Jerry the Project Manager has been receiving a lot of assistance from Tom, his assistant. At the next report-out in front of the Program Manager, Jerry gives Tom credit for his contribution. What concept best represents Jerry’s actions?
Explanation
Answer: d - According to the Code, Project Managers help advance the profession by giving appropriate recognition to any person who is making contributions to the project’s success.
Jerry’s action may also be truthful, following the correct process, and putting the project’s needs ahead of his own, but in this case, the best answer is represented by (d).
Key Take Away: Whether it be peers, subordinates or superiors, everyone loves praise and hates someone who takes credit for work they did. Give praise generously and make others look good and you will be rewarded with friendships, loyalty and productive teams. You might think that giving appropriate recognition is common sense, but think about how many times you’ve done something you haven’t felt like you received full credit for. Even if you’re good at it, you should make sure your team members are doing so as well. This is especially the case when you and your team are especially busy. It becomes easier to forget such details, but this is guaranteed to hurt morale.
While it may not be on the top ten To-Do list, it’s very important for Project managers to remember that learning opportunities abound for them and their team members. Project managers should constantly look for opportunities to mentor junior staff, and continually strive to improve upon the knowledge base within their teams.