From the course: Project Management Foundations: Ethics

Demonstrating aspirational responsibility

From the course: Project Management Foundations: Ethics

Demonstrating aspirational responsibility

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- In the PMI Code of Ethics, each described behavior has mandatory standards and a set of aspirational standards we should seek to uphold. Let's examine PMI's aspirational standards for responsibility. The aspirational objectives are broader than the required standards. PMI's aspirational standards for responsibility are to make decisions in the best interest of society, only accept assignments that are appropriate for our skills, always do what we say we will do, take ownership of errors or omissions we make, protect confidential information, and hold ourselves and others accountable to the code of ethics. If you believe embracing these aspirational objectives is easy, think again. For example, I've encountered many instances where I was asked to manage a project outside my area of expertise. While I brought significant project management experience to the table, the project business context was totally outside my area of expertise, and open discussion about my experience when asked to participate in a project is important, and sometimes uncomfortable. Chad, the project manager in our scenarios, has uncomfortable challenges as well. In this scenario presented to start this chapter, Chad is looking to justify a project, and has a report that could help. However, that report contains confidential personnel information, and Chad has doubts about whether the report should have been shared with him. One thing jumps out immediately, and this is Chad's doubts about whether he should have the report. Accepting that report was an error of judgment, and he should acknowledge that if he's to act within the aspirational standards of responsibility. His having that report also represents a lack of protection of confidential information. He should consider discarding the report, and try other ways of justifying his project. Alternatively, assuming his project sponsor has the authority to view the report's confidential information, Chad could consider another action. In the interest of transparency and taking ownership, he could share the report with his sponsor, taking responsibility for having a report he probably shouldn't have seen. Based on that, they can have a candid and open conversation about whether the report could be used to justify the project they're trying to launch. Potentially, this might be done in a way that won't expose the personnel information included in the report. Openness, transparency, and taking ownership always sound easy, but in the face of real world situations, can be challenging. We need to be ready to live up to our responsibilities at any time, and take comfort in the fact that ethical behavior is the basis for our personal integrity.

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