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A few years ago, a sales executive I worked with found himself in a difficult position. His company was under review for a potential buyout, and his director asked him to present a version of the companys story that, while technically true, left out critical details. The omission would make the company look healthier than it was, protecting its valuation and the leadership teams positions post-acquisition. He knew this wasnt an outright lie, but it didnt feel honest either. Was this just strategic messaging or something more ethically concerning? And how could he navigate this without jeopardizing his reputation or future at the company? A third path He chose a third path. Instead of outright refusal, which might have been career-limiting, he started by asking clarifying questions. What was the real outcome that the leadership team wanted? Was there a way to tell a fuller, more balanced story that acknowledged challenges while highlighting future opportunities? In the end, he was able to get leadership buy-in to reframe the story to focus on how the company had learned from its struggles and was taking steps to improve. It wasnt a spin. It was honest, forward-looking, and hopeful. The CEO praised the approach, and the executive maintained his integrity without derailing his career. The Institute of Business Ethics found in a study that one in three employees felt pressured to compromise the businesss ethical standards. Many comply out of fearworried theyll face retaliation, be labeled difficult, or lose opportunities. But there are ways to push back without risking your career. UNDERSTAND BEFORE OBJECTING When confronted with a questionable request, most people respond in one of two ways: They comply out of fear or they push back immediately, putting their job security at risk. Theres a better first step: Push to understand. Not all uncomfortable requests are unethical. Some are simply poorly communicated or misaligned with your values. Clarify: Start by seeking to fully understand the request. You may find the issue is one of discomfort rather than unethical intent. Question: Explore the outcomes they want and whether the request achieves those goals in the best way. Asking thoughtful questions often makes leaders rethink their approach on their own. Redirect: If appropriate, propose a solution that meets the same business objectives without compromising integrity. For example, rather than omitting challenges, highlight how those challenges spurred innovation or improved future outcomes. These conversations can reveal that the person making the request is open to alternatives, they just hadnt thought of them yet. UNETHICAL VERSUS ILLEGAL If youve clarified, questioned, and still feel uncomfortable, its important to assess whether the request is merely unethical or actually illegal. That distinction determines your next move. If the request is illegal, you will want to tread carefully. If you feel psychologically safe, it can be helpful to start communicating via email to keep a digital trail (although it is possible that your manager will cover their trail by refusing to engage on email). Further, if your company has an HR department, you can share the request with them along with expressing your discomfort. One friend who works in compliance found himself in this exact situation. His manager asked him to manipulate data, a clear violation of regulations. He responded by email, explicitly stating why the request was illegal and citing the relevant regulatory code. He was never asked to do it again. Sometimes, simply stating the facts is the most powerful shield you have. However, if the request is unethical but not necessarily illegal, your next move should be a personal decision that minimizes future regret. REGRET MINIMIZATION FRAMEWORK If youre facing this kind of dilemma, its already a bad situation. Theres no playbook that guarantees success or protection. Sometimes, doing everything right still results in backlash or career limitations. This is why I recommend applying whats called the regret minimization framework. Ask yourself: If I look back on this 10 years from now, will I regret how I handled it? This is the core of the regret minimization framework, a decision-making tool made famous by Jeff Bezos. It doesnt promise a perfect outcome. But it helps you act in a way that minimizes long-term regret, even if it leads to short-term discomfort. When you apply this framework, youre not just considering whether youll keep your job next month. Youre asking which version of yourselftodays self or your future selfyou want to protect more. Do you want to be someone who went along to keep the peace? Or someone who held the line when it mattered? This doesnt mean you have to become a whistleblower or burn bridges. It simply means choosing the actions that leave you at peace with yourself, knowing you did what you could with the power and information you had at the time.
