In this case study and in general, when you speak up to your boss you are risking your job and potential other jobs within the same field. If you say something that may offend your boss in an internship, you may be fired or not given a full-time offer. This is where the difficulty comes in; it is almost impossible to know what may or may not offend your boss. Whether or not they find certain content offensive depends on an array of factors including culture, lived experience, and even mood. In tight knit industries or smaller industries, your boss may have contacts at other companies and word may spread that you are hard to work with. This could potentially impact your ability to get a job, not only at the current company, but also at other companies in the future.
In this specific case study, Susan should realize how psychologically difficult, but important it will be fore her to speak up on this topic. Realistically, she has talked to her family and previous coworker about possible implications, but also the importance of knowing your values early in your career. Second, she should work to lessen the social threat. In Josh Bersin’s expert review, he talked about using “we” to break down the status structure. This will be a useful tool for Susan because it will communicate that she is on Emma and Mr. Moon’s side. It will also convey that a negative impact would not only impact her, but also the company. If Susan plans on speaking to Mr. Moon and Emma in person, she should come up with some plans for if-then scenarios.
