Ethics in Project Management
Managing projects mean managing a host of various elements. Projects are driven by achievement in terms such as budget management, schedule completion, and product quality. Unfortunately, these elements are not always in harmony with one another. Trying to get a project done on time may mean spending more money or creating a high level project may require more time. While project managers often have clarity on what needs to be done (provided in their project charter), they may not always know how to get it done. Unfortunately, this means that project managers may make decisions that are less than ideal. Moreover, there is the possibility that decisions made may actually be unethical.
So what does an unethical decision look like? This question is, in itself, part of the problem when it comes to ethical misbehavior in project management. There are numerous ways in which a decision may be unethical and as such, it can be hard to identify them all before they occur. “Of course, the general business environment does not help matters either. Often there are circumstances beyond the control of project managers but that are not unique to the project environment, including rapidly changing conditions related to the market, domestic and international laws and regulations, political conditions, exchange rates, technology, consumer behavior, capital avail- ability, stock market performance, and general economic conditions such as inflation or deflation. Such circumstances can lead to ethical lapses.”(Kliem, pg. 24) Being a successful and ethical project manager means being able to identify possible areas of challenge and work to plan for them.
Planning for unethical dilemmas can be a daunting task if for no other reason than it means planning for the unknown. Nobody wants to assume that they could be guilty of unethical behavior, but it isn’t always a conscious choice. Sometimes poor decisions are founded in a response to a stressful situation. Other times, we may be encouraged or even forced into bad behavior by the other project stakeholders. Bosses, investors, and demanding clients may impose demands upon us that make it hard to maintain our moral compass. On top of that, project managers must monitor the contributions and work methods of their team members. In fact, studies have shown that team members are often guilty of transgressions such as “lying to supervisors; falsifying records; alcohol and drug abuse; stealing or theft and gift receipt, caused primarily by considerable pressure to achieve financial or business objectives.” With so many potential concerns, how is a project manager supposed to deter unethical behavior or potential address it when it arises? The key element to success here comes with communication.
When beginning a project, it goes without saying that there is a plan for reaching the project goal. That plan, when executed appropriately, guides the team through the project process in order to achieve results. Managing ethical behavior can be approached in the same way. Creating a guideline for ethical behavior can (and should) be introduced in the same way. The Project Management Institute has done just that by creating what they have titled their “Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct”. They begin their code with a powerful statement saying, “As practitioners of project management, we are committed to doing what is right and honorable….This Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct describes the expectations that we have of ourselves and our fellow practitioners in the global project management community. It articulates the ideals to which we aspire as well as the behaviors that are mandatory in our professional and volunteer roles.” (PMI, pg. 1) The document then goes on to detail the various ways in which they define ethical behavior and how they address it should it arise. This is a supreme example of how to effectively communicate standards and expectations – even for the unknown elements of a project. Adopting a clear philosophy towards ethics and then communicating it to all stakeholders is a great way to build team accountability. When teams are accountable, they are far more likely to behave in a manner consistent with their expectations.
Beyond the simple aspect of communication, project managers have another key role to play in the achievement of ethical behavior. They must also work to model the behaviors that they wish to see from their team. Kiron Bondale addresses this topic well in the blog post Are You an Enabler of Bad Project Habits? when they say “When we point the finger at others, many times, the issue lies in the direction which the remaining fingers are pointing to.” Being able to acknowledge problems (even in ourselves) is a critical element in achieving success over the long term. This acknowledgement comes from communication and the flow of communication between team members. As mentioned by Eric Johnson in his blog Be Quick to Listen and Slow to React, there is value in “gathering information (listening), verifying it (slowly reacting), and then utilizing it to make sound business decisions.” If we, as project managers, can commit to this level of open communication, then it is likely that we can successfully manage the role of ethics in our work.
References:
Kliem, R. Ethics and Project Management Accessed from http://lib.myilibrary.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/Open.aspx?id=327956
PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct Accessed from http://www.pmi.org/About-Us/Ethics/~/media/PDF/Ethics/ap_pmicodeofethics.ashx
Bondale, K. Are You an Enabler of Bad Habits? Accessed from https://kbondale.wordpress.com/page/2/
Johnson, E. Be Quick to Listen and Slow to React Accessed from http://www.pmhut.com/