My Question of the Day for 29 June 2010 – UPDATED
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My Question of the Day: Two coworkers, we’ll call them Andrea Vincent and Brian Paulson, are both up for the same promotion. So far, both employees have been performing at the same outstanding caliber of productivity. Their supervisor decides to have each of them do a 5-minute presentation on the company’s future success to determine who will get the promotion. They have two weeks to prepare.
Even though Andrea and Brian are neck and neck for the same promotion, Andrea is aware that Brian and her supervisor are friends from college, and they spend a lot of time together during off hours playing golf, hiking and attending sporting events. Although Andrea hasn’t witnessed her supervisor showing favoritism to Brian, she’s concerned nonetheless.
While the employees are preparing to give their presentations, Andrea receives a startling email that was sent to her by mistake. It just so happens that the president of the company is named Andrew Vincent (no relation), and the person who was trying to email him inadvertently sent the information to Andrea.
What’s startling about the email is that the information, if included in her presentation, will give Andrea the exact boost she needs to literally guarantee her the promotion over Brian Paulson.
What should she do?
My 2 Cents: The fruits of ill-gotten gains are usually never as sweet as we’d think they would be once we’ve bitten into them.
There’s no question in my mind that Andrea’s integrity is on the line with this one.
She should not use the information.
She should report the incident to her supervisor, so that he will know that she had the opportunity to win with an unfair advantage but she chose not to. That may win her favor when it comes to the promotion.
From the scenario, it sounds like her boss is fair-minded. If he weren’t, he’d just give the promotion to his college friend and that would be that.
Integrity is what we show, even when no one is watching. However, it’s been my experience that someone is always watching; always.
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First thought is to just use it, but asking permission first is the better option. Something like this will always find a way to catch up to you.
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LikeDislikeShe should definitely make the president aware that the email was sent to the wrong person and perhaps ask if Andrew could read the email as well to make things more fair.
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LikeDislikeFirst and foremost she should forward the email to it’s intended recipient. She should then ask the president for the confidentiality level of the information contained and if sharing internally is allowed. If sharing is approved then she can use it in her presentation and consider it part of her research.
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LikeDislikeEmails are always traceable. The pres. who sent the email will eventually find out he sent the email to the wrong person. You don’t want to be the sleazeball who got a leg up that way. It’s irrelevant if the other candidate has nepotism in their favor. The world is built around who you know, not necessarily what you know. It’s not fair, but life isn’t fair.
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LikeDislikeAhh, this is a tough one. Brian has a leg up so why shouldn’t Andrea use the information? IMO Andrea should let the author of the email know that the email was sent to the wrong person. Maybe also let the author know that now that she knows the info contained in the email, she would like to use it during a presentation, as long as the info isn’t confidential.
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LikeDislikeThat’s really hard to say in an “advance my career” vs “just doing what’s right” kinda way. I’d say that I honestly believe that she should send the information she received back to the person she received it from, let the person know that they sent it to the wrong person, and then contact the person who the email was originally for (seeing as how it was the owner and all) and let him know how this information will/can affect her. She should bite her nails, pray real hard, and accept whatever happens. That’s just what’s right. I know that MY faith won’t leave me butt-out for doing what’s right (for too long), and that’s what I would do.
If she wants to advance her career, and then watch it burn, she should use what she knows in the presentation. Losing by disqualification is still losing.
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LikeDislikeIts not about what you know its about what you can prove. So if her boss and her coworker are friends she better use that email to her advantage. I believe in using the cards you were dealt in life.
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LikeDislikeThat is an interesting scenario. She clearly feels that the relationship that Brian and her sup may affect his decision for the role, and we as readers can only assume that he will do what’s fair and just. On the other hand, since they are golf buddies, surely there have been incidences where vertical “pillow talk” may have been shared on the golf course, or worse, the supervisor advised that he is a shoe-in, and that “we’re just going through the motions”. The right thing to do is delete the email, and believe that she has what it takes to get the job on her own merit. Integrity is paramount in making proper business decisions. Out of curiosity, she may have observed those files already. Perhaps if she has, she may be able to nudge things that way in her presentation, but cause a failure because the middle and executive management may get wind of that and cause her to lose employment all together. Another thing is this: what if that was an integrity test adminsistered to all folks up for promo, and to see wwho is trustworthy? She should take the high road and trust God. If its for her, she will get it. Cheating is cheating. Good scenario! Thanks – Leon (@502ms on twitter)
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LikeDislikeI believe Andrea should talk to Andrew, tell him this message was misdirected. After that, maybe have a discussion with Andrew about her future at the company.
Is the company president aware that Andrea and Brian need to do presentations for their supervisor? Maybe Andrea will get permission to use the information from the e-mail.
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