MGMT2026
The Successful Project Manager
Week 3
Remember for today:
1) Spidergram Part 1 Due (1%)
2) Flipgrid “Tell Me About Yourself” Due
(2%)
Derek Vigar
dvigar@georgebrown.ca
Project Management
Derek Vigar
@ George Brown College
Taught by Derek Vigar
Key Course Milestone Dates
Week 2
May 26 – CAPM Application Due (2%) & Spidergram Part 1 (1%)
Week 3
June 2 – Online Role Plays: Professional Conduct (2%)
Week 4
June 9 – Online Role Plays: Professional Conduct 2 (1%)
Week 5
June 16 – Midterm Exam (Verbal) - Students #1-20 (25%)
- Assignment #1 – 2 Chapter Reviews Due (15%)
Week 6
June 23 – Midterm Exam (Verbal) - Students #21-05 (or 25%)
- LinkedIn Assignment Due (3%)
Taught by Farhan Zaidi
- Spidergram Part 2 (1%)
Week 7
June 30 – No Classes (Intersession Week)
Week 8
July 7 – Online Role Play: Bad News Good Way (1%)
Week 9
July 14 – Online Role Play: ”Managing Mark” (1%)
Week 10
July 21 – Online Role Play: Challenges with Meetings (1%)
Week 11
July 28 – Legacy Project (2%)
-Assignment #2 Due (20%)
Week 12
Aug. 4 - Final Exam (Verbal) - Students #1-20 (25%)
Week 13
Aug. 11 – Final Exam (Verbal) – Students #21-05 (or 25%)
Learning Objectives
Week 3
Before this class ends, we aim to explore the following successful project management
skills;
 Understand guidelines for project
manager professional conduct
 Utilize these guidelines as a means
of debating and understanding
how the successful project
manager approaches various
common project management
scenarios.
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Why are we talking about Ethics?
We Focus so much on “Doing Things Right”
We need to appreciate the value of
“Doing the Right Thing”
A wise (and devilishly charming) man once said……
“Projects will always start and stop, but your
credibility, reputation, and personal brand will
last a lifetime”
- Derek Vigar, 2013 “The Keys to Our Success”
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Related Readings
Good People Make Super Project Managers
-By Derek Vigar (page 67)
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Pressure to Push Your Ethical Boundaries
You will face tremendous pressure early in your career to push
your ethical boundaries.
Close your eyes and imagine what would be
the absolute worst project that you would just
not want to be a part of
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Pressure to Push Your Ethical Boundaries
What other pressures do people face that
may stretch personal values?
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Heightened global competition….if you don’t do it
………somebody else will
Organizational pressures to perform are high and
rewarded
Media publicizes poor ethical conduct among senior
managers
Lines between ethical and what is socially acceptable
has become blurred
Very few opportunities to converse with ethical mentors
Organizational loyalty is decreasing sharply
Personal values are different from Corporate Values
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Ethics vs. Profit
Is there a relationship between Ethics and
Profit? In other words, will a firm that acts
more “ethically” be more “profitable”?
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The Burke Study
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Johnson & Johnsons CEO commissioned a study to determine the correlation
between ethical behavior and profitability (after a large scale Tylenol recall)
“Moral” companies were selected based on their overall attention, focus, and
commitment to the ethics in the workplace
“Moral” companies chosen were AT&T, Coca Cola, Gerber Products, IBM, JC
Penny, John Deere, Kodak, 3M, Pitney Bowes, Proctor & Gamble
From 1950-1990 these companies increased market value by 11.3 percent while
the Dow Jones industrial average was 6.2%
$2000 invested with these companies in 1950 would yield $1.7 million dollars in
profit today while that same amount would have earned you $265,450 if you
invested in the general Dow Jones index
Does this mean that there is a correlation between ethical behavior and profit?
Well…..not exactly
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The study was widely criticized
Even so called “ethical companies” have people working for them that make
decisions testing their values each day.
Who can decide what is ethical and not ethical ?
Can you argue that some traditionally non-ethical businesses i.e. Adult
Entertainment, Selling of Drugs…….are very profitable businesses
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Legal vs. Ethical
“Good”
“Bad”
Law/Legal:
Acceptable, Decree, Enforceable, Fair,
Just, Measure, Requirement,
Legitimate
Illegal:
Criminal, Forbidden, Lawless, Prohibited,
Wrongful
Ethic/Ethical:
Correct, Decent, Fair, Good, Honest,
Just, Noble, Principled, Proper, Right,
Respectable, Virtuous
Unethical:
Corrupt, Dishonest, Unprofessional,
Unscrupulous
www.dictionary.com
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Ethical Boundaries
Defining, analyzing, evaluating and resolving moral problems &
developing moral criteria to guide project behaviour
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Download a copy of the code
HERE
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http://www.pmi.org/about-us/ethics/code-of-ethics.aspx
Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct
•As practitioners of project management, we are
committed to doing what is right and honorable. Our
ethics code:
•Describes expectations that we have of ourselves
and our fellow practitioners.
•Articulates ideals to which we aspire and
behaviors that are mandatory.
•Aims to instill confidence in the profession and
help individuals become better practitioners.
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http://www.pmi.org/about-us/ethics/code-of-ethics.aspx
The Ethical Decision-Making Framework
A practical resource to guide you toward ethical choices and
accountability. It will be helpful if you are faced with an ethical
dilemma.
Use the Framework to stimulate your critical thinking throughout
the ethical decision-making process.
Follow its sequence of questions and sub-questions from
recognition of the issue through decision and action. The answers
are your responsibility.
