MODULE 6: AFTER ALL WE CAN DO 1

Module 6: After All We Can Do

Bridgett Johnson

Arizona State University

OGL 321: Project Leadership

Professor Ben Pandya

September 26th, 2021

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Module 6: After All We Can Do

Introduction

As human beings we all have the power of choice. Agency is a driving force in our lives

and allows us to have different experiences and learn different lessons. Choices are what separate

us from robots. Choices help us develop and grow into the people we see before us. This past

week I have had my fair share of growing pains due to some choices I had made and situations I

had placed before me. Making the right decisions seems easy in theory but can be hard in

practice. With time, daily decisions can become easier and we can feel confident in our abilities

to lead teams in the right direction.

Ethics and Moral Values

Growing up in a religious household, I have always been familiar with ethics, whether or

not I knew it at the time. Being ethical means that we let moral principles govern our behavior.

As people in society, it is critical that we allow ourselves to develop our own rules and values

that help guide us through life. Establishing what we believe is right and what we believe is

wrong means that in times of unexpected circumstances we can soundly make quick decisions

that we will not regret because we know where we stand ethically.

Establishing a code of ethics can help build cohesive standards of conduct. These codes

of conduct can reference values like honesty, accountability, responsibility, respect, and fairness

(Project Management Institute, 2007). The PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

references these values and outlines specifics of the expectations they have for their members.

Having a written code of ethics can greatly help your team and company run a reputable

business. After all, honesty is the best policy.

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In Why Ethics Should Matter to Project Managers, they present a model of choosing Path

A or Path B when presented with a conflict. Path A is when we do something, and Path B is

when we do nothing. I had never thought about choosing to let the consequences take a natural

course, or choosing Path B (Kliem, 2012). I am a fixer, problem solver, and peace keeper. As the

middle child I have had a lifetime of experience putting out fires and promoting group unity. It

never occurred to me that the situation may not warrant any intervention (Kliem, 2012).

When it comes to making the judgment between Path A and B two key considerations

need to be made. The sensitivity of the issue and the intensity of response (Kliem, 2012). Some

issues are simple mistakes. Learning how to correct these mistakes and counsel your members so

that these mistakes cease to occur can greatly improve your team performance and your

relationship with your team members. Other situations can be more serious and require

immediate action. These situations can include harassment, fraud, and insider trading. These

issues require a higher intensity of response and can even result in removal from the project, or

termination from the company (Kliem, 2012).

In the Harvard simulation we are not able to practice how to deal with ethical dilemmas

and making serious judgement calls. However we can feel tension within the team, and we can

see how they become frustrated, stressed, and sometimes bored. In these situations we still have

to make judgments and use our values and ethics to help our team succeed. I have seen the best

response from my simulation team when I treat them how I would want to be treated as a team

member. Remember the golden rule and treat others how you want to be treated.
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Conquering Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome is the inability to believe that your success is deserved or has been

legitimately achieved as a result of your efforts and skills. Imposter syndrome is widely

experienced in professional settings and can hurt your overall performance and experience.

When starting new jobs, projects, or even joining a new company, it is easy to feel like

you do not belong. Feelings of inadequacy are common and can result in us wanting to prove

ourselves to those around us. This can result in not wanting to make any mistakes, not asking for

help or clarification, and can cause unnecessary stress in our work life (Milner, 2021). Overtime

this can cause dissatisfaction in the workplace and can make us feel unfulfilled, or worse,

unqualified. Brian Milner explains how he too has felt this way but offers some words of wisdom.

Celebrating failure, and the acknowledgement of making mistakes can promote the value of

learning and progressing. Being a motivating force and instilling confidence in members can also

help them develop courage to be open and honest about their mistakes and shortcomings (Milner,

2021). These moments in my life offer the best self reflection and goal setting. Last but not least,

set the example! Admit when you are wrong, bring attention to your mistakes (Milner, 2021).

Humanizing yourself can help them see you as an equal and in return perpetuates open

communication.

Starting Strong

Though the feelings of imposter syndrome never leave completely, there are ways that we

can help ourselves feel adequate. As new project managers there are some simple tips to help

keep us on track. Some of these tips include relying on the project manager tool. These tools can

include templates and outlines as well as resources like blogs, books, and guides to project
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management. If we follow the examples of those before us we can see the success they have seen

in years prior (Egeland, 2021).

Another great tip was to shadow another project manager. I am a very visual learner. As a

child in gymnastics I would watch the instructor perform a trick or routine as well as view videos

to help me understand how it was supposed to look. I am a master of imitation and this has

helped me succeed in sports throughout life, including my most recent athletic interest,

pickleball. Seeing how the professionals hold their paddles, place themselves on the court, and

communicate has ever acted by playing and improved my skills. This is the same when it comes

to executing professional projects. Seeing how someone achieves success and the tricks they

have curated over the years can help us feel more confident in our role and overcome our

imposter syndrome (Egeland, 2021).

In these past weeks using the Harvard simulations I have continually struggled with

mastering the budget. I can never seem to achieve any sort of timely accomplishment without the

budget suffering. In Tips for New Project Managers Brad Egeland mentions that the budget is the

hardest part. He encourages closely monitoring the budget and taking control over the project by

making decisions based on the current budget status (Egeland, 2021). I am happy to know my

struggle is not unheard of and rather very common.

Conclusion

Establishing an efficient moral compass will benefit not only you but your team. Creating

a cohesive group through a code of ethics will unify your team and produce results worthy of

pride. Overcoming our personal trials and discomfort can help us encourage personal

development in those around us. Our lives are full of judgments to be made and agency to be

exercised. Do not be afraid of what the future holds.

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References

Egeland, B. (2021, September 9). Tips for New Project Managers [web log]. Retrieved

September 26, 2021, from http://www.bradegeland.com/blog.

Kliem, R. L. (2012). Why Ethics Should Matter to Project Managers. In Ethics and Project

Management (pp. 21–45). essay, CRC Press.

Milner, B. (2021, August 10). When Being Wrong Is Right [web log]. Retrieved September

26, 2021, from https://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/blog/when-being-wrong-is-right.

Project Management Institute. (2007). Code of ethics & professional conduct. Project

Management Institute.