The minute Susan’s manager told her to post as “an MBA student” using her university email to obtain sensitive competitor information, she was immediately uncomfortable. The article says she was “shifting uncomfortably in her chair” as Mr. Moon insisted that “this is common practice” and that previous interns had done the same. This shows what’s at stake when an intern speaks up: the power imbalance, the fear of disappointment, and the possibility of losing an opportunity she strongly wanted.
But the risks run in both directions. If Susan goes along with this, she jeopardizes her own credibility and even her career. As Melinda warns her, if she’s found out, “you might have trouble finding any job in your field at all,” and it could reflect poorly on her MBA program as well. The case makes it clear that accepting an ethically dubious task isn’t just about bending a rule; it’s about the long-term professional identity and trustworthiness she’s creating at the start of her career.
The three-step plan for speaking up aligns with Susan’s situation:
- Recognize the difficulty: The case shows repeatedly how psychologically pressured she feels: thinking on her jog, worrying about rent, etc. This mental weight is the difficulty the framework talks about.
- Lessen the social threat: Experts recommend she frame her concerns around risk to the company, i.e., a warning that if “the word leaks out,” it could “reflect poorly on the firm.” This changes the conversation from confrontation to collaboration.
- Make a plan: The article suggests solid alternatives: gathering intel from clients, analysts, or internal employees – ethical options she could bring to Mr. Moon instead of a flat “no.”
Speaking up is always a risk, but if Susan “compromises her values now, it will only haunt her later.” Sometimes the bigger risk is staying silent.
