Eileen told me that her family has a long history of lung cancer.  She vowed never to smoke and as she grew older, her anti-smoking conviction only grew stronger.

Eileen’s dilemma occurred when she was a junior level consultant for a leading consulting firm. The economic downturn meant downsizing. There were fewer projects and un-staffed consultants were being laid off.  Eileen’s boss approached her with a project for a tobacco company that was being staffed. She said she was not comfortable helping a company that produces and markets cigarettes and other tobacco products that have been proven to cause cancer. Eileen told me in her deliberation process: “I thought a lot  about who I was and what I stood for, and how it was important for me to have the courage to stand up for what I believed in.”

Her actions included speaking with the partner about her concerns, and telling him about her reluctance to be a part of a project whereby she would be helping a tobacco company improve their business. Eileen’s boss warned her that she was taking a major risk, and that while he respected her views, she was putting her job on the line.  She stood by her decision, and was passed over for the assignment.

The outcome was that she was forced to take some vacation time, but was not fired.  Eventually, she was staffed on another project for a different partner. 

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