In the eyes of Susan, she has two choices — to speak up to her boss, Mr. Moon, or to accept the ethically dubious task of misrepresenting herself. She’s likely to be losing out in both scenarios. For instance, cultural norms in many countries, such as Korea, mean that speaking up against her boss may have unintended consequences, such as being fired from her position as an intern. This would almost definitely have consequences for her future career prospects. However, on the other hand, accepting an ethically dubious task also comes with its own set of challenges, as her former principal, Melinda, describes. Susan could face consequences both in the industry after misrepresenting herself, and at her MBA program as well, for using its name in an untruthful light.
While coming to a decision on what she should do, Susan could follow the three step plan highlighted in “How to Speak Up When It Matters.” The first step, recognizing the difficulty and worthiness of speaking up, is crucial. During much of her time after been given the assignment, Susan is alternating between thinking about how important the ramifications of the task are and also thinking about how to speak up to her boss. She should make the first step here recognizing the magnitude of both tasks. Her next step, lessening the social threat that speaking up creates, will be difficult. There’s an inherent social threat attached to speaking with Mr. Moon about this, given that he is her boss. Crucially, as described in “How to Speak Up When It Matters,” Susan needs to communicate that she is providing feedback on impact, instead of being out to get anyone. Finally, Susan needs to make a plan. She’s already been mulling over her options for a few days, and this uncertainty hasn’t been helping her at all. Instead, Susan should think of using if-then goals to work towards a solution.
