“Ethics discussions are not always fun,” declared Shobhna Raghupathy, presenting at August Dunwoody Dinner Meeting. Ms. Raghupathy is one of 8 members in PMI’s Ethics Member Advisory Group, or “Ethics MAG.”
All will agree that applied ethics in context can be extremely challenging, and may inspire great controversy as we grapple with such lofty concepts as fairness, honesty, responsibility and respect. Some may even say that it’s fun.
Regardless of emotional perspective, Shobhna’s intent was to impart PMI-style guidance for us as we inevitably face the need to make decisions regarding ethical issues in work and life.
For our work in project management, the best place to start is with PMI’s Code of Ethics, the document that lays the ethical groundwork for us at PMI, sort of like the constitution does in part for our country.
Decision-making is a cognitive process that ends in a choice and results in an action that may impact others. Unavoidably, every leader’s job description includes ethical decision-making. It is best to holistically view your organization’s culture and operate from within its framework.
So we go global. Integrity, honesty, fidelity and family are the most universally held values. From there, cultural perceptions and perspectives on ethical practices vary. Shobhna suggested, for one big picture view, check out TED Talks “Gordon Brown: Global Ethic vs. National Interest”.
Enter PMI’s Ethical Decision-Making Framework (EDMF). Its purpose is to increase ethics awareness and provide a well-considered decision-making framework as a companion to PMI’s Code of Ethics. The EDMF is a guide, a series of steps, a process and path to better decisions. Its history includes world-wide benchmarking of dozens of organizations, meetings, reviews, expert engagement, and repeated positive feedback throughout the process.
The EDMF guides our critical thinking, starting with a series of questions to recognize and assess ethical issues, and ending in a decision and action.
Here is the 5-step process ...
In characteristic PMI fashion, each of these steps comprises guiding questions and tools and techniques. For example, when assessing the facts ...
• Does it abide by the law?
• Does it align with PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct?
• Does it agree with your employer’s code of ethics and conduct?
• Does it align with your ethical values and the surrounding culture?
+ Tools & Techniques ...
• View PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
• Access ethics resources
• View Ethics Case Procedures
• Identify your personal values and compare them to the surrounding culture
Are there substantial facts to make a case? If yes, go to the next step. If no, gather more facts or discard the case. Each of the next 4 steps also comprise relevant questions, tools and techniques. The PMI Ethical Decision Framework is available at the PMI Ethics MAG site.
As a PMI member, the Ethical Decision-Making Framework is for your use. It is aspirational, not mandatory. Answers to its questions are your responsibility, and it may be useful for you to loop back and forth between the steps.
Shobhna wrapped up the evening with small group participation in a case study. As expected, it was challenging, raising issues of personal privacy, competing and conflicting interests, access to and potential misuse of information, and whistleblowing.
Right and wrong, good and bad, fair and just—these are the biggest picture ideas with which humankind has always struggled. Business and Project Management is no exception.