Projects conducted with higher ethical standards have less risk and are usually more successful. Here are five tips to improve your ethics as a project manager:
- Be a model of ethical behavior - lead by example: As others observe your actions, they will adopt more ethical practices.
- Focus on issues, not people: Stress can cause unethical behaviors and a culture of blame causes stress.
- Disclose conflicts of interest: Whether it be team hiring, choosing suppliers, or other decisions, always disclose any relationships that may cause appearance of favoritism, nepotism, or other lapses of judgment.
- Build consensus: Getting buy-in and making fewer unilateral choices will help decisions to be seen as more ethical.
- Find alternatives: When asked to cut corners, under- or over-report, or to take actions that exhibit questionable ethics, don't view the situation as black and white. Think about alternatives and compromises you might offer.
Subscribe for Our Project Management Resources, Best Practices, and Tips
Confirm your subscription to receive an email with immediate download access to Project Manager's Resources, a valuable list of books and web sites.
Get the latest tips and updates sent directly to your inbox monthly.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.