Dilemma 1
The colleague's error
You spot a mistake in a report a colleague sent to a client this morning. Nobody else has noticed.
Do you tell them quietly, tell your manager, or stay out of it?
7 workplace dilemmas with no right answer
Company policies cover the obvious cases. These seven situations are the ones they don't: loyalty against honesty, speaking up against waiting, kindness against fairness. Pick what you would actually do, not what looks best on paper.
Dilemma 2
The impossible deadline
Your manager promises a client a delivery date you know can't be met.
Do you push back now, or say nothing and try to make it work?
Dilemma 3
The padded expenses
A well-liked senior colleague rounds up their small expense claims. Everyone half-knows, and nobody says anything.
Do you report it, raise it with them directly, or let it go?
Dilemma 4
The better offer
You get a job offer with better pay, but your team is short-staffed and mid-project.
Do you leave now, or stay through the crunch?
Dilemma 5
The honest review
You're asked to review a teammate who is struggling, and you know their life outside work is falling apart.
Do you write the honest review, or soften it?
Dilemma 6
The layoff slip
A manager lets slip, by accident, that layoffs are coming and a close friend on your team is on the list.
Do you warn your friend, or keep the confidence?
Dilemma 7
The dismissed idea
In a meeting, someone senior brushes off a junior colleague's idea without really hearing it.
Do you speak up in the moment, or wait and follow up afterward?
What your answers hint at
If you tend to act right away, you probably value clarity and fairness, and you'd rather deal with the discomfort now than let it build. If you tend to wait, or take the quiet route, you may value relationships and timing, and you'd rather pick your moment than force one.
Neither approach is better. Most people mix both, depending on who is involved and how much is at stake. The interesting part is noticing where you switch.
How to use these
In a team meeting: read one aloud and let everyone answer before discussing. The disagreement is the point, because it shows how differently colleagues weigh the same situation.
For interview practice: pick one and explain your choice out loud, including what you'd give up by choosing it. Being able to say what your choice costs is usually a stronger answer than picking the "safe" option.
For yourself: answer all seven quickly, then look for a pattern. If you always protect people, or always protect the rule, that's worth knowing.
Beyond a one-line question
A short prompt is easy to answer in theory. ThinkAlike's workplace conflict and business ethics stories put you inside the moment, with consequences that follow your choices. Want more like this? Try 7 everyday dilemmas, 7 relationship dilemmas, 7 money and friendship dilemmas, or 7 family obligation dilemmas.
See how you'd choose inside a real story
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