The key underlying concept of professional responsibility applied to projects is that all professionals promote their values and those of the organization, and their knowledge of the practice of Project Management, to the entire organization’s ecosystem.
• Personal values are related to each professional’s ethics and education in addition to the life learning acquired, which lead us to change our acts according to our daily growth as human beings.
• The organization's values are defined by the company, promoted by the executive and management teams, and understood by all the professional stakeholders.
• Project Management knowledge means that every professional in the company who manages and is a project team member, has received adequate training and the appropriate knowledge in Project Management.
Responsibility also means that professionals should apply their own commitment to the responsibility with the profession and the company in which they work, as well as a set of values and principles of conduct such as honesty, frankness, integrity, resourcefulness, commitment to the word given, and sympathy. Therefore, it is essential to be driven by ethical standards.
All the professionals involved in a project should perform management tasks, hence promote professional responsibility regardless of their role. Although the roles are diverse, we may classify professionals around the following categories: Sponsor, Executives, Business Analysts, professionals in key areas for the project development, Project Manager and Project Team, among others.
Therefore, Project Leaders must act with professional responsibility,
> Undertaking the commitment to the results of our actions, the consequences, and the impact that the decisions made will have on the project carried out in the company and in the social environment in which it is developed, regardless of the role performed by each team member.
> Being aware of the needs of others, motivating without exercising authority, focusing on teamwork and the project’s best interests, achieving individual and team maturity, getting continuous feedback among all the project team members, emphazising the relationship with the people, seeking honesty, aiming at the fulfillment of the objectives, and above all, showing responsibility.
Its validity over time shows that professional responsibility applied to projects leads all stakeholders to achieve an effective social performance, with a positive impact on the project's objectives as well as on the organization's benefits. In addition, it enhances a favorable work climate and the retention of professionals.