Category:
E-Commerce
The temperatures are heating up and school’s almost out for the summer. Before we fully dive into the warmer months and vacations, we get a mini-break in the form of Memorial Day weekenda preview of coming attractionsbut it requires some planning ahead because today (Monday May 26, 2025) is a federal holiday. Lets take a look at a brief history of the day and what business and services will be closed to observe it. A brief history of Memorial Day Memorial Day has its roots in the aftermath of the Civil War. On May 30, 1868, John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, declared the first national observance of Declaration Day, Memorial Days predecessor, on which flowers were placed on Union soldiers graves. Even before this declaration, there were many similar Confederate customs. Many cities on both sides claim to be the originators of the holiday. As more battles were fought, the holiday evolved beyond a single conflict to honor and mourn all service members who lost their lives in the line of battle. It became an official federal holiday in 1971 after a 1968 law, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, was enacted by Congress. This moved the holiday from May 30 to the last Monday in May, giving many traditional American workers a three-day weekend. Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day Many mix up or confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The former celebrates service members who have died in the line of battle. The latter takes place in November and celebrates all American veterans. Are banks open on Memorial Day? No. Major money transactions that require going inside a bank are going to have to wait as these institutions are closed on federal holidays. Are ATMs open on Memorial Day? Yes. Luckily, for simpler deposits and withdrawals, automated teller machines located outside of the branch are available. Is the post office open on Memorial Day? No. You wont be able to run into a post office on Memorial Day as the United States Postal Service (USPS) is not open for business. Buy stamps and send big packages ahead of time. Is mail delivered on Memorial Day? No. Bills and postcards will be delayed a day, as postal mail is not delivered on Memorial Day. Are FedEx and UPS operating on Memorial Day? According to the 2025 FedEx holiday schedule, only FedEx Custom Critical services will be available. FedEx Office will have a modified schedule while FedEx, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Logistics are closed. According to the 2025 UPS holiday schedule, only UPS Express Critical services are available. Limited UPS store locations will be open. UPS Forwarding, UPS Domestic Ground, Air, and International are all closed for the holiday. Is the stock market open on Memorial Day? No. You will have to buy and sell another day. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq exchange are closed. Are schools open on Memorial Day? No. Students and teachers typically get the day off for Memorial Day. That being said, it is a good practice to double check your own schools calendar to verify this. Are restaurants open on Memorial Day? Yes. Most restaurants are open and hoping to take advantage of the three-day weekend revenue. This includes fast food chains such as McDonald’s and sit-down chains such as Applebee’s. For smaller mom-and-pop-type places, it’s best to double check that they didnt take the day off. Are pharmacies open on Memorial Day? Typically, yes. Most Walgreens and CVS locations will be open, but they may have modified hours. Be sure to check your local location ahead of time, especially if you need your medication in a pinch. Moreover, independent pharmacies may be closed. Are stores and groceries open on Memorial Day? For the most part, yes. Big-box retailers like Walmart and Target are open on Memorial Day, according to a roundup from USA Today. If you need a last-minute bottle of ketchup or mustard for your hamburgers and hot dogs, you are covered. Trader Joes, Kroger, and many more have your back. The majority of large supermarket chains will be open for all your family barbecue needs. Costco, however, will be closed, so buy in bulk ahead of time.
Category:
E-Commerce
The temperatures are heating up and school’s almost out for the summer. Before we fully dive into the warmer months and vacations, we get a mini-break in the form of Memorial Day weekenda preview of coming attractionsbut it requires some planning ahead because today (Monday May 26, 2025) is a federal holiday. Lets take a look at a brief history of the day and what business and services will be closed to observe it. A brief history of Memorial Day Memorial Day has its roots in the aftermath of the Civil War. On May 30, 1868, John A. Logan, commander in chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, declared the first national observance of Declaration Day, Memorial Days predecessor, on which flowers were placed on Union soldiers graves. Even before this declaration, there were many similar Confederate customs. Many cities on both sides claim to be the originators of the holiday. As more battles were fought, the holiday evolved beyond a single conflict to honor and mourn all service members who lost their lives in the line of battle. It became an official federal holiday in 1971 after a 1968 law, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, was enacted by Congress. This moved the holiday from May 30 to the last Monday in May, giving many traditional American workers a three-day weekend. Memorial Day vs. Veterans Day Many mix up or confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The former celebrates service members who have died in the line of battle. The latter takes place in November and celebrates all American veterans. Are banks open on Memorial Day? No. Major money transactions that require going inside a bank are going to have to wait as these institutions are closed on federal holidays. Are ATMs open on Memorial Day? Yes. Luckily, for simpler deposits and withdrawals, automated teller machines located outside of the branch are available. Is the post office open on Memorial Day? No. You wont be able to run into a post office on Memorial Day as the United States Postal Service (USPS) is not open for business. Buy stamps and send big packages ahead of time. Is mail delivered on Memorial Day? No. Bills and postcards will be delayed a day, as postal mail is not delivered on Memorial Day. Are FedEx and UPS operating on Memorial Day? According to the 2025 FedEx holiday schedule, only FedEx Custom Critical services will be available. FedEx Office will have a modified schedule while FedEx, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Logistics are closed. According to the 2025 UPS holiday schedule, only UPS Express Critical services are available. Limited UPS store locations will be open. UPS Forwarding, UPS Domestic Ground, Air, and International are all closed for the holiday. Is the stock market open on Memorial Day? No. You will have to buy and sell another day. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq exchange are closed. Are schools open on Memorial Day? No. Students and teachers typically get the day off for Memorial Day. That being said, it is a good practice to double check your own schools calendar to verify this. Are restaurants open on Memorial Day? Yes. Most restaurants are open and hoping to take advantage of the three-day weekend revenue. This includes fast food chains such as McDonald’s and sit-down chains such as Applebee’s. For smaller mom-and-pop-type places, it’s best to double check that they didnt take the day off. Are pharmacies open on Memorial Day? Typically, yes. Most Walgreens and CVS locations will be open, but they may have modified hours. Be sure to check your local location ahead of time, especially if you need your medication in a pinch. Moreover, independent pharmacies may be closed. Are stores and groceries open on Memorial Day? For the most part, yes. Big-box retailers like Walmart and Target are open on Memorial Day, according to a roundup from USA Today. If you need a last-minute bottle of ketchup or mustard for your hamburgers and hot dogs, you are covered. Trader Joes, Kroger, and many more have your back. The majority of large supermarket chains will be open for all your family barbecue needs. Costco, however, will be closed, so buy in bulk ahead of time.
Category:
E-Commerce
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