Question

When a new batch of lawyers joins in 2024, Lisa feels that it is her moral responsibility to reprieve the newcomers from the ensuing stress of the socialization ritual. However, Lisa, like the others who joined along with her, is on probation for two years. During the probation period, her skills and performance are under evaluation. Upon successful completion of this two-year assessment, she will be eligible for confirmation. Since she is yet to be confirmed, she wants to be seen as fitting within the organization’s culture.
Which of the following options will BEST enable Lisa to save the newcomers from the socialization ritual, without being singled out for questioning the organization’s culture?

• A. Meet one of the newcomers in secret and tell her about this practice.
• B. Seek a meeting with Ned Flanders, suggesting him to put an end to this practice.
• C. Join a team of lawyers, petitioning to the founders to end this practice.
• D. Organize a generic workshop for newcomers regarding workplace politics.
• E. Be silent this year until her performance review is over and she is confirmed.
• A. She should meet the founders and share that while she has reservations about the practice, she did not send the anonymous email.
• B. She should send a public email clarifying that while she has reservations about the practice, she is not the author of the anonymous email.
• C. She should publicly apologize for having questioned the tradition of the organization to put all doubts to rest.
• D. She should simply focus on her work, and hope that the founders would ignore the rumours.
• J. She should apologize to the founders, taking accountability for creating a climate that resulted in someone sending the anonymous email.
• A. They should talk to their competitors in the same industry and check what kind of practices they follow.
• B. They should stick to what they are doing but hire a mental health professional who the newcomers can refer to if they feel the need.
• C. They should invite suggestions from their young lawyers regarding formulating a new socialization ritual.
• D. They should get a mental health professional to design their socialization ritual.
• O. They should, in their website, share details about how tough the workload is going to be.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Define Lisa’s dilemma.
Lisa wants to protect newcomers from the stress of the ritual, but she is still on probation and cannot openly challenge the organization’s culture without risking her career. She needs an indirect approach that addresses the issue while preserving her reputation.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option A: Secretly telling one newcomer is risky and ineffective; it doesn’t solve the systemic issue. - Option B: Directly approaching Ned Flanders could expose Lisa as challenging organizational traditions. Risky during probation. - Option C: Petitioning the founders is a confrontational approach, which may damage her standing. - Option D: This is the best choice. A generic workshop on workplace politics indirectly prepares newcomers to handle the ritual without openly opposing it. Lisa can frame it as professional development, not opposition. - Option E: Remaining silent avoids risk but fails her moral responsibility to help newcomers.
Step 3: Best answer.
Option D provides Lisa with a safe, indirect, and constructive way to support newcomers without appearing to question the culture.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{D}} \]

Answer 2

Step 1: Define Lisa’s situation.
Lisa is wrongly suspected of authoring an anonymous email. She must protect her credibility without openly defying the organizational culture. Remaining silent risks reputational damage; over-apologizing may wrongly imply guilt.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option A: Meeting the founders privately allows her to clarify the truth while showing honesty and maturity. This balances transparency and diplomacy. - Option B: Sending a public email unnecessarily amplifies the issue and draws more attention to Lisa. - Option C: Public apology for something she didn’t do undermines her credibility and signals weakness. - Option D: Hoping the issue fades risks Lisa’s reputation being quietly tarnished. - Option E: Taking responsibility for creating a “climate” is excessive and may make her appear guilty.
Step 3: Best answer.
Option A is the most balanced and responsible approach: it clarifies her position directly with the leadership, without public escalation or unnecessary drama.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{A}} \]

Answer 3

Step 1: Understand the context.
The socialization ritual has been valuable historically but is now seen as outdated. The challenge is to retain its purpose (exposing newcomers to the profession’s harsh realities) while updating it to suit modern expectations of empathy and inclusiveness.
Step 2: Evaluate the options.
- Option A: Checking competitors may provide external insights but does not ensure that the solution fits the firm’s unique culture. - Option B: Hiring a mental health professional is supportive, but it does not address the outdated nature of the ritual itself. - Option C: This is the strongest choice. By involving young lawyers in designing a new ritual, the firm can modernize the process while keeping it relevant and aligned with newcomers’ needs. It balances tradition and empathy. - Option D: Letting a mental health professional design the ritual risks making it too clinical and detached from the professional realities. - Option E: Website information is informative but cannot substitute for experiential initiation.
Step 3: Best answer.
Option C allows the founders to preserve the intent of the ritual while modernizing its execution, creating buy-in from young lawyers and ensuring empathy with changing times.
Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{C}} \]