Ethical Dilemma

 

Brent Jones is a manager at Anderson Advertising, leading a team of four people. Brent's team has just wrapped up their last project for one of the firm's main clients, and Brent is trying to decide what project to tackle next. Brent and his team have been doing well this year, and they are all hoping for a good year-end review, possibly including a raise for everyone.

 

Two projects have made their way to Brent's desk, each from major clients.

 

The first project requires the inclusion of a multimedia component, utilizing a significant amount of technologic savvy. It would be an opportunity for Brent's team to demonstrate its mastery of cutting-edge systems and formats for clients wishing to appeal to the Internet generation.

 

The second project is more straightforward but will require a clever, creative approach, at which Brent excels. Brent is a talented copyrighter, more so than any other member of his team. Brent knows that if he chooses the first project, his team as a whole will have a chance to impress the client and upper management. If he chooses the second assignment, he will have a chance to demonstrate his personal abilities on a high-profile project. Brent has been at Anderson for many years, and he feels that it is his time to move up the executive ladder. Both projects are on immediate deadlines, so Brent must make a choice and pass the other project on to another team.

 

Brent knows that if he chooses the creative project, he'll have a better shot at advancement, but at the expense of the good of his team. Brent doesn't want to be that kind of manager—he needs his team to trust him, and he wants them to believe that he has the team's interest at heart when making critical decisions. He knows that the team could do a great job on the first project, and everyone could share in the success.

 

Questions:

 

What should Brent do? Why?