Hello, and welcome to another Parallel Project Training podcast. I’m Ruth Phillips, joined by two of Parallel’s senior trainers, Carmen Campos and Lisa Regan. Today, we’re discussing ethics, compliance, and professionalism, based on the APM PMQ syllabus for exams beginning in September 2024. Welcome to the podcast.
Ethics, compliance, and professionalism is an important yet broad topic. Could you start by explaining what it means to behave ethically as a project manager?
Ethics is about doing the right thing and influencing others to do so, ensuring actions are morally, socially, and responsibly correct. It involves integrity, respect, and empathy – a profound topic, really.
Behaving ethically also means working without bias or influence, treating everyone fairly and equally. A simple example might be sticking to scheduled breaks in training sessions to respect everyone’s needs equally.
The syllabus describes professionalism as working consistently in a moral, legal, and socially responsible manner. This consistency is vital, isn’t it?
The first area to explore is the legal and regulatory landscape within which projects operate, including the need for project managers to ensure compliance. Could you give some examples of laws and regulations relevant to project management?
It depends on the project’s context. For example, most projects must comply with health and safety regulations, which require risk assessments, safety checks, and appropriate safety measures. Working conditions are another area, with laws setting minimum standards to ensure fair treatment, like regulated work hours. A project manager must understand these to manage the project effectively.
That’s right. I remember a project where we had to carefully manage team members’ working hours during testing for a 24/7 operation. Compliance isn’t just about legality but also about maintaining a healthy project environment.
Absolutely, especially in international projects where practices may differ. It’s crucial to balance legal requirements with cultural considerations and values.
And don’t forget the importance of consulting subject matter experts. They often know specific regulations, especially when working with international teams.
This leads to our second topic: knowing where to seek specialist advice. Sources of expertise could include professional bodies like the APM, Chartered Institute of Building, or relevant corporate departments such as Legal or HR. Subject matter experts are essential for detailed guidance.
The final area is continuous professional development (CPD), which is key to staying current in our roles. As a Chartered Project Professional, what does CPD mean?
CPD is about remaining up-to-date and ensuring skills meet current standards, similar to other professions like medicine or aviation. It’s a continuous cycle of identifying development needs, setting goals, and reflecting on progress.
Yes, CPD helps us stay fresh, interested, and passionate about our careers. Conferences, webinars, and networking events are valuable for staying connected to the latest developments and best practices. Reading industry books can also broaden knowledge.
The APM competence framework is a great tool for identifying development areas, and logging CPD hours helps maintain membership. Personally, exploring AI and robotics in project management through webinars and articles has been a current focus.
CPD doesn’t always have to be directly about project management – gaining technical knowledge or expanding skills in other areas can still enhance project skills, such as stakeholder management or risk awareness.
CPD can really help address competence gaps and maintain enthusiasm in our work. We’ve covered the key aspects of ethics, compliance, and professionalism, discussed the importance of understanding legal and regulatory requirements, consulting experts, and investing in CPD.
Thank you for a thought-provoking discussion.
Thank you!
