Real-Life Business Ethics: Dating the client’s daughter Setting the stage The protagonist (me): Young, straight out of college, on my second project as a consultant in Nashville, and only focused on doing a good job, but then… An unexpected twist Our client stops by my desk, and instead of asking me about the model I am working on, she asks if I want to date her daughter. What do I say?!

Setting the stage

The protagonist (me): Young, straight out of college, on my second project as a consultant in Nashville, and only focused on doing a good job, but then…

An unexpected twist

Our client stops by my desk, and instead of asking me about the model I am working on, she asks if I want to date her daughter. What do I say?!

3 9

I saw I was in a tricky situation. One wrong move could lead to disaster If I upset the client… … I would be in big trouble If I upset the daughter… We may lose future work, and my boss would get upset She might tell her mom, and our client might get upset If I upset my boss…

If I upset the client…

… I would be in big trouble

If I upset the daughter…

We may lose future work, and my boss would get upset

She might tell her mom, and our client might get upset

If I upset my boss…

5 6

With this in mind, one difficult decision quickly led to another Choice 1: Do I say yes or no to being set up? I contemplated lying and telling her I was seeing someone, but decided against it. I tried giving some reasons why I wasn’t looking to date, but when she offered to show me photos of her daughter, I realized I had to say yes Choice 2: Forced into going on a date, do I tell my manager? I contemplated just keeping it quiet, but realized it was better to fess up and ask for advice Choice 3: After an awkward but not horrible date and seeing that the daughter might want a second date, what do I do? After some thought, I realized that continuing to see her when I wasn’t truly excited was a bad idea Choice 4: How do I tell her I don’t want a second date? I decided honesty was the best policy and that the fact that her mother was my client shouldn’t influence what I said

Choice 1: Do I say yes or no to being set up?

I contemplated lying and telling her I was seeing someone, but decided against it.

I tried giving some reasons why I wasn’t looking to date, but when she offered to show me photos of her daughter, I realized I had to say yes

Choice 2: Forced into going on a date, do I tell my manager?

I contemplated just keeping it quiet, but realized it was better to fess up and ask for advice

Choice 3: After an awkward but not horrible date and seeing that the daughter might want a second date, what do I do?

After some thought, I realized that continuing to see her when I wasn’t truly excited was a bad idea

Choice 4: How do I tell her I don’t want a second date?

I decided honesty was the best policy and that the fact that her mother was my client shouldn’t influence what I said

2 8

Fortunately, luck was on my side and things turned out alright At the end of the day, things could have gone horribly awry, but they didn’t. Also, because I maintained my integrity and respect for others, I didn’t feel that I had compromised myself. And by doing so, I avoided even greater risks.

At the end of the day, things could have gone horribly awry, but they didn’t. Also, because I maintained my integrity and respect for others, I didn’t feel that I had compromised myself. And by doing so, I avoided even greater risks.

6 4