What are you risking?
In the case study, the intern is potentially risking her current offer as well as future prospects by speaking up. Since she has not started in Korea yet and has yet to begin her first project, she is not deeply embedded in the firm, and very well could lose her offer if the manager frowns upon her speaking up. In my perspective, I think the risk depends on many factors like the people you work with, the culture of the firm, and your role/experience. I think it is much more risky to speak up to your boss as an intern than as a permanent associate or VP at the same firm, when you are not at the bottom of the chain of command. Additionally, if you are well-established within the firm, I think you are much less likely to face serious consequences for speaking up, even if your direct superior frowns upon it. I also think that the company culture goes a long way here, and that a company with open, honest culture is much less risky to speak up in than one that operates heavily behind closed doors.
The Plan
Before speaking up, I think it’s crucial for the intern to choose a private conversation and good timing, and seek appropriate allies like an HR rep. It is also important to frame everything in collaborative terms and as working towards a shared goal, as opposed to a battle between the intern and the manager. In the case of a dismissive or uncooperative response, the intern can follow up with another supervisor or ethics officer. These steps mitigate the risk of direct retaliation after speaking up and set up the intern to have the best chance of successfully doing so.
