As we talked about before in this module, it’s important for project managers to work ethically. This means doing the right thing, not just following rules. There are written rules and laws, but there are also moral rules and values.
What are these moral rules and values? Let’s break it down with some explanations and examples.
Moral rules are like a list of dos and don’ts for how a person should behave. For instance, one moral rule is “don’t steal.”
Values are strong beliefs that guide how we act in different situations. They show what we think is good behavior. Values can be personal, but they can also be shared in groups like companies. When a bunch of people in the same group share these values, they shape how everyone acts in that group.
In companies, these shared values are super important. They make up the core of what the company’s culture is all about. These values are a small set of important beliefs that don’t change much, and they really influence how people act at work.
For example, The Open University (2019) has some values they believe in:
In our work, we stick to The Open University values of being inclusive, innovative, and responsive.
The value of being inclusive and innovative is a big part of what people do at The Open University. They use this value to make sure everyone can access knowledge through new and creative solutions.
Values and moral rules help everyone know how to behave in a group or at work. It’s good to think about them to understand how they affect the decisions we make when working on projects.
Think about the values your workplace or a group you’re in follows. Can you name some of these values? How do these values affect how you work on projects? Share your thoughts with other learners in the discussion below.
In the organization where I worked our core values were:Accountability, Honesty, Teamwork and Integrity.. When anything goes wrong everyone is held accountable to it there’s no shifting of blames whatsoever and also Honesty is the best policy, we don’t sell what we don’t have. If it’s not available it’s not available, we don’t lie just to keep a customer. This has really helped me even as an Individual. I hold myself accountable to whatever wrong and I make sure I’m as honest as possible.
Grace Okhio
Team 5
I just recently joined the team and I can say some of the values include,respect,team work, creativity, excellence.
It hasn’t been easy trying to stay excellent and give my best but putting the values in mind,I’ve been trying my best
With values in an organisation, everyone would be at par and everyone would be more effective.
Shalom Daniel
As a HR manager, I’m constantly reiterating the mission, vision and value statements to the employees as this is the bedrock for functioning at the peak in any organization.
Creativity
Accountability
Respect
Excellence
Team Work
Innovation
Selflessness.
These are values I hold dearly to my heart and helps me in my workplace to do and perform better.
Empathy
Accountability
Respect
Excellence
Team Work
Innovation
It is important to stick to the proper ethics in project management
I’m Ubah-Okwuchukwu Idorienyin. Respect, Empathy, Excellence, Teamwork and Innovation were core in my teaching experience.
These values shaped how I approached my work. For example:
– Respect meant I considered learner’s diverse needs and perspectives.
– Empathy helped me design engaging lessons for different learning styles.
– Excellence drove me to continually improve my teaching methods.
– Teamwork led to collaborative projects with colleagues.
– Innovation encouraged me to try new teaching tools and techniques.
I own a small business and I help handle things in my brother’s store and I’ll transparency and honesty has been my number one mode of ethic
Some organisational values in my group include teamwork, accountability, respect, and excellence. These values influence how I work on projects by encouraging collaboration, clear communication, and shared responsibility. Accountability helps me meet deadlines and take ownership of tasks, while respect promotes positive relationships and effective teamwork. The value of excellence motivates me to deliver quality results and continuously improve my performance during projects.
I run a small clothing lines with my sister and our core values is transparency, excellence and commitment. We are committed to ensuring that you get the best quality and value for your money.