| All Project Management Professional, (PMP), certified | | | | duty to inform the key stakeholders of your |
| project managers must uphold the Project | | | | knowledge gaps so that they may make an informed |
| Management Institute, (PMI)®, code of ethics. You | | | | decision regarding your suitability to the project. This |
| must be honest in all of your dealings, you must bring | | | | standard of conduct should be valuable to your |
| violations to the proper authorities, you must not | | | | business partners. They should be made aware of it. |
| engage in gossip or make comments that undermine | | | | Your adherence to the ethical code of conduct |
| another person's reputation. These are all worthy | | | | substantially reduces risk to your clients. You won't |
| standards of conduct that should be pertinent to all | | | | take assignments that are far beyond your ability and |
| project managers. The responsibility standard of | | | | experience. You will act honestly. You will conduct |
| conduct really sets you above the norm as it | | | | yourself professionally at all times. Many other |
| substantially reduces the risk an organization takes | | | | practitioners do not operate under such a strict code. |
| when using your services. | | | | They may take assignments far beyond their ability. |
| The PMI responsibility standard specifies that a PMP | | | | If they are unsuccessful, they can simply move to a |
| certified project manager will only accept those | | | | new assignment. Their clients bear a substantial |
| assignments that are consistent with their | | | | amount of risk, often without knowing about it. The |
| background. This means that you will not take an | | | | uncertified project manager has no compelling reason |
| assignment that you have no hope of completing | | | | to explain knowledge gaps. In many cases, the hiring |
| successfully. Others in the project management are | | | | of uncertified project managers puts the project in |
| not as selective. They will often take any job | | | | jeopardy of failure. The future costs could be very |
| offered and will then attempt to learn as they go. | | | | high indeed. |
| You will not, and cannot, do this. | | | | As a Project Management Professional, you should |
| That isn't to say that you can't take a challenging | | | | ensure that your clients are well aware of the |
| role. The ethics code does allow for a "stretch | | | | protection that your credential offers them. Your |
| assignment", one that you may not have direct | | | | ethical conduct is a defining feature of your actions. |
| experience with. For these assignments, you have a | | | | This can be of great value to your clients. |