The Project Management Answer Book, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 10Ethical Considerations Project Managers Face on the Job

A rapid decrease in reputation is seen by organizations as the most significant threat facing business today.

—The Economist Intelligence Unit¹

One of the toughest parts of a project manager’s job is making the best but also the most ethical decisions. A cynic might ask, “Is that possible?” But companies focused on the long term know that good ethics is good business. Slippery dealings lead to bad press, loss of customers, and, in extreme cases, liquidation.

While most of us think of ourselves as ethical decision makers, ethical compromise is extremely common. PMs often take shortcuts to cut costs or take an action to gain favor with a customer, which snowballs into a conflict ...