Alankar KarpeProject and program management, Speaker and mentor | WiproBangalore, India
My boss gave me credit for a project on which a colleague did most of the work. is it ethical on my part to accept the praise? Or should I also name my colleague who did most of the work? Saving Changes...
No. Quietly tell them they have got the wrong guy- quietly as they'll probably be embarrassed by the error. Otherwise, sooner or later your colleague will find out and then you'll have lost the trust of both of them. Saving Changes...
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
You should tell your boss that your colleague did most of the work. Besides that ethically you should do this but also you will feel bad if you were in your colleagues place and he got awarded for work you did. I always put myself in others shoe. Saving Changes...
Darren KosaPlanning & Controls ContractorHampshire, United Kingdom
Hi Alankar,
Good question.
As a PM, it is extremely rare that you would physically do all the work when delivering a Project, but it is quite natural to assume that you would take most of the plaudits for a successful delivery.
However, not recognising the team that helped you deliver it would be a little bit underhanded. You could always thank your boss on behalf of your colleague, whilst accepting that you also played your part.
It is strange that a Boss doesn't know on a project who is doing what? But it can be a case where a team member is introvert.
The boss generally does communication though a vocal person in the team. But in a project, a lot of emails go through on daily basis. If the introvert person is doing good job then there should be ample opportunities to highlight those efforts.
In subject line, you can always mention - Congratulations to Mr. X for resolving YYY Issue.
If a boss would see those emails throughout the project then your boss would have the right picture.
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1 reply by Bruce A Hayes
Apr 08, 2016 4:09 PM
Bruce A Hayes
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I don't find this situation to be at all unusual in a large organization. The more levels of management there are, the less familiarity upper management should have with the details.
Saving Changes...
Chad HarrisProject Manager III, PMP, MPM, MBA, CLSSGB| Memorial Health SystemSpringfield, Il, United States
I also agree with everyone that it would be unethical to accept credit for something a colleague accomplished. However, you could use this as an opportunity to share with your boss your contributions on this particular project as well as a way to demonstrate your interests in taking on more responsibilities.
Sincerely,
Ethical Choices Provide Opportunities Saving Changes...
Mike FrenetteManager, IT PMO| Halifax Water (retired)Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
The ethics are crystal clear in this case, and in any case where a person, PM or not, is being given all the credit for work done by a team or another individual. It is okay to accept some recognition if you played a part in the success, but only as part of the team.
Such errant praise should immediately and genuinely be redirected to the team, publicly if possible. Saving Changes...
Thank you Alankar for posting such an interesting ethical dilemma. I see that the responding posts are consistent in their "give credit where credit is due" reactions. As Chair of PMI's Ethics Member Advisory Group, it is gratifying to see that from so many people. Note that PMI's Code of Conduct and Professional Behavior has, as one of it's four values, the value of honesty; which is where this ethical dilemma is centered. I especially appreciate Mike Frenette's comment that "errant praise should immediately and genuinely be redirected to the team, publicly if possible." At the end of the day, ethics leads to trust, which in turn, leads to effective project leadership. By redirecting the praise, an ethical dilemma has been turned into an opportunity to strengthen leadership. Saving Changes...
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