“VOICE YOUR CONCERN” FAQs FOR PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS
Q: What is “voice your concern”?
A: Voicing your concern is asking a question or
raising a concern pertaining to a project or initiative.
Q: When should you voice your concern?
A: You have an obligation to ask questions or report
problems when you feel that no one is giving your
concern due attention, despite your best efforts to
escalate the matter within your own team.
Q: What happens if voicing your concern results
in retaliation?
A: Any employee who seeks advice, raises a concern,
or reports suspected project risks in good faith is
doing the right thing.
The company will not tolerate retaliation against that
person. Anyone who engages in retaliation will face
action based on the PMO’s thorough assessment of
the situation and interviews with all parties involved.
Q: Is this a new expectation?
A: No. We have a long-standing commitment to
manage projects with integrity and in compliance
with set internal and external regulations. This
communication only clarifies and affirms your duty
to speak up.
Source: CEB, CEB Compliance & Ethics Leadership Council, 2012.
© 2013 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved. PMOEC6020413SYN
Q: When do you have a duty to “voice
your concern”?
A: Here are a few examples of when to raise an issue.
■■ If you are sure no action has been taken, despite
your escalation, or if you are skeptical about
discussing the matter with your immediate superior
■■ If you need advice about dealing with a specific
problem that could eventually lead to project
derailment
■■ If you believe that someone has consciously done,
is doing, or may be about to do something that
may sabotage the project’s outcomes
■■ If you believe that you may have been involved in
poor decision making that could lead to project
derailment
“Voice your concern” also means asking questions
when you aren’t sure what to do. So if you are not
certain of the proper course of action, ASK!
Q: What else is expected of you?
A: Never discourage others from reporting a problem.
Always report your concerns in good faith; never
knowingly make a false report.
Give due regard to protecting the rights and
concerns of anyone accused of wrongdoing or bad
decision making.
Be truthful, candid, and cooperative in any internal
inquiries.
Never retaliate against an employee who reports
a project issue.
Q: Why should you voice your concern?
A: Management needs to know about concerns
so they can investigate and address project issues
quickly and properly. By raising concerns, you help
protect the interests of yourself, your co-workers, and
your project.
Timeliness in reporting is essential.
If you fail to report a clear and present issue
you know about, you are not being true to your
commitment toward ensuring your project’s success.
Q: What if your supervisor tells you to “keep quiet”
about a question or concern you’ve raised?
A: If you think you are being discouraged from
reporting a potential project issue, you should report
both the original concern and the fact that you have
been told to “keep quiet.”
Q: What are examples of concerns you’re required
to report?
A: Here are a few examples of the types of issues you
must report:
■■ Any noncompliance with product quality
requirements
■■ Repeated ignorance of specific project risks or
issues
■■ Lack of cooperation from a stakeholder or a
supplier/vendor
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“VOICE YOUR CONCERN” FAQs FOR PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS
(CONTINUED)
■■ Any false statement made to an internal or
external stakeholder of the project
■■ Any ineligibility of a resource staffed to your
particular project
■■ Improper reporting/accounting of project
expenses
■■ Retaliation against any employee reporting a
concern about your project or any other you are
aware of
Q: What happens when you make a report?
A: We take all reports seriously. But we also need to
be fair, and we do not automatically assume a project
to be troubled or a person to be responsible based
on a report without further investigating the matter.
We interview the parties involved and analyze the
project artifacts to determine objectively what
happened and decide what to do based on those
facts.
If a risk or project issue is confirmed, then the PMO
leader may consult other senior executives, including
the stakeholders of the project, to determine the best
course of action.
Q: Will we keep your concern confidential?
A: The company will handle all reports with discretion
and, at your request, will protect your confidentiality.
However, certain individuals may have to know of
Source: CEB, CEB Compliance & Ethics Leadership Council, 2012.
© 2013 The Corporate Executive Board Company.
All Rights Reserved. PMOEC6020413SYN
the concern and the specifics of the project issue for Q: What if you want to remain anonymous?
effective analysis and follow-up. A: Face-to-face discussions are often best, but
There may be times when your identity may become there may be times when you may not feel
known during the course of the analysis of a project. comfortable talking to someone in person or
If this occurs, the PMO will strive to prevent any may prefer to remain anonymous.
retaliation based on the report.
Make clear that you wish you remain anonymous.
If he or she does not respect your request, then
immediately escalate the matter to his or her
Q: What will management do about your project-
superior or to the head of your function.
related concerns?
A: Each case is unique, but we use a consistent
process. We may determine that we do not need to Q: Will you be told about the details of a project
take action, or, at the other end of the spectrum, we health assessment or its outcome?
may need to self-report to stakeholders. A: In most cases, you will be told whether your
If the facts warrant, the PMO will take corrective reported issue was investigated and whether it was
action to bring the project back on track and resolved.
determine the best solution to ensure the project If you report the concern anonymously, you may
trouble does not resurface. not be told about the status of a project health
assessment.
Q: Whom do you contact to voice a concern?
A: It depends. Typically, the best place to raise an
issue is within your own project team or business unit.
In most cases, your project manager or your business
unit/geography’s management is closest to the issue
and may be the best place to go for a quick response.
If you are uncomfortable reporting an issue within
your project or business unit or local reporting
does not make sense, contact the head of the PMO
directly to clearly state your concern.