Ethics & Professional Responsibilities

WHAT IS ETHICS?
 The term ethics refers to knowing what is right from
wrong and choosing to do what’s right, regardless of the
circumstances.

 Theword ethics originated from the Greek word, Ethos,

which means character – our reputation/our good name.

 We develop a character which is in line with our mindset

or attitude; therefore, ethics is generally considered to be
a mindset or a way of thinking.
 WHAT IS ETHICS?
 Ethicsare about making choices that may not always feel
good or seem like they benefit you but are the “right” choices
to make.

 They are the choices that are examples of “model citizens”

and examples of the golden rules.

 We’ve all heard the golden rules: Don’t hurt, don’t steal, don’t
lie, or one of the most famous: “Do unto others as you would
have done to you.”
 ETHICAL DILEMMA

A situation in which one has to decide between what’s right

and wrong conduct. Examples:

 “Play politics” to help your career?

 “Blow the whistle” if you discover illegal activities on your
project?

 “Let your conscience be your guide” is an unreliable

approach. Conscience varies with person and time.
ACQUIRING ETHICAL
VALUES
We engage in project activities with a set of
ethical values which have been influenced by:
◦ Family
◦ Religious Beliefs
◦ Peers
◦ The Constitution/Law
◦ Other Experiences
◦ etc.
 BUSINESS ETHICS

Business ethics is built upon three (3) pillars

Fairness Truthfulness Honesty in business

dealings
What is an ethical response?
 One of the important matters to consider when
thinking about difficult issues is the need to
distinguish between an ethical and a legal issue, and
to identify whether an issue has both legal and
ethical implications.

 Some ethical issues do not have legal implications.

For example, it is ethical to be honest with
colleagues but there are no legal requirements for
this professional behaviour.
IMPACT OF ETHICAL DECISIONS
 It is important to manage ethics on a project.

 Once proper attention is given to business ethics, the

following benefits can be reaped:
 
◦ Employees – motivated, teamwork, more productive,
more honest
◦ Customers – more loyal, less opportunities to sue
◦ Community – will view the company as being
responsible
Code of Professional Conduct or Ethics

In every field of study, there is a Code of Professional

Conduct or Ethics to govern the practitioners in order
to protect the integrity of the profession.

For instance, there is a Code of Conduct / Ethics for

the medical profession, the legal profession, the
nursing profession, the financial profession and the
project management profession.

Everyone is expected to act ethically.

Professional Responsibility

The PMP Code of Professional Conduct is the

authoritative guide on how the PMP should act
as a professional, and how the PMP should
behave with customers and the public in general.
Responsibilities to the
Profession

The PMP must adhere to a high set of principles,

rules, and policies.

This includes the organizational rules and

policies, the certification process, and the
advancement of the profession.
Professional Responsibility

The five areas of professional responsibility

consist of
the following:

 Ensuring integrity
 Contributing to the knowledge base
 Applying professional knowledge
 Balancing stakeholder interests
 Respecting differences
Ensure Individual Integrity

◦ Tell the truth in reports, conversations and other

communications
◦ Follow copyright and other laws
◦ Not divulge company data to unauthorized parties
◦ Value and protect intellectual (non-tangible) property
◦ Not put personal gain over the needs of the project
◦ Prevent conflicts of interest or the appearance of
conflicts of interest and deal with them when they do
occur
Ensure Individual Integrity

◦ Not give or take bribes or inappropriate gifts

◦ Treat everyone with respect
◦ Follow PMI's Code of Professional Conduct
◦ Do the right thing
◦ Follow the right process
◦ Report violations of laws, business policies,
ethics and other rules
Contribute to the Project Management Knowledge

 Share lessons learned from the project with other project

managers in the company .
 Write articles about project management
 Support the education of other project managers and
stakeholders about project management.
 Coach or mentor other project managers and project team
members
 Perform research to discover best practices for the use of project
management and share the results with others
 Perform research on projects done within the company for the
purpose of calculating performance metrics
 Professional Acknowledgement

The PMP must respect and recognize the intellectual

work and property of others.
The PMP can’t claim others’ work as their own.
 He/ She must give credit where credit is due.
Work, research, and development sources must be
documented and acknowledged by the PMP when
relying on others’ work.
Applying Honesty to the Profession

 The PMP is expected, at all times, to provide

honesty in experience documentation, the
advertisement of skills, and the performance of
services.
 The PMP must, of course, adhere to and abide by all
applicable laws governing the project work. In
addition, the ethical standards within the trade or
industry should also be adhered to.
Balancing Stakeholders Needs
Balance Stakeholder’s Objectives
◦ Understand the various competing
stakeholders’ interests and needs
◦ Comprehend the conflict resolution techniques
useful in handling differing objectives
◦ Be able to resolve conflicts in a fair manner
◦ Exercise negotiation skills based on proper
information
Responsibilities to the Customer & to the Public

The PMP also has a responsibility to the customer of

the project and the public.

Projects that affect internal customers are expected to

meet requirements and standards, and fulfill the
business need of the performing organization.

Essentially, the PMP is working for the customer.

Enforcing Project Management Truth & Honesty

The PMP must represent themselves and their

projects truthfully to the general public.
This includes statements made in advertising, press
releases, and in public forums.
When project managers are involved in the creation
of estimates, truth is also expected.
The PMP must provide accurate estimates on time,
cost, services to be provided—and realistic outcomes
of the project work.
Eliminating Inappropriate Actions

A PMP must avoid conflicts of interest and

scenarios where conflicts of interest could seem
apparent, opportunistic, or questionable to the
customer or other stakeholders.
In addition, the PMP must not accept any
inappropriate gifts, inappropriate payments, or
any other compensation for favors, project
management work, or influence of a project.
Respecting Differences

Interactwith team and stakeholders in a

professional and cooperative manner
◦ Understand cultural diversity, norms and
stakeholders’ communication styles
◦ Show flexibility towards diversity, tolerance
and self control
◦ Becoming empathetic to differences
Summary

Be Responsible

Be Respectful

Be Fair

Be Honest
Be Responsible
Make decisions based on the best interests
of the company rather than your own
personal interest
Only accept assignments you are
qualified to complete
Protect proprietary information
Report unethical behaviour and violations
Be Respectful

Maintain an attitude of mutual

cooperation
Respect cultural differences
Engage in good faith negotiations
Be direct in dealing with conflict
Do not use your power or position to
influence others for your own benefit
Be Fair

Act impartially without bribery

Continuously look for conflicts of interest
and disclose them
Do not discriminate against others
Do not use your position for personal or
business gain
Be Honest

Try to understand the truth

Be truthful in all communications
Create an environment where others tell
the truth
PMI – SOCIAL & PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIY CATIGORIES