To Speak or Not To Speak… that is the question:
When faced with an ethically dubious task, the risk isn’t just about getting in trouble with your boss or losing out on a job—it’s much bigger. Reading about Susan’s dilemma as an intern at Zantech (and reflecting on if I was put in those situations), the real hazards surface: your reputation, your future prospects, and above all, your own sense of integrity hang in the balance (pg. 3 HB study). If you stay silent, that icky feeling lingers, and often, so does a feeling of misalignment with the culture you’re in.
Steps to Overcome:
Step one: is simply to acknowledge the psychological battle; it’s not going to be easy to do the right thing. The urge to please, fear of derailing your career (or even just an internship), and the implicit pressure from “this is common practice” all combine to make speaking up both emotionally taxing and critically important.
Step two: lessen the social threat. Susan, for example, wouldn’t launch into confrontation. Instead, she frames her discomfort collaboratively and constructively, like when she said, “I’m worried this could reflect poorly on Zantech if word gets out,” or “Could we be more transparent about our affiliation?”. I really resonated with the approach of using “we” language, which centers on team/company risk, and shows respect for different norms, all while not conceding your core values (pg. 4 HB review).
Step three: Formulate your alternative plan. Susan could research alternatives (leveraging clients, consultancies, or internal experts) and be ready to present solutions rather than just outlining problems (pg. 5 HB study). She’d identify allies (maybe her intern program manager, maybe even a careful word to a supportive executive) and know what she’s willing to do or not to do before ever hitting send.
The hardest part isn’t the ethics. It’s finding strategic ways to use your voice, even while the stakes feel sky-high. But that’s exactly why it matters, and exactly how trust in yourself and your employer gets built.
