If your boss asks you to do something unethical, immoral, or even illegal, how do you respond? The first step should be to appeal to your boss’s self-interest — it’s possible that he’s unaware of the implications of what he’s suggesting. Explore the request, framing it in terms of the potential costs and implications for him to test the waters. This also signals your discomfort and gives him a way to quietly withdraw his request without losing face. If that doesn’t work, it’s best to just say no. If that still doesn’t work, try speaking to your boss’s boss, an ombudsman, or human resources. It can help to gather allies, organizing several people to go to a manager together to express concerns. In a worst-case scenario, you may need to consider taking direct legal action, or blowing the whistle outside your company.
Adapted from "What to Do If Your Boss Asks You to Break the Rules," by Peter T. Coleman and Robert Ferguson
