As I’ve mentioned in several of my articles, the role of an IT project manager requires not only technical skills but also the human qualities of a busines manager. To thrive and achieve lasting success, the project manager must recognize that his or her own potential and limitations influence the limits of the project. The starting point of this leadership lies in the individual’s alignment with himself or herself.
Alignment : “Say what you do and do what you say”
Coherence is the cornerstone of a project manager’s credibility. A coherent manager is one who is “in alignment between who he truly is and what he shows.” He must embody the simple principle of “he says what he does and does what he says.”
Authenticity is a fundamental dimension of this alignment, meaning the ability to stay true to oneself and to maintain one’s opinions and values.
The Peril of Incoherence
If the project manager is not aligned or tries to wear a professional “mask” far removed from his convictions, incoherence will inevitably be felt by stakeholders, which in turn undermines the relationship.
Incongruity is especially disastrous in a leadership context because it breaks trust irreversibly. The project manager’s attitude is a key element in maintaining team motivation. A lack of integrity can create tensions that, over time, erode the quality of delivery.
Practical Tool
I invite you to play a short game to discover whether your self‑diagnosis of coherence is effective. Answer the following questions by assigning a score of 0 to 2 for each. If the total of your answers is less than or equal to 6, improvements are possible; otherwise, you simply need to consolidate your self‑diagnosis.
- Do my daily actions reflect my declared values? (Identify visible gaps).
- Do I openly share the reasons behind my decisions? (Promotes transparency).
- When I’m under pressure, which emotions surface and how do I manage them? (Detects triggers of incoherence).
- Do I have a weekly ritual to review my commitments? (Instills discipline).
- Does my team perceive my integrity? (Measures external perception).
Integrity : Character as the Basis of Credibility
Trust is the foundation of leadership. To build this essential trust, a leader must demonstrate three core qualities: a clear vision of objectives, empathy through active listening, and character for resilient decision‑making.
The Role of Character
A leader’s character communicates potential and earns respect. When a leader’s character is strong, people trust him and believe in his ability to unlock their potential. Personal integrity is a guarantee of credibility. The project manager must have self‑confidence to make impartial judgments and resolve conflicts without bias.
Ethical and Deontological Alignment
Integrity manifests itself through adherence to ethical principles. The PMI has published a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct that illustrates these principles. The purpose of this Code is to inspire confidence among project‑management professionals and help them make informed decisions, especially in delicate situations where they might be tempted to compromise their integrity or values.
The Code is based on four core values for the global project‑management community: responsibility, respect, fairness, and honesty. Acting consistently with these values is crucial for a project manager to be a meaningful leader.
The CERCLE Model Applied to Integrity
The CERCLE model is a guiding framework that helps leaders make decisions while staying true to their ethical values. Each letter represents a precise step; following them ensures that reasoning is complete, transparent, and rooted in integrity.
C – Context
Gather all factual information about the situation: who the stakeholders are, the objectives, budget constraints, deadlines, legal or contractual requirements. Starting from an objective assessment avoids subjective interpretations that could bias judgment.
E – Ethics
Identify the moral principles at stake. Refer to the PMI Code of Ethics (responsibility, respect, fairness, honesty) as well as your personal values (transparency, justice, loyalty). Highlighting these ethical anchors guarantees that the decision does not sacrifice the very foundations of your integrity.
R – Risks
Analyze possible consequences, both positive and negative. Consider short‑term impacts (client satisfaction, immediate cost) and medium‑ or long‑term effects (reputation, compliance, team climate). Anticipating risks helps avoid shortcuts that could tarnish credibility.
C – Choice
Based on the context and ethical criteria, compare the available options. Prioritize the one that minimizes harm, maximizes respect for values, and best meets operational requirements. The choice must be clearly justified by its alignment with the principles identified in the previous step.
L – Leadership
Communicate the decision transparently. Explain the reasoning (the CERCLE steps), open the floor to questions and feedback, then rally the team around the chosen solution. Demonstrating full ownership of the decision strengthens trust and the perception of integrity.
E – Evaluation (feedback loop)
Once the decision is implemented, measure its real impact: budget adherence, stakeholder satisfaction, compliance with ethical standards. Record lessons learned for future decisions. This step turns a single act of integrity into a lasting habit.
Daily Practice
Before each important decision, mentally run through the six CERCLE steps. Briefly note each point (one sentence suffices) to keep a record of your reasoning. Share this summary with relevant parties—it shows you are not deciding in the shadows. After execution, revisit the Evaluation step to verify that results match your ethical expectations and adjust your approach if needed.
By following this structured process, you ensure every choice reflects your integrity values, your team perceives your approach as honest, and trust builds on solid, transparent foundations.
Self‑Knowledge, the First Act of Coherence
The pursuit of coherence and authenticity necessarily involves personal development work. An individual must identify his values and deep motivations.
Knowing oneself is indispensable; a project manager must understand his own personality and hierarchy of operating centers (instinctive, emotional, mental). He must become aware of his impact within the organization and recognize and accept his emotions.
This self‑awareness prevents self‑deception and enables action in full freedom and consciousness, which is the path toward serenity and greater power of action.
Concrete Examples of Self‑Knowledge Impact
a) Stress Management During a Crisis
During an ERP rollout, the payment‑campaign process fails, and the company cannot pay its suppliers. The project manager, aware that his first impulse would be to find a responsible party, interrupts that reflex. After a brief breath, he mentally reframes his goal (“preserve the schedule”) and adopts a collaborative stance: he first gathers facts from the team, then proposes a corrective plan. The problem is solved faster, the team stays motivated, and trust remains intact.
b) Communicating Bad News
The project budget must be reduced by twenty percent. Knowing his own aversion to confrontation, the project manager anticipates the difficulty. Before the meeting, he assembles the figures, prepares solid arguments, and imagines the reactions the news will trigger. On D‑day, he chooses a moment when the team is relaxed, then, in a calm voice, explains the reasons for the cut. He acknowledges the impact on everyone, shows empathy, and promptly opens a discussion on possible alternatives. Because he demonstrates transparency and foresight, team members accept the change, convinced the leader is acting honestly and considerately.
Development Methodology
I propose a self‑discovery methodology built on five key points:
- Observation : after each meeting or incident, record the context, the emotions felt, and the behavior adopted.
- Identification of Patterns : group weekly notes to spot recurring triggers (stress, uncertainty, desire to please).
- Impact Analysis : evaluate the outcome of each reaction and consider more favorable alternatives.
- Adjustment Goals : formulate small habits (e.g., breathe twice before responding, seek external input before approval).
- Monitoring : tick off daily habit application and conduct a monthly review of progress.
To put this method into daily practice, immediately after a key interaction, devote fifteen minutes to:
- Note the context,
- Identify the emotions experienced,
- Describe the triggered behavior,
- Analyze the immediate result,
- Formulate a corrective action to test in the next similar situation.
A weekly reread of these micro‑reports transforms isolated anecdotes into a continuous‑improvement plan, strengthening self‑awareness and, consequently, the credibility and effectiveness of leadership.
Conclusion
Without a solid inner alignment, a project manager can only achieve fleeting results. Relationships built on trust, character, and integrity constitute the invisible foundation that supports sustainable performance. By cultivating self‑knowledge, applying ethical decision frameworks, and regularly checking alignment with concrete tools, a leader turns his own behavior into a genuine engine of success for the team and the project.