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 JESUDIMU OPEYEMI,
The very first Value in my workplace is Respect. Respect is a very important trait and value in an organization where everyone is respected in respective of their level. This value shows everyone’s opinions are valued and taken seriously. it creates a positive work culture for you and the team to accomplish goals together. A respectful attitude should be the standard in any workplace, regardless of personal feelings. Respect is what they say its reciprocal as you want to be respected you also respect other colleagues in the place of work, which makes the work environment conducive.
The 2nd Value is Learning and Development. This value allows everyone to learn and improve themselves in whatever skills are required to carry out their responsibilities. This is a growth mindset that everyone in my workplace possesses.
Hello!!!
My name is PAUL NWEKE
COHORT 16, TEAM 9.
I work with an Engineering firm. As a company, we have policies and standards, ethical and organizational values that aid our operations.
Among these values are:
– Customers satisfaction
– HSE (Health, Security & Environmental Protection)
– Teamwork.
– Customer satisfaction – This is the number one organizational value that my company values too much. Customer satisfaction is one that we check even before starting any project.
– HSE – As a company, the health and security of personnel, both at the workplace, field, and office is one of the key priorities of the organization. By providing all necessary equipment and working tools, the organization makes sure that whoever comes into the workplace is secure.
– Teamwork – This is another organizational ethic of the organization where teamwork must be embraced and adopted in order to achieve goals and meet customers’ demands.
As a project manager, I have built up myself in these areas and many others in making sure that I deliver quality and perfect jobs for the customer that the company will be proud of.
Ethics its key to the success as a Project Manager , either as organization ethics/ workplace ethics or personal Ethics as a Project Manager . Organization Ethics plays a crucial role in both company vision or mission.
The above can be seen in the shared extracts of the Mission Statement of my current workplace i.e.
“To remain a leading supplier of quality packaging materials. Satisfy our customers by meeting their expectation and needs, both in terms of product quality and service. Carry out optimum utilization of available resources for innovation and continuous
improvement in product quality”
The above forms the basis of our organization ethics which has foster our company effectiveness and overall timely delivery in all projects and has adequately help me :
1. Innovation
2. Improved Product Quality
3. Employee satisfaction
4 Accountability
5. Improved Workplace Culture
6. Customer Satisfaction
A Project Manager, you must be willing to the mindset value in any task or project you are doing.
A well define value is the key of any Project manager in an organization, when you value is be stated out the client cannot bridge your Honesty, integrity and trust.
As a project manager your value will determine how far you and organization will go, your value will also determine who will recommend you other stakeholders or clients and value has some ingredient in life (i) problem solving (ii) leadership (iii) cultural awareness
Uwoghiren Osagie Williams
Cohort 16
Team 10
It is ideal for every project manager to think of values and morals, understanding those values are key as it affects the decisions one takes as he/she carries out his/her duties as a project manager.
My Organization values includes but ot limited to:
Teamwork
Client privacy
Honesty
Integrity
Responsiveness
Whatever rules and obligations there are should be adhered to including the subtle ones like what the community where the project is taking place wants should also be respected
Some of the values of the organization I work with are
-Team work
-Health and Safety
-Integrity/Innovation
-Excellence
-Growth
When there is teamwork, there will be team bonding and that will foster growth as everyone is on the same page. No one will feel left out.
The health and safety of the workers is put into consideration because if one is sick, it affects the team. With this in mind, the individuals will also pit efforts into taking care of their health.
Integrity is a virtue and living up to it makes one stand out. Aside from the organization living up to it, it starts from the staff. If they showcase integrity individually, it is portrayed as the organization.
Some of the core values in my organization are:
. Excellent customer service
. Team work
. Care about people
– Having excellent customer service as a value makes me understand that it’s not enough to deliver a project at the end of the allotted time but to deliver an excellent job to the satisfaction of all stakeholders and thus promoting goodwill that attracts more clients.
-A good Team Work is what leads to the success of a project. Being a good team player would enable me work cooperatively with other stakeholders to ensure we meet our set Target and deliver a great job.
– When we genuinely care about people it endears them to us. They will be more willing to work with us, to be honest with us, to support us. This value will foster good communication between me, my team members and other stakeholders. And communication is the key value to the success of any project.
A project manager should be transparent, should abide by the ethics of the organisation and should work with the values of the organisation. Margaret Ebieme Cohort 16,team 6