thing and “values” another. In my experience, I try to step back and ask: Who will be impacted, and what will the long-term trust cost be if we ignore values? Frameworks like PMI’s Code of Ethics help as a compass, but so does engaging stakeholders openly about risks beyond ROI. I’ve found that transparency, even if uncomfortable in the short term, usually strengthens both outcomes and relationships.
Great question, Pham. In my experience, when “numbers” and “values” collide, I lean on transparency and long-term impact as guiding principles. PMI’s Code of Ethics (responsibility, respect, fairness, honesty) provides a strong framework, and I always involve stakeholders early to weigh both ROI and ethical implications. I’ve found that prioritizing ethics not only protects the organization but also builds lasting trust and sustainable results. Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Following the ethics and compliance policies which exists inside the organization I am working for. Saving Changes...
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