Being Fair as a PM – A View to Ethics
Posted on January 16, 2025
Fairness is one of the values cited in the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Code of Ethics. To satisfy this requirement, perspective-taking is necessary.
Fairness is not something you can judge for yourself. What you believe to be fair may not seem fair to someone else. To overcome this, as project managers, we need to be transparent in our decision-making process and our actions.
According to PMI, “Fairness is our duty to make decisions and act impartially and objectively. Our conduct must be free from competing self-interest, prejudice, and favoritism.”
There are two primary considerations of Fairness. The first is Avoiding Conflict of Interest Situations. An example of avoiding a Conflict of Interest is disclosing any actual or potential conflicts of interest you may have regarding a vendor in a competitive bid situation. For instance, is the vendor a distant relative, or are you a vendor shareholder? It’s always best to share potential conflicts with management and let them determine if a Conflict of Interest exists. If one exists, someone else should work with the vendor when making decisions. Most importantly, if you don’t think you can be impartial, ask someone else to fulfill your role to avoid a perceived conflict of interest.
The second consideration is Avoiding Favoritism and Discrimination. In the competitive bid situation I discussed earlier, you should ensure you work with 2 or 3 vendors to obtain quotes and select the vendor that provides the best value for money. The selection process should be void of nepotism, bribery, and personal considerations or preferences.
Most organizations have a discrimination policy that should be followed during day-to-day project management activities. When in doubt, ask someone for advice. You should also ensure your team is aware of the policy. Discrimination can seep into our everyday actions if we are not aware of its nuances. For example, you might unconsciously assign high-visibility or technically challenging tasks to younger team members, assuming they are more tech-savvy. Similarly, prejudice could creep into decision-making. For example, you might think more positively about a team member who grew up in the same city or attended the same university.
It’s easy to assume you THINK you are being fair; however, be aware of how your actions could be perceived. You don’t want to leave an impression that things weren’t fair, so always examine your motives and decision-making processes.