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.
I work in the healthcare sector and our core values are professionalism, integrity, confidentiality, honesty, excellence and service. These values guides our interaction, action, and decisions with the clients. Our professional services is client oriented and in all we do our focus is to help the client lead healthy life, reduce their stay in the facility, terminate the progression of the challenges and improve their quality of life.
Commitment
Honesty
Integrity.
This will ensure that the best is brought into project even with no supervision.
As a production manager in a restaurant, my company values include production in a very hygienic environment and on-time delivery of these products. And to ensure this, an initiative was created: CAYG(Clean As You Go). And for the moral rules, the number one is not to take,eat or waste any product or materials.
In my line of work, these set of rules are out in place to ensure proper check and balance at the end.
Mission: The mission value underscores our commitment to the greater purpose of healthcare and its impact on individuals and communities. It motivates me to align my project work with our overarching mission, ensuring that every task contributes to the overall well-being of our patients and the advancement of healthcare. It encourages me to seek innovative solutions and maintain a sense of purpose in all my project efforts.
Healthcare: This value places healthcare at the forefront, emphasizing the importance of providing high-quality care to our patients. In project work, this value reinforces the need to prioritize the patient’s well-being and experience. It encourages me to consider how each project can improve healthcare services, whether it’s through research, technology, or process enhancements.
Dignity: Dignity is a fundamental value that underscores the respect and consideration we owe to every individual, both within and outside the organization. In project management, this value guides my interactions and decision-making, ensuring that every stakeholder is treated with respect and that projects are designed to uphold the dignity of our patients and colleagues. It motivates me to create a work environment that promotes inclusivity and respect.
These values serve as a moral compass in my work on projects. They not only drive me to align project goals with our organization’s core values but also guide decision-making, encouraging ethical and patient-centric approaches. They remind me that every project should ultimately contribute to our mission, improve healthcare, and uphold the dignity of all individuals involved.
The core values of my profession includes, respect for human life, upholding the dignity of the human person, individual´s right to care, justice and autonomy in decision making.
Every company or organisation is guarded by sets of ethics that defines who they are and what they standfor, in the healthcare we guarded by the ethics of eg
1. Justice: entails obligations to act in a manner considered equitable, fair and consistent with the rights of the individual.
2. non malfience, is the ethics of do no harm,
4,automony. the right of an individual to air opnion and take decision without being coarsed
5. Benefience, means do good, promote actions that benefits your clients.
In the Construction firm that I work, inclusivity, integrity, honesty & Innovation are the organisational values that underpin our daily activities
The core ethics and corporate governance outlined in the firm I work with helps us so very much in bringing deals and getting recommendations.
As a social worker, care giver, counselor and a therapist, my moral principles and Values includes,:
Trust, confidentiality, Empathy, compassion, respect, dignity, quality of care and commitment to ensure quality of care for my clients or patients.
These values and moral principles guides my communication or interaction with my clients during counseling & therapy sections, and during field work as a social worker..
Working in a healthcare organisation is following core values strictly which cannot be over emphasised. These core values includes the following,:
Respect and dignity
Effective communication
Compassion and care
Working together for patients
Improving lives
Working according to job standard and ethics
I work in a healthcare facility. Our core values are professionalism,excellence,integrity,biblical authority and values,accountability and diversity.
This ensures we maintain patient dignity and do no harm as per our oath, It also unifies us in achieving common goals to the glory of God.
Working in the ICT space it is important to conduct business in an ethical, responsible, and professional manner.