From the course: Project Management Foundations: Ethics

Reviewing fairness

From the course: Project Management Foundations: Ethics

Reviewing fairness

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- I once interviewed for a job at a new company. I was excited about the role, but I didn't get the job. After asking for feedback from the interviewing manager he told me I came in second to a candidate that was already in their business. It was very disappointing because nowhere in their job posting did they list that internal experience was an evaluation point. Now, I totally get it. I probably wasn't the best candidate and the right business decision was made. But given the detail and the job posting how the decision was ultimately made didn't seem fair. Fairness. The third value of the PMI code of ethics requires perspective taking. What I believe to be fair someone else may not like in my interview story. To overcome this as project managers we need to be transparent in our decision making process and the actions we take. 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 with fairness avoiding conflict of interest situations and avoiding favoritism and discrimination. In our case study scenario, I shared at the beginning of this chapter, conflict of interest examples would include disclosing any real or potential conflicts of interest with the vendor. For instance, is the vendor a distant relative or is John a shareholder of the vendor? It's always best to share potential conflicts with management and let them determine if a conflict of interest exists. If one does exist, then someone else should work with the vendor when making decisions. Most importantly, if you don't think you can be impartial to a situation, ask for someone else to fulfill your role. To avoid a perceived conflict of interest, favoritism and discrimination are another aspect of fairness. In John's scenario, he should ensure he works with two or three vendors to obtain quotes and select the vendor that provided 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 which should be followed during the day-to-day project management activities. When in doubt, ask someone for advice. You could also ensure your team is aware of the discrimination policy. Discrimination can seep into our everyday actions. If we're not aware of the nuances of discrimination it's easy to assume you think you're 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, even if you aren't interviewing people for a new job.

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