The Dubious Situation
In the study, the intern Susan is asked by her manager to call competitors while pretending to be “just an MBA student.” Even though the task seems small, she quickly realizes it puts her in an uncomfortable position. Speaking up carries real risks, such as that she could upset her boss, damage her chances of getting a return offer, or even lose the internship. But staying silent also has consequences. If she lies and gets caught, she could hurt her reputation, harm her school’s reputation, and make it harder to find a job later. In some ways, the long-term cost of not speaking up is much higher than the short-term stress of an awkward conversation.
Making a Plan
The “How to Speak Up When It Matters” plan might be useful here, let us consider it:
(1) Realize it’s difficult but might be worth it. Susan clearly feels significant psychological pressure from wanting to succeed, wanting approval, and not wanting to disappoint her family. Acknowledging that it is objectively a hard situation can help her decide more calmly.
(2) Lessen the social threat. Instead of accusing Mr. Moon of being unethical, she could frame her concern in a low-conflict way, something along the lines of “I see the competitive advantage of doing this task, but I’ve never really been comfortable lying and I’m afraid there is potential of hurting our relationship with other firms if they somehow find out about it. I’ve always tried to have a clean conscience, and I’m not sure if I want to go through with this task.”
(3) Make a plan. She could write a short, polite message to Mr. Moon and cc Emma, explaining she’s uncomfortable misrepresenting herself and offering alternatives—like gathering insights from existing clients, analysts, or internal staff who know the market.
