The Physicist and the Firefly
Moral Dilemma #8: A Wrinkle
Now we’d like to complicate Kiersten’s dilemma just a bit more by telling you what happened next…
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Read our Expert’s Analysis of the dilemma and your responses.
THE WRINKLE
Between helping Ian get through his treatments and spending more time than usual on the day to day care for their daughter Brenna, Kiersten had enough on her hands just negotiating day to day existence without trying to make big-picture decisions about her career. But after a few weeks of getting used to the new routine she began to consider again the issues she had with the Firefly project.
She decided not to burden Ian right now with her misgivings; instead she went to speak with the director of the Firefly project whom she had worked with previously. He was generally considered to be an understanding boss to work for in the company and Kiersten decided to ask him to move her to another project that didn’t have the same complications that Firefly did.
Once she sat down to speak with him and mentioned her desire for a transfer she could tell immediately that there were going to be problems.
“What are you talking about!” her director blurted out his eyes bulging with amazement.
Long-Term Effects
- Sit down with Ian and discuss what has been bothering her about Firefly and see how he feels?
- Tell them she isn’t comfortable with that and decline their offer.
- Agree to run the project for her husband and kid’s sakes?
- Accept the position but begin to float her resume out to similar companies and look for new work?
- This is part of a growing consciousness and unease about the sort of work she has been involved in for years. She should look to get out of private industry and try to find an academic job.
“You must be joking, Kiersten! This company has never had such a high-profile project. I know you’re going through a lot at home but this is an important position.”
He reminded her that she had risen higher than any other woman at their company and she had a responsibility to those who came after her.
Kiersten told him that she appreciated his advice but that she really thought it was best to transfer.
“I would think long and hard about what you’re doing” he replied. “This type of move could have fatal effects on you career here.”
While he didn’t come right out and say it, it was clear to Kiersten that the company was deeply invested in this project and letting them down in any way in relation to Firefly would be looked upon very unfavorably and could very well cost her the job.
The prospect of losing work right now filled her with terror, so she decided to continue working on Firefly for a while until she could come up with a plan. Two weeks after that discussion she was called into a meeting by the Chairman of the Board of and some other senior executives at the company. What they told her that day was astonishing: her director had been let go and Kiersten was the unanimous choice to head up Firefly.
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