You can also use the Framework reflectively at the end of a
decision-making process to see if the important steps were taken
and the important considerations made.
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Real Ethical Project Scenarios
In-Class Participation Exercise
• Active participation in a Week 3 Scenario (1%)
• Active participation in a Week 4 Scenario (1%)
Role-Play Scenarios
- Do you understand both sides of the scenario you are in? (eg.
The Pros and Cons of acting one way vs. another)
- Can you share excerpts from the PMI Code of Conduct to the
relevant scenario?
- Are you able to lay out a clear action plan and solid reasoning
to support it?
- Are you able to defend or evolve your position once you
receive alternative views and opinions?
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Debate 1 – Protecting the Client
Scenario
- You are project managing a key strategic account for your business. Because of
their importance, the client realizes they have leverage, and often is very difficult to
work with. The relationship has been strained, and the client has served warning
that they are expecting more from your team.
- After a weekly status meeting with your team, you realize that you are farther
behind than expected. You are due to communicate your weekly status report to
the client later on this afternoon and are nervous that they will react negatively to
the news (and it may be the final straw)
- You are contemplating whether to represent in your status report that you are a
little further in progress than in reality to avoid this conflict. By serving notice to
your team that we need to really deliver this week to catch up, you may be able to
get back on track for next week without the client really noticing.
Do you feel it is okay to get “creative”
with the client progress report in order to
protect the relationship and hopefully get things
back on track for next week?
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Debate 2 - Staffing
Scenario
- You are working on a strategic project that you feel has significant exposure and
influence on your career. All of your team has been chosen, and there is one final
choice you need to make for a final spot on the team.
- One potential choice is Steve. He possesses a very strong subject matter
expertise and although English isn’t his native language and can be difficult to work
with sometimes, definitely is more than qualified for the role. In the past you have
had conflicts and disagreements with Steve, but he is perceived by many in your
organization to be the best at what he does.
-Another choice is Susan. Over the years you have developed a strong personal
connection with Susan and share many similar interests. Although she doesn’t
bring the same level of expertise as Steve, you get along great, and feel that there
is nobody else with whom you would communicate better with.
Who should you include on your project...Steve or Susan?
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Debate 3 – True Partners
Scenario
- A client has assembled a team of 5 partners in order to manage and complete a
project of significance. You were brought in as one of these partners and are
generally excited about the long term prospect of working with this client
- As the project progresses, you realize that 2 of the other partners seem to really
be “cozying up” with the client. Those partners essentially have the same skill sets
that you offer, and you begin to question whether you would be included in future
work
- Personally you are also having a tough time working with these partners, and you
suspect the reason is because they feel threatened by you for the exact same
reason mentioned above. Because of the environment, you take special notice to
mistakes that these partners make
Would you highlight these mistakes to the client to improve your positioning,
or is it important to act in the best interest of the team
and focus on delivering this project?
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Debate 4 – Personal vs. Professional
Scenario
- You are an excellent project manager, with a successful track record, who has
been identified as a “star” with the company. A key to your success has been the
relationships you have developed with your team, management, and clients.
- Project management can be a stressful profession and outside of work, you enjoy
outdoor activities, travel, politics and writing as “stress-relievers”
- You publish a blog and make frequent postings to your Snapchat, Instagram and
Facebook pages about your political views, commentary on everyday things that you
find funny, and post pictures of some of the “crazy” adventures you’ve experienced
on your travels.
- You have included a network of contacts both from your personal and professional
life on your distribution. Recently your boss has asked you whether it is appropriate
that your professional network has access to your personal insights, as some of
your writings may be perceived by some to be controversial, or “unprofessional”
Do you feel it is okay to include “work” contacts you are comfortable
with on your “personal” blogs?
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Debate 5 – Its Not My Fault
Scenario
- As project manager you are the liaison and key face-to-face contact for both the
client and the project team
- Recently your project team has been underperforming (aka “making mistakes”)
and it has been a bit uncomfortable at recent client meetings where you’ve had to
share some of these errors.
- You feel as if your personal credibility is being brought into question, and the
relationship with your client for the future is being jeopardized. The frustrating
part, is that these are not your errors but a member of the teams.
Is it okay for you to deflect the blame for these errors
to members of your team
or is it your duty to take responsibility for the team?
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Round 2: Scenarios for Next Week
Scenario 6 - You have been assigned as “an expert” to a client, but personally you
feel it may be a “stretch”. Although you’re comfortable you will be able to figure it
out, what is your responsibility to disclose
Scenario 7 – Both the client and your company are working on a project. You
question sometimes whether aspects of the project are really for the greater good.
You have raised these concerns, however both parties continue as planned. What
should you do?
Scenario 8 – After completing the final phase of a project for client X, it is clear
that there will be no more work. Client Y comes along wanting to do a similar
project. Should you feel comfortable using many of the templates and plans you
developed for client x with client y? Should you price the project with Client Y
lower, because you decide to leverage the work completed for client X?
Scenario 9 – You are working on a time and materials contract that you likely will
take a loss on. You uncover a faster way of doing something. Are you under
obligation to share this with the client, or is it okay to recoup a little extra margin
on the project?
Scenario 10 – If a client is paying for a project, are you ultimately more
responsible to the client or the company/ agency you work for?
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For Next Week – (Week 4)
•Continue working on your “Keys to Success”
chapter summaries (Due Week 5) – 15%
•Start working on your Linkedin Participation
Assignment (Due Week 6) – 3%
•Start working on finding an ideal candidate
to interview for Assignment #2 (Due Week
11) – 20%
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